No. 9 BYU Snags First Quarter Lead Following Utah Turnover

SALT LAKE CITY – Defense has been the story for both teams in the early going as No.9 BYU and Utah get to renew their gridiron rivalry. Following an interception, the Cougars took a 3-0 lead on a Will Ferrin field goal.

Cougar corner Jakob Robinson made the first game-changing play, picking off a trick play pass from Utah wide receiver Damien Alford to set up BYU’s first points.

BYU Vs. Utah Football Blog: Live Updates, Analysis, And More

. @jakobrobinson87 was waiting on that one.

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/e1ZVRHNCyg

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) November 10, 2024

Following punts from both teams to open the game, Utah dipped into its bag of tricks to jumpstart a stagnant offense. Rather than get the Utes rolling, Alford’s pass fell into the arms of Robinson for the first turnover of the night.

Both teams’ defenses recorded sacks on the opening drive, and penalties derailed both offenses.

The INT is Robinson’s third of the year and the Cougar’s 15th INT as a team.

BYU-Utah Rivalry at a glance

In an interesting quirk that perfectly defines a rivalry, the official beginning of the rivalry is often determined by what color you wear on Saturday night. Utah says the series dates back to 1896, with the all-time results sitting at 62-35-4 in favor of the Utes. Cougar faithful claim 1922 as the genesis of the rivalry, with the Utes leading 59-32-4.

Introducing Big 12 To BYU-Utah Football Rivalry: Coaches That Shaped The Game

BYU beat Utah 26-17 in 2021, ending Utah’s nine-game winning streak, tied for the longest for either team in series history. The Utes have won five straight at home, dating back to the Cougars’ 33-31 win in 2006. Utah has won 40 of the 60 games played in Salt Lake.

Introducing The Big 12 To The BYU-Utah Football Rivalry: Brief Rundown Of The Series

No. 9 BYU’s remaining schedule

• Saturday, November 16 – Kansas Jayhawks @ BYU Cougars | 8:15 p.m. MT
• Saturday, November 23 – BYU Cougars @ Arizona State Sun Devils | Kickoff TBA
• Saturday, November 30 – Houston Cougars @ BYU Cougars | Kickoff TBA

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Utah’s remaining schedule

• Saturday, November 16 – Utah Utes @ Colorado Buffaloes | 10 a.m. MT
• Saturday, November 23 – Iowa State Cyclones @ Utah Utes | Kickoff TBA
• Friday, November 29 – Utah Utes @ UCF Knights | 6 p.m. MT

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Big 12 Standings Entering Week 11

• BYU – 5-0 in the Big 12 (8-0 overall)
• Iowa State – 4-1 (7-1)
• Colorado – 4-1 (6-2)
• Kansas State – 4-2 (7-2)
• Texas Tech – 4-2 (6-3)
• Arizona State – 3-2 (6-2)
• Cincinnati – 3-2 (5-3)
• West Virginia – 3-2 (4-4)
• Baylor – 3-3 (5-4)
• TCU – 3-3 (5-4)
• Houston – 3-3 (4-5)
• UCF – 2-4 (4-5)
• Utah – 1-4 (4-4)
• Kansas – 1-4 (2-6)
• Arizona – 1-5 (3-6)
• Oklahoma State – 0-6 (3-6)

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Brian Preece is a KSLsports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball coverage here.

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