Holy War Kicks Off at 10 a.m. Saturday

No. 8 BYU visits No. 6 Utah at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City in the earliest Holy War kickoff since 1996.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Latter-Day Saints

Live Poll

Would you change your plans to watch a 10 a.m. college football kickoff?

No. 8 BYU will visit No. 6 Utah at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, November 7, with kickoff set for 10 a.m. It is the earliest start in the series since 1996, when BYU beat Utah 37-17 at the same venue.

Why it matters

The early slot has drawn criticism from fans, and a Change.org petition calling for a later start has more than 17,000 signatures. ESPN, which owns the rights to the game, selected the kickoff time to maximize viewership and revenue.

The 10 a.m. kickoff is the earliest in the Holy War series since 1996, and a Change.org petition seeking a later start has more than 17,000 signatures. Whether the time will be moved in response has not been addressed.

The players

Brigham Young University (BYU)

BYU is a private university owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a longtime rival of the University of Utah in the Holy War series.

University of Utah

The University of Utah is a public research university in Salt Lake City and the other school in the Holy War rivalry.

ESPN

ESPN is a sports media network that owns the broadcast rights to the game and selected the 10 a.m. kickoff.

The details

BYU has beaten Utah in each of the last three meetings, while Utah has not won the Holy War since 2019. Several other high-profile college football games are also scheduled for Saturday, and competing games were one reason for the early slot.

1996: BYU beat Utah 37-17 at Rice Eccles Stadium, the last time the series kicked off this early.
2019: Utah last won the Holy War.
Saturday, November 7: Holy War kicks off at 10 a.m. local time at Rice Eccles Stadium.

Season Trajectory

The 10 a.m. slot matches the 1996 Holy War, which BYU won 37-17 at Rice Eccles Stadium, the last time the series started this early. BYU enters the game having beaten Utah in each of the last three meetings and having played no ranked road opponent this season.

Fans planning to attend or watch will need to be ready for a 10 a.m. kickoff on Saturday, November 7. The early start also means the game occupies the morning slot for viewers who would otherwise have a later window.

The takeaway

The Holy War's early kickoff shows how broadcast scheduling can override fan preferences, and readers who want a later start can follow the petition effort. Checking the official kickoff time before game day avoids confusion.