No. 3 Utah moved to 9-0 on the season with a 28-20 rivalry victory over No. 9 BYU on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at Rice-Eccles Stadium in front of 52,901 fans. Devon Dampier recorded four touchdowns to lead the Utes to their 15th consecutive win, while a dominant second-half defensive performance secured the win for the top-ranked Big 12 team.
Early Momentum and Halftime Shift
The Utes offense opened with significant momentum, scoring touchdowns on its first two possessions in the first quarter. Devon Dampier began the scoring with a 22-yard run through the right side of the offensive line and later connected on a 46-yard touchdown pass to Braden Pegan to cap the second scoring drive. Pegan finished the day with five receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns.
Despite the early lead, Utah faced a 20-14 deficit at halftime after BYU's Legend Glasker completed a 75-yard touchdown pass from Bear Bachmeier. The Cougars also added field goals from Matthias Dunn to take the lead. However, the Utes regained control in the second half, scoring 14 unanswered points to secure the victory.
Defensive Dominance and Takeaways
The Utah defense turned the tide in the second half, recording four interceptions to halt BYU's momentum. The takeaways included a red-zone interception by Trey Reynolds and a final interception by Nate Ritchie with just seconds remaining in the game to end BYU's last scoring attempt. This marked the first time Utah recorded multiple defensive interceptions against an AP Top 10 opponent since the 2021 Pac-12 Championship and the 2009 Sugar Bowl.
Individual defensive performances were led by Johnathan Hall, who recorded a season-high nine tackles, and Trey Reynolds, who finished with eight tackles. James Chenault Jr. contributed his third interception of the season, while Lance Holtzclaw recorded his first collegiate interception. The Utes' defense held BYU to just 111 yards of offense in the second half, compared to 280 yards in the first half.
Dampier's Historic Performance
Quarterback Devon Dampier achieved a rare statistical feat, becoming only the second player in the FBS in the last 30 seasons to record multiple passing touchdowns, multiple rushing touchdowns, and at least 25 receiving yards in a single game. Dampier finished with 177 passing yards and two touchdown passes, 89 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, and caught a 29-yard pass from Creed Whittemore.
Coach Morgan Scalley praised Dampier's leadership and ability to handle adversity. Scalley noted that the team's ability to flip the script after a struggling first half was a result of a culture focused on unity and execution. Dampier, who is currently 19-2 as a starter, said the team's mentality is to focus on one game at a time, noting that they have much larger plans for the remainder of the season.
Historical Significance and Streaks
The victory marks Utah's 15th straight win, the longest active winning streak in the FBS. It is the program's longest winning streak since the team won 16 consecutive games between Dec. 20, 2007, and Sept. 12, 2009. This win also marks the third time in program history that Utah has started a season 9-0.
Coach Scalley noted that the win snapped a three-game losing streak against the Cougars and was the team's first rivalry win since 2019. The game was the first time in the history of the Utah-BYU rivalry that both teams entered the game ranked in the AP Top 10 and the College Football Playoff rankings.
Looking Ahead
BYU committed a season-high number of penalties during the matchup, including four false starts. The Cougars' loss brings their season record to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play.
Utah will look to extend their winning streak on Saturday, Nov. 14, when they travel to face No. 22 Arizona. The kickoff time and broadcast details for that matchup have not yet been announced.
Attendance and Atmosphere
The matchup featured a sellout crowd of 52,901 at Rice-Eccles Stadium, marking the 101st consecutive sellout for the venue. The game was characterized by high-stakes rivalry tension, with the last six Utah games being decided by eight or fewer points.
