Off the field, the rivalry got a new chapter in October 2026 when Pat McAfee praised Provo and panned the University of Utah a week apart: what he said.
If you just moved to Utah Valley, you will hear about the Holy War before you see it. It is the rivalry between BYU in Provo and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, two schools about 45 miles apart on I-15, and it runs through families, wards, offices and roommates across the state. Here is what it is, where the name comes from, why the record depends on who you ask, and every BYU-Utah game left this fall.
The short version
BYU heads toward Holy War week off its first loss of the season, 39-31 in double overtime at UCF on Oct. 24, with Arizona State in Provo on Oct. 31 first; see our UCF recap.
Update, Nov. 3: The game is on ABC, and the new AP poll has Utah No. 3 and BYU No. 7.
Update, Nov. 1: Both won on Halloween (BYU 27-20 over Arizona State, Utah 49-25 at Cincinnati), so it's 7-1 BYU at 8-0 Utah, ranked No. 8 and No. 6 going into that weekend: Saturday, Nov. 7, at 10 a.m. on ABC or ESPN, a kickoff time almost nobody likes. Kickoff, TV, rankings and getting there from Provo are in our BYU vs. Utah 2026 game guide.
| The schools | BYU (Cougars, blue) in Provo; Utah (Utes, red) in Salt Lake City |
| Distance | About 45 miles on I-15 |
| Football record | Utah leads 59-34-4 since 1922 |
| Recent football | BYU has won three straight: 2021, 2024 and 2025 |
| 2026 football | Saturday, November 7, at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City |
| Conference | Both in the Big 12 since BYU joined in 2023 and Utah in 2024 |
Why it's called the Holy War
BYU is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Utah is a secular public university, though plenty of its students and fans are Latter-day Saints too. That contrast is where the nickname comes from, but no one agrees on exactly when it started. Longtime Deseret News columnist Dick Harmon said the term only caught on relatively recently, and that he first remembered hearing it on Utah sports talk radio in the early 1990s.
It is a nickname, not an official title. If you would rather not use it, "BYU-Utah" or "the rivalry" works everywhere.
Why the record depends on who you ask
The two schools played football as early as 1896, when Utah beat what was then Brigham Young Academy twice. Utah counts those early games. BYU's official records only start in 1922, when its program came back after about two decades without football.
Counting from 1922, Utah leads 59-34-4. Utah's own count includes the earlier games, which adds a handful of results to both sides. Both numbers are "right"; they just start the clock in different places. Expect someone at a party to bring this up.
Both schools have had long runs. Utah won nine straight from 1929 to 1937. BYU won nine straight from 1979 to 1987, during the LaVell Edwards era that included the 1984 national championship.
The years it went away
The game was played every season from 1946 through 2013. Then conference realignment pulled the schools apart: Utah joined the Pac-12 and BYU went independent in 2011, and the football series skipped several seasons over the next decade. That ended when both schools landed in the Big 12. They now meet every year in football and are scheduled twice a year in sports like volleyball and basketball.
The last few games
- 2025: BYU 24, Utah 21, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo. Utah led 14-10 in the fourth quarter before Parker Kingston and quarterback Bear Bachmeier ran for touchdowns. LJ Martin ran for 122 yards. It was BYU's third straight win in the series, its longest streak since 1989 to 1992.
- 2024 and 2021: BYU won both, which is why "three straight" is the current Cougar talking point and "59-34-4" is the Ute one.
Every BYU-Utah game left in 2026
| Date | Sport | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Thu., Oct. 15 | Women's volleyball | Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City: BYU won 3-0 |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | Women's volleyball | Smith Fieldhouse, Provo, 6:30 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | Women's soccer | South Field, Provo, 7:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Football | Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, time TBA |
| Wed., Feb. 3 and Sat., Feb. 27 | Women's basketball | At Utah, then the Marriott Center in Provo |
| Winter 2027 | Men's basketball | Once in Provo and once in Salt Lake City; dates TBA |
October 30 is the best day of the fall to see the rivalry in Provo: volleyball and soccer are both at home on BYU's campus that night. In volleyball, BYU led the series 79-31 going into October, swept Utah 3-0 in Salt Lake City on October 15, and is 15-1 this year; Utah plays under a first-year coach. Our guides to BYU volleyball and BYU soccer have tickets and parking.
Rivalry etiquette for newcomers
Pick a side, or don't. Plenty of Utah families are split, with one parent who went to BYU and one who went to Utah. Nobody expects a new arrival to have an opinion, and "I'm still deciding" is a fine answer.
Wear the colors. BYU is royal blue and white; Utah is red and white. At a rivalry game, wearing the other team's color in the home section will get noticed.
Keep it friendly. The rivalry is loud, but the people around you are neighbors, coworkers and ward members on Sunday. Cheer hard, then shake hands.
Plan ahead for football tickets. The football game is the hardest ticket of the year in either stadium. BYU students request tickets through the ROC Pass system, and attending Olympic sports like volleyball and soccer raises their priority; our ROC Pass guide explains how. For everyone else, the BYU football tickets guide covers public tickets and resale.
Watch it somewhere good. For a road game in Salt Lake City, see our list of the best places to watch sports in Provo.
Going to a game in Salt Lake? Our Rice-Eccles Stadium visitor guide covers the free train ride with your ticket, the clear-bag rule and the gates.
The bottom line
The Holy War is a century-old football rivalry, a family argument, and a running debate about where the record starts. For a newcomer, the easiest way in is the night of October 30 in Provo, with volleyball and soccer both on BYU's campus, followed by football in Salt Lake City a week later.
For BYU's games against Utah State, Weber State, UVU and the other in-state schools, see BYU's in-state games. For the rest of BYU's football season, see the BYU football 2026 season guide. If you are at UVU, your own rivalry with BYU is covered in BYU vs. UVU.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Holy War?
Where did the name Holy War come from?
What is the BYU-Utah football record?
When is the 2026 BYU-Utah football game?
Do BYU and Utah play every year?
What other BYU-Utah games are coming up in 2026?
Who won the 2025 BYU-Utah football game?
Is it rude to call it the Holy War?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- BYU Football 2026 Schedule, BYU Athletics. Checked October 13, 2026.
- No. 15 BYU stays perfect with 24-21 rivalry win over No. 23 Utah, BYU Athletics. Checked October 13, 2026.
- No. 14 BYU visits Utah, Arizona, BYU Athletics. Checked October 13, 2026.
- Women's Soccer 2026 Schedule, BYU Athletics. Checked October 13, 2026.
- Women's Volleyball 2026 Schedule, BYU Athletics. Checked October 13, 2026.
- BYU Football Game Week 2026: at Utah, BYU Athletics. Checked November 3, 2026.
- Why is BYU-Utah football rivalry called 'Holy War'? History, record between Cougars, Utes, Yahoo Sports. Checked October 13, 2026.
- Utah basketball Big 12 schedule for the 2026-27 season, Deseret News. Checked October 13, 2026.
