durangoherald
When No. 3 Utah (8-0, 5-0 Big 12, No. 3 CFP) hosts No. 7 BYU (7-1, 4-1, No. 9 CFP) on Saturday at noon ET on ABC, it will mark the first time in the storied Holy War rivalry that both programs enter the matchup ranked in the AP top 10. The early kickoff (10 a.m. local time) adds another layer of intrigue to a game with significant implications for the Big 12 championship race and the College Football Playoff.
Utah has won 14 consecutive games since a 24-21 loss to BYU last season. That defeat was BYU's third straight in the series—the schools' campuses are separated by just 45 miles—after Utah had won nine in a row. The Utes hold a 52-31-4 advantage in the all-time series, which began in 1895. Utah, the only remaining undefeated team in the Big 12, last started 9-0 during its undefeated 2008 campaign. The conference's most recent undefeated team was Texas in 2005, when the Longhorns won the national championship.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier owns an 18-2 record as the starter, while BYU sophomore Bear Bachmeier is 19-3. Both signal-callers will be under scrutiny in a game that could shape the conference title picture.
Key Analysis
The Holy War carries unprecedented weight this season, as both teams are in the top 10 for the first time. Utah's 14-game winning streak and undefeated conference record make the Utes the team to beat in the Big 12, but BYU has proven it can win this rivalry, having taken three straight before Utah's current run. The quarterback matchup between Dampier and Bachmeier adds another layer of intrigue, with both young passers boasting impressive win-loss records as starters.
Other Big 12 Matchups to Watch
In the undercard, TCU (4-4, 2-3) visits No. 24 Arizona (6-2, 3-2) on Friday at 10:15 p.m. ET on ESPN. Wildcats receiver Isaiah Mizell has recorded three consecutive 100-yard receiving games (21 catches for 499 yards), while quarterback Noah Fifita is the FBS active career leader with 11,664 passing yards and 92 touchdowns. Fifita's streak of 21 consecutive conference games with a touchdown pass is the longest active streak in the FBS. Arizona saw its five-game winning streak snapped last week at No. 13 Texas Tech; the Wildcats' only other loss came at Utah. TCU boasts the Big 12's top defense, allowing 14.1 points and 287.6 total yards per game. The Horned Frogs are coming off a 22-16 win over Kansas, their highest-scoring output against a Power Four opponent this season.
In Baylor's first game after the firing of coach Dave Aranda, quarterback DJ Lagway threw for 319 yards on 16 completions, including a 77-yard touchdown that was one of his four scoring passes (matching a career high) in a 41-9 win at UCF. The Bears (5-3, 3-2) host Iowa State (4-4, 2-3). Iowa State's Aiden Flora leads the Big 12 with 117.1 rushing yards per game. The former walk-on ran for 221 yards and touchdowns of 75 and 29 yards in a 51-49 win over Oklahoma State last week. He owns the conference's top three rushing performances this season, also rushing for 212 and 194 yards.
Colorado linebacker Gideon Lampron recorded a career-high 15 tackles in the Buffaloes' 27-24 overtime win over Kansas State, which snapped a nine-game conference losing streak. Lampron leads the Big 12 with 80 tackles (10 per game). The Buffaloes (3-5, 1-4) play at Arizona State (4-4, 2-3).
West Virginia is the only Big 12 team besides Utah currently riding a multiple-game winning streak. The Mountaineers (5-3, 2-3) seek their third consecutive win Saturday night at No. 13 Texas Tech (7-1, 4-1, No. 15 CFP). The Red Raiders tied a school record last week with their 13th consecutive home victory. Houston (6-2, 3-2, No. 17 CFP) has scored a Big 12-high 49 points off takeaways this season. Cincinnati (5-3, 2-3) visits Houston, its third straight Top 25 opponent; the Bearcats split home games against Texas Tech and Utah.
The Big 12 has five ranked teams for the sixth consecutive week, the first time that has occurred since 2014.
Originally reported by durangoherald.