The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

Holy War

Utah59-34-4BYU
Power Program II#20 of 138–Power Program III#31 of 138–
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →
This year’s game — the live preview →
7 players crossed straight to the rival since 2021 — the turncoat ledger →

Utah leads the all-time series 59-34-4. They've met 97 times since 1922. BYU has won the last 3.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

Utah
Win total
10.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
-6
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -14
What fans are saying · rivalry
One fan believes Utah-BYU games have intense emotional weight
that rivalry was/is so UNBELIEVABLY toxic + hate filled that conference standing stakes were COMPLETELY unnecessary for both schools to care about that game more than literally any other on their respective schedules.
Verified verbatim
BYU
Win total
10.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
-14
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -15
What fans are saying · schedule expectation
fans believe BYU is a strong contender to win the Big 12 and reach the College Football Playoff
BYU 2026 preseason preview: 12-2, nearly everyone back, and a Big 12 Freshman of the Year returning at QB
Verified verbatim

Stature & the series, 1922–2025

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeUtahBYUevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: Utah won, gray: BYU won)19401960198020002020

The identity war

BYU has been the more pass-heavy program more often than not.

Across 23 seasons of real play-level data (2004–2026), Utah led 4 and BYU led 19.

more passmore runUtahBYU2004200620082010201220142016201820202022202420262015BYU 16.8 ptsUtah won 35-282023BYU 15.5 pts2019BYU 15.0 ptsUtah won 30-12
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

Utah once won 9 in a row. The biggest win was BYU by 50 in 1980. The biggest crowd, 66,149, was in 2001.

The coaching duels

Ron McBride vs LaVell Edwards5-6
Kyle Whittingham vs Bronco Mendenhall7-3
Ike Armstrong vs Edwin Kimball6-0-2
Jack Curtice vs Charles Atkinson5-0-1
Kyle Whittingham vs Kalani Sitake4-2
Wayne Howard vs LaVell Edwards1-4

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
99-95
Utah leads
1st-rounders
11-10
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
UtahBYU
1960s4-3
1970s3-14
1980s7-22
1990s10-16
2000s23-21
2010s32-7
2020s20-12

Best picks, either side

2005Alex Smith Quarterback · San Francisco 49ersRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
2021Zach Wilson Quarterback · New York JetsRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
2013Ezekiel Ansah Defensive End · Detroit LionsRd 1, pick 5#5 overall
1982Jim McMahon Quarterback · Chicago BearsRd 1, pick 5#5 overall
2003Jordan Gross Offensive Tackle · Carolina PanthersRd 1, pick 8#8 overall
2026Spencer Fano Offensive Tackle · Cleveland BrownsRd 1, pick 9#9 overall
1987Shawn Knight Defensive End · New Orleans SaintsRd 1, pick 11#11 overall
2013Star Lotulelei Defensive Tackle · Carolina PanthersRd 1, pick 14#14 overall

Recent meetings

Gate premium

BYU1.14×its own average home crowd

A modest gap over a small sample of games — real, but not a dramatic swing.

2025BYU24-21Utah — both ranked, decided by 3
2024BYU22-21
2021BYU26-17
2019Utah30-12
2018Utah35-27
2017Utah19-13
2016Utah20-19
2015UtahLas Vegas Bowl35-28
2013Utah20-13
2012Utah24-21
2011Utah54-10
2010Utah17-16
2009BYU26-23Utah — both ranked, decided by 3
2008Utah48-24BYU — both ranked

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is Utah’s chance to win through that meeting. Utah is 1-2 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter. The loudest meeting for fans was 2024: loud.

2025BYU 24-21Utah lost 21-24 at BYU. Chance to win started at 56%, low under 1%, high 69%.Busy
2024BYU 22-21Utah lost 21-22 vs BYU. Chance to win started at 39%, low under 1%, high 91%.Loud
2021BYU 26-17Utah lost 17-26 at BYU. Chance to win started at 67%, low 2%, high 74%.
2019Utah 30-12Utah won 30-12 at BYU. Chance to win started at 69%, low 51%, high 99%.
2018Utah 35-27Utah won 35-27 vs BYU. Chance to win started at 76%, low 4%, high 97%.
“I love it this game will be known forever as THE HOLDING CALL GAME”
A BYU fan
Read a quote from each meeting
  • 2025
    “Had to wait 10 seconds before I cheered just in case of a flag lmaooo”
    A Utah fan

Meetings with their own story page

8 meetings in our archive, 2015 to 2025.