No. 3 Utah remained undefeated at 9-0 after defeating No. 9 BYU 28-20 in a high-stakes iteration of the Holy War on Saturday. This marked the first time in the history of the rivalry that both teams entered the game ranked inside the top 10.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier contributed to all four of the Utes' touchdowns during the contest. By recording 177 passing yards and 87 rushing yards, Dampier became the first player in NCAA history to finish a game with at least 150 passing yards, 25 receiving yards, two passing touchdowns, and two rushing touchdowns.
Braden Pegan served as a primary target for Dampier, recording 86 receiving yards and two touchdowns, including a 46-yard score and a 14-yard reception. Wayshawn Parker also contributed to the ground attack with 36 rushing yards.
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier completed 21 of 35 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown, while also recording 59 rushing yards. Legend Glasker led the Cougars in receiving with 118 yards and one touchdown on seven receptions. LJ Martin scored a four-yard rushing touchdown to help BYU take a lead into halftime.
The second half saw the Utah defense stifle the BYU offense. After BYU entered halftime with 20 points, the Cougars struggled in the third quarter, failing to pick up a single first down during that period.
Key defensive plays included an interception by Utah cornerback James Chenault in the red zone during the first half and a game-clinching interception by Utah safety Nate Richie during BYU's final possession. The Cougars' final drive ended with a cross-body heave into the end zone that was intercepted by Richie.
The victory leaves the Utes positioned for a potential bye in the College Football Playoff. Conversely, the loss marks BYU's second conference loss. To reach Arlington for the Big 12 Championship, the Cougars must win out and require losses from both Texas Tech and Houston.
