College GameDay Crew Predictions for No. 15 BYU vs No. 23 Utah

Pat McAfee, right, talks to Kirk Herbstreit on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Holy War is back. On Saturday morning, the College GameDay crew picked no. 15 BYU vs no. 23 Utah. Most of the GameDay crew likes BYU's chances to pull off the upset. The Cougars are 3.5-point home underdogs against the Utes.

College GameDay Picks for BYU vs Utah

Desmond Howard: BYU

"I think that Jack Kelly is gonna be the difference in this game for BYU. I'm going with the Cougars and their quarterback Bear Bachmeier."

Jack Kelly will be back in the lineup for BYU after missing last week's game against Arizona. Bear Bachmeier is slowly becoming a national name in college football. Bachmeier has guided BYU to a perfect 6-0 start as a true freshman.

Nick Saban: Utah

"I talked about BYU being an old-fashioned team, and most teams are not built to beat old-fashioned teams. They're built for the spread. But Utah is built to beat an old-fashioned team, so I'm taking Utah in this game."

Pat McAfee: BYU

"Kyle Whittingham, head coach of Utah, is an old-school guy, BYU alum actually. He's 11-5 against BYU...Give me the BYU boys at home after a Kyle Van Noy speech the night before. Heaven is blue, Hell is red. That's what that BYU Mormon just said."

Kyle Van Noy met with BYU after its walkthrough on Friday afternoon. Van Noy is making his first trip back to Provo for a BYU game since his BYU career ended. Van Noy's bye week with the Baltimore Ravens allowed him to make the trip for this game. Fellow BYU legend Jamaal Williams will also be in attendance.

Jelly Roll (Celebrity Guest Picker): BYU

"It explosivity and I'm taking BYU today, boys."

Kirk Herbstreit: BYU

"I'm going BYU as well, and I think it has everything to do with their ability to stop the run. If Devin Dampier doesn't have the ability to run the football to set up play-action, I think that offense struggles, and I think today BYU's defense stopping that run, the physicality, Des, you talked about the line of scrimmage game. I like BYU."