Utah wins Holy War over BYU, maintains commanding lead in Big 12 title race
By Ethan Stone
Published:
The Utah Utes remain unbeaten following Saturday’s 28-20 win over BYU in the Holy War.
It’s a result that has massive implications on this season’s College Football Playoff. At 6-0 in Big 12 play, Utah now has a commanding lead over the rest of the conference and would need to lose twice to miss out on the Big 12 championship game. The Utes still have to play at Arizona, at TCU and vs. West Virginia to finish out the regular season.
Utah has now won 15 straight games, the longest active winning streak in the country. Even better for Utah fans, the Utes’ odds to reach the College Football Playoff now sit at 90%.
The Utes used a strong start and an even better finish to snap their 3-game Holy War losing streak. BYU fought back following a 14-0 deficit, taking a 20-14 lead into halftime. Utah’s defense responded well, keeping BYU scoreless throughout the second half as QB Devon Dampier and HC Morgan Scalley’s offense crawled their way back into the game.
Perhaps the most crucial play of the afternoon happened near the Utah goal line. Utah intercepted BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier on 3rd and Goal to keep the Cougars from potentially tying the game at 28. Utah collected a few first downs following the interception, leaving BYU without enough time to drive the field and score before the end of regulation.
Here’s the play that ultimately decided the game for Utah:
Ethan Stone is a Saturday Down South News Editor and an advocate for the return of the Seattle Supersonics.
