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Source: Utah News
The next installment of the Holy War rivalry is shaping up to be one of the biggest head-to-head meetings between Utah and BYU in recent memory.
With both squads featuring in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, Saturday’s contest in Provo, Utah, will mark the first ranked matchup between the two schools since 2009. And given the Utes and Cougars combine for an 11-1 record going in, plenty of conference title and College Football Playoff at-large aspirations will be at stake when they go toe-to-toe for the 103rd time in their storied history.
As the college football world prepares to turn its attention to LaVell Edwards Stadium, here’s a look at how a few prognosticators and advanced metrics predict the Utah-BYU showdown playing out.
ESPN’s matchup predictor has been more favorable to the Utes since the start of the season, though that trend’s being tested heading into Week 8. The Cougars currently hold a narrow edge with a 51% win probability rate in ESPN’s advanced algorithm.
Utah, which was only favored in five of its 12 regular-season games heading into the 2025 campaign, according to ESPN analytics, has a favorable win probability in five of its final six contests, with the lone exception being its upcoming road trip to BYU.
Bill Connelly’s SP+ model, a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measurement of college football efficiency, predicts about as close a contest between the Utes and Cougars as possible — Utah’s given a 51% chance of winning with a projected margin of 0.5 points. The algorithm’s adjusted score for the game is 24-24, one of three ties forecasted in SP+’s model for the Week 8 slate.
Connelly’s metrics-based formulas have accurately predicted the winner in five of Utah’s six games so far this season, with the exception being its loss to Texas Tech on Sept. 20.
With help from Data Skrive, Fox Sports foresees Utah pulling out a 4-point victory over its in-state rival.
Fox will have special pregame coverage of Saturday’s showdown, with the Big Noon Kickoff crew in town to preview the game and the rest of college football’s Week 8 schedule from BYU’s campus.
The Sporting News’ Bill Bender notes how it’s somewhat surprising to see the Utes favored in the betting markets, given the Cougars have won the last two head-to-head meetings, in his prediction for Saturday’s Big 12 showdown.
Still, Bender has Utah coming out of LaVell Edwards Stadium with a narrow victory over its in-state rival.
“The Cougars are unbeaten, but Utah quarterback Devon Dampier presents a two-fold challenge for the BYU defense with a 71.5% completion percentage and averages 5.8 yards per carry,” Bender writes. “Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier has seven TDs and one interception. Which QB makes the plays in the fourth quarter?”
The prediction from USA Today’s Austin Curtright is the only one that forecasts a double-digit margin for Saturday’s game. The Utes’ last win over the Cougars in 2019 was by a similar margin (30-12), though 13 of the last 14 meetings dating back to 1997 have been decided by nine points or fewer.
Source: Utah News
Source: Utah News
Despite Utah’s strong play, Chicago scored the game’s opening goal halfway through the second period. Ilya Mikheyev stuffed the puck past Vítek Vaněček and gave the home team a 1-0 lead.
The Mammoth responded and tied the game 62 seconds into the third period when JJ Peterka scored his first goal as a Mammoth. This goal showed the Cooley line’s quick passing and connectedness. After Peterka saw two Blackhawks players closing in, the forward quickly passed to Guenther. Although Guenther’s shot was stopped, the rebound kicked out to Peterka who capitalized. The offseason acquisition recorded his second point in as many games and tied the game, 1-1.
“Just pressure, I think that was the key,” Peterka shared about his goal. “To get chances of the forecheck and kind of sit on them and that’s also how the goal went in. Just forechecking and getting bodies to the net.”
“They played well, they did a good job to utilize their speed,” Tourigny explained about the effort around Peterka’s goal. “I think it’s a little bit a reflection of our game. As soon as they start forechecking, they’re fast, and they have good stick, they have good legs. If they forecheck the way they did in the second, they will separate themselves.”
Chicago’s go-ahead goal was nine minutes into the final frame. Andre Burakovsky was all alone in front and beat Utah netminder Vítek Vaněček. His power play goal gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead in the third period. With 5.1 seconds remaining in the game, Mikheyev scored his second of the night and the empty net goal secured a 3-1 win for Chicago.
Additional Notes from Tonight:
In his first game back from a training camp injury, Hayton made his presence known. Hayton centered the top line with Captain Clayton Keller and forward Nick Schmaltz on the wings. Hayton played 15:58, had two shots on goal, and won 54.5% of his faceoffs.
