The annual “holy war” between Utah and BYU deserves better.
Once we get to this part of the season, TV networks obviously need to start picking what they think are the most opportune times to air some of the most important games they have under contract.
But that doesn’t mean companies have to sacrifice and give in to the pressure of opposing conference games to get the highest rating. And yes, I understand that ESPN owns the television rights to SEC and Big 12 football, so decisions like this aren’t easy for the programming department.
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However, having Utah and BYU play at 10 a.m. local time seems criminal in this case, given the ramifications around this Big 12 game having major CFP implications.
A general view of Rice-Eccles Stadium before the Utah Utes and Cal Poly Mustangs game on September 6, 2025, in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
If you haven’t seen the news yet, here’s how ESPN decided what was best for the Nov. 7 slate of games filled with can’t-miss matchups.
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BYU vs. Utah: 12 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN
Texas vs. Missouri: 12 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN
Alabama vs. LSU: 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC
Kentucky vs. Tennessee: 6:15 p.m. ET on ESPN
Georgia vs. Ole Miss: 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC
And NBC will air the Miami vs. Notre Dame showdown at 7:30 p.m. ET, while Oregon takes on Ohio State at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
Head coach Pete Golding of the Ole Miss Rebels reacts in the fourth quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on October 24, 2026. (Getty Images)
College football fans deserved a nightly showdown in Utah
So that left the important Big 12 matchup between the Cougars and Utes as odd-numbered teams out of this TV equation that will see a plethora of top-25 matchups take place on the same day.
Look, I understand that ESPN was put in a difficult situation, but this could have easily been handled by the network by placing the expected “Holy War” at 9:30 p.m. ET after the Kentucky-Tennessee showdown on ESPN.
It’s also worth noting that the Big 12 essentially gets the 3rd round pick these weekends, and BYU just lost to UCF this past Saturday.
But make kickoff at 10 p.m. ET on the network, which is essentially what happened last weekend when Houston took on Utah in Salt Lake City.
Bear Bachmeier #47 of the BYU Cougars runs the ball in the first half against the UCF Knights at Acrisure Bounce House on October 24, 2026, in Orlando, Florida. (Getty Images)
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We should give college football fans a better situation than letting them into the stadium at 8-9 a.m. local time for a highly anticipated rivalry game with so much on the line.
It almost seems criminal to have both fan bases waking up so early for a top-25 showdown with CFP ramifications.
Cougars vs Utes should have been played after SEC slate
For that, ESPN would have had to make this game late, even if they sacrificed some of the ratings that were undoubtedly coming their way.
Did the network honestly think that much of the college football base wouldn’t stay up for a late kickoff that would take place after Notre Dame played at Miami, or Georgia played Ole Miss in prime time?
I also understand the conundrum that ESPN found itself in regarding this kickoff time, but Utah and BYU deserved better.
This one is a loss no matter how the networks come out of it
I imagine members of the Big 12 office in Texas are furious about this decision, and rightfully so.
Gn sports
