The Utah Utes will visit the BYU Cougars in the latest installment of the Holy War rivalry on Saturday night. Both teams are ranked in the top 25 and will be looking for a signature win over their biggest rival in conference play. Utah enters as a slight favorite but they will have to earn everything they get in a hostile environment in Provo. Before kickoff in the Holy War, continue reading to get my Utah vs BYU prediction for Saturday's game.
Our Utah vs BYU Pick
- Pick: BYU +3.5
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Utah Utes vs BYU Cougars
- Date & Time: Saturday, October 18, 2025, 8:00 PM EDT
- Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT
- Broadcast: FOX
Key Storylines
- Utes' Balanced Attack: Utah's offense averages 39.5 points per game, with 248.2 rushing yards and 211.5 passing yards per game. Quarterback Devon Dampier has thrown for 1,131 yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He has lived up to expectations after transferring in from New Mexico after last season.
- Cougars' Ground Game: BYU's offense averages 37.5 points per game, primarily driven by a rushing attack that gains 238.0 yards per game. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier has passed for 1,220 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions. But running back LJ Martin has been the star of that offense, averaging over 100 yards per game on the ground with four rushing touchdowns.
- Defensive Strengths: Utah's defense allows 13.8 points per game, while BYU's defense allows 14.7 points per game. Both teams have put together strong defensive performances this season. The defense that can stand tall under the pressure of playing in this rivalry game will give their team a huge boost.
- Big 12 Battle: Both of these teams are in the top four in the Big 12 standings so far this season. The winner of this game will take a huge step toward the Big 12 title game later in the season.
Betting Trends & Head-to-Head
- Utah is 5-1 against the spread coming into the Holy War.
- BYU is 4-2 against the spread this season.
- Four of Utah's six games have gone over their totals this year.
- BYU is 3-3 on the over/under market heading into this week.
- Utah is 52-30-4 all-time against BYU. BYU has won the last two meetings between these teams.
Utah vs BYU Model Projection
- Score Projection: Utah 24 – BYU 23
- Win Probability: Utah 53%, BYU 47%
Final Thoughts
I think we are in for a close and low-scoring game between these two rivals in the Big 12. Both of these teams have elite defenses and should make life miserable for two quarterbacks who are not used to playing on this big a stage in this kind of environment. I am going to take the points with BYU, as I see this game being decided by a field goal at most, regardless of which team ends up getting the win.
Jay Sanin
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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