“It was great to get back out there,” Hayton said following his first game back. “This is what I love to do and being out there, competing with the guys.”
Free agency signing Vítek Vaněček played his first regular season game for the Mammoth. He made some key saves in the first period to keep Chicago off the board, and Vaněček stopped 11 of the 13 shots he faced.
“He did a good job,” Tourigny said of Vaněček. “He kept us there in the first when we had a few breakdowns and he did what he had to do. It was not an easy game, didn’t give a lot of shots, it was not easy for him, but I think he’s a veteran, he stayed with it.”
The Mammoth changed things up with two of their d-pairings in the second and third periods. Dmitri Simashev and fellow countryman Mikhail Sergachev played together while Olli Määttä and Ian Cole were paired up.
Utah returns home for the team’s home opener on Oct. 15 against the Calgary Flames. There will be a Seat Geek Plaza Party before the game, learn more about the event here!
Upcoming Schedule:
Source: Utah News
CHICAGO (AP) — Andre Burakovsky snapped a third-period tie, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Utah Mammoth 3-1 on Monday night for coach Jeff Blashill’s first win with his new team.
Chicago dropped its first three games despite being tied at 2 after the second period in each contest. It was outshot by Utah 23-14, but a wide-open Burakovsky beat Vitek Vanecek low on the stick side for the deciding power-play goal with 11:05 left.
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Ilya Mikheyev had two goals for the Blackhawks, including an empty-netter in the final seconds. Spencer Knight made 22 saves.
Blashill, 51, was hired by Chicago in May. It’s his second stint as a head coach in the NHL after he went 204-261-72 in seven seasons with Detroit.
JJ Peterka scored for Utah, which dropped two of three on its season-opening road trip. Vanecek finished with 11 stops.
The Mammoth played without defenseman Sean Durzi, who is expected to miss four weeks with an upper-body injury. Durzi had an assist during Saturday night’s 3-2 overtime win at Nashville.
Looking for the tying goal, Utah got a power-play opportunity when Connor Bedard was sent off for holding with 8:19 to go. But Chicago killed it off.
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Utah controlled the action in the second, outshooting Chicago 13-3 in the period. But the Blackhawks went in front when Mikheyev drove to the net and stuffed it in at 9:21 for his first goal of the season.
Peterka responded 1:02 into the third, tying it at 1 when he beat Knight from the side of the net. It was Peterka’s first goal since he was acquired in a June trade with Buffalo.
Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson returned to the lineup after missing Saturday night’s 3-2 loss to Montreal with an upper-body injury. He skated with the team Monday morning and said he had bounced back quicker than he had expected.
Up next
Both teams play again Wednesday night. Utah has its home opener against Calgary, and Chicago visits St. Louis.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Source: Utah News
Source: Utah News
Well, that’s more like it.
The Big 12 is what we all thought it would be, to a point. It’s about even from almost top to bottom, Texas Tech leading the pack, Oklahoma State in the basement, and everyone in between beating each other up.
Here are the Big 12 schedules and our picks for every remaining game.
Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes mascot Chip performs in the second quarter against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Big 12 Season Calls and Predictions Going into Week 8
– @PeteFiutak
– Kansas and Kansas State both need the win against each other at the end of the month. The winner will likely get to six wins with a bowl game, the loser will struggle to get eligible.
– BYU vs Utah now sets the tone for the rest of the Big 12 season. BYU is battling every week, but it’s still undefeated. A loss, though, and things could crash with road games at Iowa State and Texas Tech next.
– If Utah really is back on track, it should go on a run with four of the next five games in Salt Lake City coming after the BYU showdown.
