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| Darian Mensah, Miami |
📊 THE RECORD
🏆 PICKS 44-28 | ⚡ UPSETS 3–5 | 🐕 SUPERDOGS 3–3 | 🔒 LOCKS 7–3
(9) BYU Cougars @ (3) Utah Utes
📍 Salt Lake City
🏈 Utah -5.5 | O/U 48.5
The Holy War has long been one of the most heated rivalries in all of college football, a game between two programs that despite each other. For so long it was a non-conference game, then the pair moved into the Big 12. Now, it has significant implications, undoubtedly the most important rendition of the matchup in its long history. What a way to kick off the best weekend of football we will see this fall.
Utah stands as the slight favorite in this game, thanks in large part to the fact the game is in Salt Lake City, and the Utes remain undefeated. It's been an impressive debut campaign for head man Morgan Scalley, and he's done it in a different way than his longtime predecessor, Kyle Whittingham. Utah is still stout on the defensive side, the type of hard-nosed team that battles you every yard - they are still only allowing 16 points per contest. But this Ute team can also move the ball and score in a way that has not been typical of the program in the recent years. Veteran quarterback Devon Dampier has been terrific, totaling over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 23 touchdowns, and he's made the plays when it's mattered the most. Yet, it's also the weapons that surround Dampier in this offense. Wayshawn Parker is a steady, consistent threat out of the backfield, Braden Pegan does his damage out wide, and then there's the ultimate wild card, backup QB Byrd Ficklin. Ficklin doesn't just come on in relief, he'll line up alongside Dampier in the backfield, out wide, or just about anywhere on the field. It's a fun offense because it still has a bit of an old-school feel in many ways, but has just enough trickery and creativity to open things up a bit more. BYU has the advantage now of game tape that other opponents have not had, which is crucial this time of year. Yet, containing Dampier is still no easy feat, even if turnovers remain a bit of a problem. Just as important has to be the ever-present battle in the trenches. The Cougars have long been tough up front, and they very much proved it against Notre Dame. Against an offensive front that featured several likely NFL offensive linemen, BYU looked like the better team. Does that still hold true this late in the season? BYU has been beat up on defense and the Utes have fared better along the offensive line than expected given they sent away Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu to the pros just this past spring. I feel confident the Cougars can harass Dampier - they sacked Arizona State six times last Saturday - but can they stop the ground game? They weren't able to make the plays when it mattered most in their lone loss of the year, to UCF.
That UCF loss was perhaps what BYU needed near the midway point of their season, a wake up call for Kalani Sitake and the program. But it also exposed that the offense remains incredibly one-dimensional, as they are still without star tailback L.J. Martin. Martin did return to practice this week and there's still a chance we see him suit up for this game, but it's hard to imagine the Cougars using him heavily after missing the past month. It's still probably a committee approach in the backfield, with quarterback Bear Bachmeier also being asked to create with his legs. Bachmeier has long been a fun watch, a slippery runner who seems to elevate his play at the right moments. And he's displayed real growth as a passer down the field, which has in turn led to receivers Legend Glasker and Kyler Kasper emerging. The Notre Dame in particular really sold me on Bachmeier - it felt like the type of game, against one of the nation's top secondaries, that was going to humble the true sophomore. Instead, he threw for 224 yards and finished with three total touchdowns, including a pair of hard-earned scores on the ground. I don't think he will be intimidated at all by this Utah defense, or this moment in Rice-Eccles Stadium. What I do worry about with this offense is their consistency drive-to-drive, which is crucial in what looks like it could be a close one like this. If you recall the Notre Dame, BYU jumped out early but the offense slowed down in the second half, and it was the defense stepping up that confirmed the upset. In the UCF loss, they had some big moments, but were out of rhythm, and came up short. We have even seen it in games they've won, the Cougars remain inconsistent on that side of the ball. Martin not being healthy is certainly a major factor, and I'm not convinced that, even if he does return, it's a quick fix against a tough Ute defense.
