Utah vs. Arizona State picks, predictions for college football Week 7 game

Utes host the Sun Devils at Rice-Eccles Stadium

Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) warms up before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

A matchup between Big 12 contenders in Utah and Arizona State is set to cap off college football's Week 7 slate.

Entering the contest coming off a bye, both squads will look to keep pace in an ultra-competitive conference title race when they square off Saturday from Rice-Eccles Stadium. Not to mention, the College Football Playoff implications at stake with both the Utes and Sun Devils each standing at 4-1 through their first five games.

As media outlets phone in their predictions for the Big 12 showdown, here's a look at how a few prognosticators foresee the Utes-Sun Devils matchup playing out.

Arizona Republic: Arizona State 23, Utah 20

Jeremy Cluff of the Arizona Republic acknowledges how difficult it can be for opposing teams at Rice-Eccles Stadium in his forecast of Saturday's game, though the star power on the Sun Devils' roster should be enough to help them squeak out a victory.

"It's never easy to win in Salt Lake City, and the Utes are much improved this season," Cluff writes. "But, ASU has some recent experience playing in hostile environments. The Sam Leavitt to Jordyn Tyson connection will pay off for the Sun Devils."

ESPN Matchup Predictor: Utah has 69.7% win probability

ESPN's matchup predictor has been more favorable to the Utes since the start of the season, and that trend continues heading into Week 7 as Utah boasts a 69.7% win probability rate over Arizona State.

The Utes, who previously had the upper hand in five of their 12 regular-season games heading into the 2025 campaign, according to ESPN analytics, are now the algorithm's favorite to win six of their final seven Big 12 contests, with the lone exception being their upcoming road trip to BYU (42.3%).

ESPN SP+: Utah 30, Arizona State 19

Bill Connelly's SP+ model, a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measurement of college football efficiency, grants the Utes a 75% chance of beating the Sun Devils at home. Connelly's metrics-based formulas have accurately predicted four of Utah's five games so far this season, with the exception of last week's Texas Tech game.

The Sporting News: Utah 28, Arizona State 24

Bill Bender of The Sporting News notes how the Utes lost last season's contest to the Sun Devils in Tempe, Arizona, in his prediction article for their Week 7 contest in Salt Lake City. However, he doesn't foresee Utah losing another home game to a Big 12 team after falling to Texas Tech earlier this season.

"Sam Leavitt has not thrown an interception since the loss to Mississippi State, and he averages 59 rushing yards per game," Bender writes. "The Utes get a do-over after the loss to Texas Tech, and the defense takes advantage behind John Henry Daley (6.5 sacks)."

USA Today: Utah 27, Arizona State 24

Craig Meyer of USA Today predicts a close one to play out at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, with the Utes edging out a 3-point win over the Sun Devils.