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2025 Record: 4-2
CFN Predicted Record: 6-6
Aug 30 Hawaii W 40-6
Sept 6 Weber State W 48-3
Sept 13 Kansas State W 23-17
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 at Iowa State L 39-14
Oct 4 Oklahoma State W 41-13
Oct 11 BYU L 33-27
Oct 18 at Houston L
Oct 25 OPEN DATE
Nov 1 at Colorado L
Nov 8 Kansas W
Nov 15 at Cincinnati L
Nov 22 Baylor W
Nov 29 at Arizona State L
Missing: Kansas State, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah, West Virginia
2025 Record: 4-2
CFN Predicted Record: 9-3
Aug 30 Northern Arizona W 38-19
Sept 6 at Mississippi State L 24-20
Sept 13 Texas State W 34-15
Sept 20 at Baylor W 27-24
Sept 27 TCU W 27-24
Oct 4 OPEN DATE
Oct 11 at Utah L 42-10
Oct 18 Texas Tech L
Oct 25 Houston W
Nov 1 at Iowa State W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 West Virginia W
Nov 22 at Colorado W
Nov 29 Arizona W
Missing: BYU, Cincinnati, Kansas, Oklahoma State, TCU, UCF
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2025 Record: 4-2
CFN Predicted Record: 7-5
Aug 30 Auburn L 38-24
Sept 6 at SMU W 48-45
Sept 13 Samford W 42-7
Sept 20 Arizona State L 27-24
Sept 27 at Oklahoma State W 45-27
Oct 4 Kansas State W 35-34
Oct 11 OPEN DATE
Oct 18 at TCU L
Oct 25 at Cincinnati W
Nov 1 UCF W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 Utah L
Nov 22 at Arizona L
Nov 29 Houston W
Missing: BYU, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, West Virginia
Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake celebrates a win against the Arizona Wildcats after overtime with his team and the crowd at Arizona Stadium. © Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
2025 Record: 6-0
CFN Predicted Record: 8-4
Aug 30 Portland State W 69-0
Sept 6 Stanford W 27-3
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 at East Carolina W 34-13
Sept 27 at Colorado W 24-21
Oct 3 West Virginia W 38-24
Oct 11 at Arizona W 33-27
Oct 18 Utah L
Oct 25 at Iowa State L
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 at Texas Tech L
Nov 15 TCU W
Nov 22 at Cincinnati L
Nov 29 UCF W
Missing: Arizona State, Baylor, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State
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2025 Record: 5-1
CFN Predicted Record: 8-4
Aug 28 vs Nebraska (in Kansas City) L 20-17
Sept 6 Bowling Green W 34-20
Sept 13 Northwestern State W 70-0
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 at Kansas W 37-34
Oct 4 Iowa State W 38-30
Oct 11 UCF W 20-11
Oct 18 at Oklahoma State W
Oct 25 Baylor L
Nov 1 at Utah L
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 Arizona W
Nov 22 BYU W
Nov 29 at TCU L
Missing: Arizona State, Colorado, Houston, Kansas State, Texas Tech, West Virginia
2025 Record: 3-4
CFN Predicted Record: 4-8
Aug 30 Georgia Tech L 27-20
Sept 6 Delaware W 31-7
Sept 13 at Houston L 36-20
Sept 20 Wyoming W 37-20
Sept 27 BYU L 24-21
Oct 4 at TCU L 35-21
Oct 11 Iowa State W 24-17
Oct 18 OPEN DATE
Oct 25 at Utah L
Nov 1 Arizona W
Nov 8 at West Virginia L
Nov 15 OPEN DATE
Nov 22 Arizona State L
Nov 29 at Kansas State L
Missing: Baylor, Cincinnati, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, UCF
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2025 Record: 5-1
CFN Predicted Record: 7-5
Aug 30 Stephen F Austin W 27-0
Sept 6 at Rice W 35-9
Sept 13 Colorado W 36-20
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 at Oregon State W 27-24
Oct 4 Texas Tech L 35-11
Oct 11 at Oklahoma State W 39-17
Oct 18 Arizona L
Oct 25 at Arizona State L
Nov 1 West Virginia W
Nov 8 at UCF L
Nov 15 OPEN DATE
Nov 22 TCU W
Nov 29 at Baylor L
Missing: BYU, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Utah
2025 Record: 5-2
CFN Predicted Record: 8-4
Aug 23 vs Kansas State (in Dublin) W 24-21
Aug 30 South Dakota W 55-7
Sept 6 Iowa W 16-13
Sept 13 at Arkansas State W 24-16
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 Arizona W 39-14
Oct 4 at Cincinnati L 38-30
Oct 11 at Colorado L 24-17
Oct 18 OPEN DATE
Oct 25 BYU W
Nov 1 Arizona State L
Nov 8 at TCU L
Nov 15 OPEN DATE
Nov 22 Kansas W
Nov 29 at Oklahoma State W
Missing: Baylor, Houston, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah, West Virginia
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2025 Record: 4-3
CFN Predicted Record: 6-6
Aug 23 Fresno State W 31-7
Aug 30 Wagner W 46-7
Sept 6 at Missouri L 42-31
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 West Virginia W 41-10