I have a hard time believing, in the 2026 college football season, that a team like Utah gets to the finish line of the regular season undefeated. They are going to suffer at least one loss, and BYU is their toughest opponent still on the board. With that being said, I do like the way the Utes match up in this game. They also get BYU on the road and still not healthy throughout the roster, even with Martin's impending return. This is always a tough one to pick, but I like the Utes to squeeze out a hard-fought victory.
The Pick: Utah, 27 BYU, 24
(1) Miami Hurricanes @ (11) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
📍 South Bend, IN
🏈 Notre Dame - 7 | O/U 55.5
Two of the sport's top brands collide in South Bend on Saturday night, but with the stakes looking a bit different. Miami is one of the few undefeated teams remaining in college football, yet out to prove they can do it against a fellow elite opponent. The Irish have less margin of error to make the College Football Playoff after the BYU loss and with a soft schedule still on the docket. This game could very well decide if Marcus Freeman has the Irish back in the field this year after last season's snub (to Miami by the way), or if ND will find themselves elsewhere this bowl season.
Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson is sure to be a hot name on the coaching carousel this offseason, and it's easy to see why. He has the Hurricanes averaging nearly 48 points per contest, with a balanced attack that can hurt you in a variety of ways. Quarterback Darian Mensah has been worth every penny of the massive NIL contract the Hurricanes gave him this offseason, and he has a fun collection of weapons around him. One of those just happens to be sophomore phenom Malachi Toney, who has had a monster season after a breakthrough College Football Playoff run. We were waiting all season long to see Toney against this Notre Dame secondary, namely corner Leonard Moore, but unfortunate news this week spoiled the fun. Toney will undergo ankle surgery and is expected to be out indefinitely, robbing us fans of one of the sport's most electrifying talents. Cooper Barkate, who followed Mensah from Duke, is the immediate beneficiary, but others are going to have to emerge. We also have to see if Miami can continue to keep things humming on the ground, which has relied on the 1-2 punch of Javian Mallory and Mark Fletcher all season. It's interesting, for so long it feels like Notre Dame's defense has been led by elite linebacker play and one or two special pass rushers off the edge. This year's group feels like it's all about the secondary, and the front seven has struggled with consistency and injuries. You get the sense Miami is going to look to bring physicality to the equation and see how the Irish react. When the offensive line is playing well and the Hurricanes are pushing opponents around, that's when they're downright scary. But, that doesn't happen every week, and the loss of Toney does rob them of the threat over the top of the defense.
Notre Dame may not be as flashy as Miami, but this is no slow, prodding Irish offense anymore, either. There's real explosiveness on the roster and the man at the controls, C.J. Carr, has been tremendous this entire fall. Carr has over 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns to his credit on the year, but the things that always stands out to me is both the consistency and the poise. Carr doesn't take sacks, he doesn't turn the ball over, and he consistently puts the Irish in position to win. Even against BYU, the toughest defense he has played this fall, Carr had his fair share of ups-and-downs, but still was in position to win the game late. Notre Dame has worked to surround him with the right weapons, too - there may not be a Malachi Toney, but there's a very effective supporting cast. The backfield is deep and talented, with Jonaz Walton still on the rise, and the receiver corps boasts Jordan Faison and big-play threat Micah Gilbert. It's an interesting test in this Miami defense that Corey Hetherman has built, but it's no secret the 'Canes are not quite at the level here they were a season ago. There isn't a Rueben Bain Jr. or Akheem Mesidor terrorizing Carr this time around. Miami will still be tough to move the ball against, but I do think the Irish will be more successful than they were last season. I will not be surprised to see Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock take a few shots early, but also utilize the screen game and tight ends in a way the Irish have not traditionally so far this year. Teams have looked to attack Miami in similar ways, and I think it has to do with the fact the linebacker corps is good, but not necessarily elite.
In a chaotic season like this, Miami deserves all the credit just to get to 8-0. But, I'm not sold on this being college football's best team. They've pulled out wins when they've mattered, but there have been a lot of tight victories, and Notre Dame offers their greatest test. Combine the fact this will be the first game without Toney and it's in South Bend, it's understandable why the Irish stand as favorites.
The Pick: Notre Dame, 35 Miami, 27
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