No. 3 Utah Beats No. 7 BYU 28-20 Behind Devon Dampier’s Four Touchdowns and Four Interceptions

Utah Wins Latest Edition of the Holy War

No. 3 Utah remained undefeated and strengthened its College Football Playoff hopes with a 28-20 victory over No. 7 BYU on Saturday in the latest edition of the Holy War rivalry. Quarterback Devon Dampier accounted for four touchdowns, while the Utes’ defense intercepted BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier four times to secure the victory.

Dampier hurt the Cougars with both his arm and legs, finishing with 266 yards of total offense, two touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns. Utah improved to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the Big 12, snapping a three game losing streak in the rivalry series against BYU.

The victory also kept the third-ranked Utes firmly in the College Football Playoff picture. BYU, meanwhile, dropped to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play, dealing a significant blow to the Cougars’ playoff aspirations after losing two of their last three games.

Utah Defense Takes Over in Second Half

Trailing 20-14 at halftime, Utah completely changed the momentum after the break, forcing three turnovers and shutting out BYU over the final two quarters. The Cougars managed just 111 yards of total offense in the second half while averaging only 4.0 yards per play. The Utes took the lead in the third quarter when Dampier connected with Braden Pegan for a 14-yard touchdown reception.

Utah’s defense dominated the period, limiting BYU to just 39 yards and recording an interception to help maintain control. Dampier added his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon on a 3-yard run, extending Utah’s advantage to 28-20 with 12:03 remaining in the fourth quarter.

BYU had opportunities to get back into the game, but Bachmeier could not deliver when it mattered most. After leading the Cougars down to the Utah 2-yard line, he threw an interception to Trey Reynolds with 4:39 remaining. The Cougars got one final opportunity after reaching the Utah 41-yard line in the closing seconds, but Nate Ritchie intercepted Bachmeier in the end zone to seal the victory.

Dampier Leads Utah to Fast Start

Utah wasted little time establishing control, covering 138 yards and scoring twice on its first seven offensive plays to take a 14-0 lead less than five minutes into the game. Dampier was the catalyst for the explosive start. On Utah’s opening possession, he connected with Noah Bennee on a 47-yard pass to set up his own 22-yard touchdown run.

The Utes struck again on their second possession when Dampier found Pegan over the middle for a 46-yard touchdown reception, giving Utah an early two-touchdown advantage. However, BYU responded with a strong second-quarter comeback after recovering two fumbles and forcing four punts during six Utah possessions.

The Cougars got on the scoreboard when Bachmeier found Legend Glasker in stride for a 75-yard touchdown pass. BYU continued its momentum and took its first lead at 20-14 midway through the second quarter when LJ Martin, returning from injury, scored on an untouched 4-yard touchdown run. BYU carried that six point advantage into halftime, but its offense struggled to generate anything after the break.

Bachmeier Throws Four Interceptions

Bachmeier finished with 272 passing yards and a touchdown while adding 59 rushing yards, but his four interceptions proved costly in the loss. The BYU quarterback had thrown just four interceptions during the Cougars’ first eight games of the season before matching that total in a single game against Utah.

Two of his interceptions came in the fourth quarter, both inside the end zone, as the Utes repeatedly came up with critical defensive stops to protect their lead. Utah’s defensive performance was especially impressive after allowing BYU to erase an early 14-point deficit and take a halftime lead. The Utes responded with a dominant second half effort that ultimately decided the rivalry matchup.

Up Coming College Football Games

BYU will look to regroup when it returns home to host Baylor on Saturday. The Cougars need to finish the regular season strongly if they hope to remain in contention for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Utah will take its undefeated record on the road next Saturday for a matchup against No. 24 Arizona. With its victory over BYU, the third ranked Utes remain in control of their Big 12 championship hopes and continue building a strong case for a place in the expanded College Football Playoff.