Sept 27 Cincinnati L 37-34
Oct 4 at UCF W 27-20
Oct 11 at Texas Tech L 42-17
Oct 18 OPEN DATE
Oct 25 Kansas State W
Nov 1 Oklahoma State W
Nov 8 at Arizona L
Nov 15 OPEN DATE
Nov 22 at Iowa State L
Nov 29 Utah L
Missing: Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, Colorado, Houston, TCU
Oct 11, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Chris Klieman congratulates running back Joe Jackson (4) after a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. © Scott Sewell-Imagn Images
2025 Record: 3-4
CFN Predicted Record: 7-5
Aug 23 vs Iowa State (in Dublin) L 24-21
Aug 30 North Dakota W 38-35
Sept 6 Army L 24-21
Sept 13 at Arizona L 23-17
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 UCF W 34-20
Oct 4 at Baylor L 35-34
Oct 11 TCU W 41-28
Oct 18 OPEN DATE
Oct 25 at Kansas L
Nov 1 Texas Tech W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 at Oklahoma State W
Nov 22 at Utah L
Nov 29 Colorado W
Missing: Arizona State, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF, West Virginia
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2025 Record: 1-5
CFN Predicted Record: 1-11
Aug 30 UT Martin W 27-7
Sept 6 at Oregon L 69-3
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 Tulsa L 19-12
Sept 27 Baylor L 45-27
Oct 4 at Arizona L 41-13
Oct 11 Houston L 39-17
Oct 18 Cincinnati L
Oct 25 at Texas Tech L
Nov 1 at Kansas L
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 Kansas State L
Nov 22 at UCF L
Nov 29 Iowa State L
Missing: Arizona State, BYU, Colorado, TCU, Utah, West Virginia
2025 Record: 4-2
CFN Predicted Record: 8-4
Sept 1 at North Carolina W 48-14
Sept 6 Abilene Christian W 42-21
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 SMU W 35-24
Sept 27 at Arizona State L 27-24
Oct 4 Colorado W 35-21
Oct 11 at Kansas State L 41-28
Oct 18 Baylor W
Oct 25 at West Virginia W
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 Iowa State W
Nov 15 at BYU L
Nov 22 at Houston L
Nov 29 Cincinnati W
Missing: Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah
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2025 Record: 6-0
CFN Predicted Record: 11-1
Aug 30 Arkansas-Pine Bluff W 67-7
Sept 6 Kent State W 62-14
Sept 13 Oregon State W 45-14
Sept 20 at Utah W 34-10
Sept 27 OPEN DATE
Oct 4 at Houston W 35-11
Oct 11 Kansas W 42-17
Oct 18 at Arizona State W
Oct 25 Oklahoma State W
Nov 1 at Kansas State L
Nov 8 BYU W
Nov 15 UCF W
Nov 22 OPEN DATE
Nov 29 at West Virginia W
Missing: Arizona, Baylor, Cincinnati, Colorado, Iowa State, TCU
2025 Record: 3-3
CFN Predicted Record: 6-6
Aug 28 Jacksonville State W 17-10
Sept 6 North Carolina A&T W 68-7
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 North Carolina W 34-9
Sept 27 at Kansas State L 34-20
Oct 4 Kansas L 27-20
Oct 11 at Cincinnati L 28-22
Oct 18 West Virginia W
Oct 25 OPEN DATE
Nov 1 at Baylor L
Nov 8 Houston W
Nov 15 at Texas Tech L
Nov 22 Oklahoma State W
Nov 29 at BYU L
Missing: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Iowa State, TCU, Utah
Oct 11, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes safety Josh Sovereign (32) reacts to a play against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the third quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium.© Rob Gray-Imagn Images
2025 Record: 5-1
CFN Predicted Record: 11-1
Aug 30 at UCLA W 43-10
Sept 6 Cal Poly W 63-9
Sept 13 at Wyoming W 31-6
Sept 20 Texas Tech L 34-10
Sept 27 at West Virginia W 48-14
Oct 4 OPEN DATE
Oct 11 Arizona State W 42-10
Oct 18 at BYU W
Oct 25 Colorado W
Nov 1 Cincinnati W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 at Baylor W
Nov 22 Kansas State W
Nov 29 at Kansas W
Missing: Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, TCU, UCF
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2025 Record: 2-4
CFN Predicted Record: 3-9
Aug 30 Robert Morris W 45-3
Sept 6 at Ohio L 17-10
Sept 13 Pitt W 31-24
Sept 20 at Kansas L 41-10
Sept 27 Utah L 48-14
Oct 3 at BYU L 38-24
Oct 11 OPEN DATE
Oct 18 at UCF L
Oct 25 TCU L
Nov 1 at Houston L
Nov 8 Colorado W
Nov 15 at Arizona State L
Nov 22 OPEN DATE
Nov 29 Texas Tech L
Missing: Arizona, Baylor, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State
Related: Group of Five Predictions Week 8: Every Remaining Game Picked
This story was originally reported by College Football News on Oct 13, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: Utah News
Source: Utah News
“Big Noon Kickoff” is coming to Provo this week.
