BYU turns to Utah after surviving Arizona State
BYU beat Arizona State 27-20 at LaVell Edwards Stadium on October 31 and now prepares to face undefeated Utah in Salt Lake City on November 7.
BYU escaped with a 27-20 win over Arizona State on October 31, but the No. 7 Cougars left with plenty to address before their rivalry game against No. 3 Utah. The Sun Devils rallied from a 17-3 deficit, and BYU needed a late 95-yard touchdown drive to secure the victory at LaVell Edwards Stadium, where 63,332 people attended.
Turnovers, missed tackles and inconsistent special-teams play contributed to an uneven performance. BYU managed just 47 rushing yards, while its defense recorded six sacks in the first half and none after halftime. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier threw an interception as Arizona State swung momentum, then helped deliver the decisive score.
The teams meet at Rice-Eccles Stadium on November 7 at 10 a.m. It will be the first game in the rivalry’s history featuring two top-10 teams. Utah is 8-0 and moved to No. 3 after beating Cincinnati 49-25; BYU is 7-1 overall and 4-1 in Big 12 play. Utah has won its past three games against BYU’s coach, Kalani Sitake.
BYU’s rushing attack could get a boost from LJ Martin, who has missed four games. Sitake said Martin is getting close to being available, but the Cougars will need improvement across the team. Tight end Roger Saleapaga was hurt during the late scoring drive, and several other players are also dealing with injuries. BYU begins preparing for Utah at practice on Monday.