Utah, BYU meet in first top-10 rivalry clash
The Utes and Cougars enter Saturday's game as No. 3 and No. 7 respectively, with playoff seeding and a Big 12 title spot on the line.
By Diego Mendoza ·
The University of Utah and Brigham Young University will face off in Salt Lake City on Saturday for the first time in program history as top-10 ranked teams. Utah sits at No. 3 in the AP Top 25, while BYU holds the No. 7 spot. This marks the fifth time in the rivalry's history that both schools have entered a game with rankings.
Utah's ascent to No. 3 follows a 49-25 road victory over Cincinnati. The result moved the Utes up three positions in the poll. This is their highest ranking in the AP survey since the 2015 season. The previous peak for the program was No. 2 in the final poll of the 2008 campaign. BYU climbed to No. 7 after defeating Arizona State in a close game on Halloween.
The matchup carries weight beyond the traditional rivalry stakes. The winner positions itself strongly for the Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, Texas. College Football Playoff implications also hang over the result. The AP poll may lose relevance quickly, as the first College Football Playoff rankings are scheduled for release on Tuesday.
The Big 12 currently has three other teams in the top 25. Texas Tech is ranked No. 13, Houston is No. 17, and Arizona is No. 24. At the top of the national poll, Miami holds the No. 1 position and Georgia is No. 2. Both teams face top-15 opponents this weekend. Miami will host No. 4 Notre Dame, while Georgia plays against No. 12 Ole Miss.
The most recent ranked meeting between these two programs occurred last year. In that contest, the No. 15 BYU team defeated the No. 23 Utah team. The current ranking gap places this Saturday's game in a different tier of competition for both squads.
Other teams receiving votes in the AP poll include Northwestern with 79 points, Oregon with 55, and UTSA with 43. SMU has 27 votes, Virginia Tech has 12, and Duke has 10. Minnesota holds 8 votes, Liberty has 4, Oklahoma State has 3, and Louisville has 1.
The game will serve as a direct test of these two programs' standing relative to the rest of the country. The outcome will influence their paths toward the conference title and potential playoff berths.
Source: The Salt Lake Tribune