BYU will host FOX’s premier college football pregame show beginning at 8 a.m. MDT Saturday, ahead of the highly anticipated BYU vs. Utah rivalry contest at 6 p.m.
This will be the second time the program has come to Utah this season. Three weeks ago the Utes and Salt Lake City played host to show before the Utes lost 34-10 to No. 7 Texas Tech on Sep. 20 in Rice-Eccles Stadium.
“Should be a great matchup,” Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said following the Utes win over Arizona State on Saturday. “I would say it’s shaping up to be a biggest event in the state of Utah, sporting event like it is most years.”
The “Big Noon Kickoff” pregame cast includes host Rob Stone, former Heisman Trophy winners Brady Quinn, Mark Ingram II and Matt Leinart.
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fox and Barstool personalities on the set of Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff before Utah plays Texas Tech in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy and former Utah head coach Urban Meyer are also on the show. The last time Portnoy was in town, he led anti-BYU chants with Ute fans and tried several local pizza joints in downtown Salt Lake City.
Both programs are coming into the matchup ranked inside the AP Top 25 — with BYU at No. 15 and the Utes at No. 23 — after their respective wins this weekend.
Note to readers • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.
Source: Utah News
The next installment of the Holy War rivalry will also be a top-25 matchup between a pair of Big 12 contenders.
Utah and BYU will head into next Saturday’s contest as members of the Associated Press Top 25 poll after both came away victorious in Week 6, setting up a pivotal matchup in Provo, Utah, that’ll feature more than just bragging rights at stake.
Following their dominant win over Arizona State, the Utes earned a spot as the No. 23-ranked team in the country in the latest edition of the media poll that was released Sunday afternoon.
The Cougars, meanwhile, ascended three spots to No. 15 following their come-from-behind win on the road over Arizona, in which they overcame a double-digit deficit for a 33-27 double-overtime win in Tucson, Arizona.
Utah’s Week 7 contest didn’t include nearly as much drama, as the Utes pummeled the Sun Devils in the trenches to pull away for a 42-10 victory at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Devon Dampier had 120 of his team’s 276 rushing yards, gashing the Big 12’s No. 2 run defense all night, while Utah’s defense sacked backup quarterback Jeff Sims five times to hold Arizona State to just 259 total yards of offense.
The Sun Devils, who didn’t have Sam Leavitt for that 32-point loss, dropped out of the poll after checking in at No. 21 last week. Iowa State, previously ranked No. 23, also fell out of the top 25 after its 24-17 setback to Colorado.
Texas Tech led the Big 12 pack as the No. 7-ranked team in the land. The Red Raiders improved to 6-0 over the weekend with a 42-17 triumph over Kansas.
The matchup at LaVell Edwards Stadium between Utah and BYU is set to be the only ranked matchup in the Big 12 on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. local time on Fox.
“Should be a great matchup,” Whittingham said of the BYU game. “I would say it’s shaping up to be the biggest event in the state of Utah, sporting event [wise], like it is most years.”
Here’s the rest of the AP Top 25 poll.
Florida State (No. 25), Iowa State (No. 22), Arizona State (No. 21), Illinois (No. 17), Michigan (No. 15)
No. 20 USC, No. 21 Texas, No. 23 Utah, No. 24 Cincinnati, No. 25 Nebraska
No. 19 South Florida (+5)
Illinois 113, Michigan 73, Washington 36, UNLV 30, Navy 11, Mississippi St. 8, Tulane 2, San Diego St. 2.
Source: Utah News