BYU suffered a 28-20 loss to undefeated Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. The defeat was driven by four interceptions from Cougar quarterback Bear Bachmeier and standout play from Utah quarterback Devon Dampier.
In the matchup, Bachmeier completed 21 of 35 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown, but also threw four interceptions. His first interception occurred with under a minute remaining in the first half while BYU held a 20-14 lead. His third interception came late in the fourth quarter when Utah linebacker Trey Reynolds intercepted a pass intended for receiver Kyler Kasper at the Utah 2-yard line. Bachmeier's final interception occurred with 13 seconds remaining in the game during a pass attempt into the endzone.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier contributed significantly to the victory, recording 177 passing yards on 14-26 completions and two touchdown passes. Dampier also rushed for 111 yards on 22 carries, including two touchdown runs and several scrambles. BYU's offense struggled on the ground, as running backs LJ Martin and Sione Moa combined for 56 yards on 17 carries. Martin, the reigning Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year, gained 19 yards on seven carries during the game.
BYU coach Kalani Sitake stated that the team failed to start fast enough in either half and took responsibility for the need to play at a higher level. The loss impacts BYU's potential for a berth in the Big 12 Championship Game and a College Football Playoff invitation. The team has three games remaining in the season.
Despite the defeat, Sitake noted that the team showed grit and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete in such games. The Cougars aim to focus on their identity and find ways to improve moving forward.
