NDL Rivalry Spotlight: The Holy War
Article By: As NDL Season 32 barrels toward the finish line, the tension is palpable. Conference races are tightening, playoff dreams hang in the balance, and the trash talk that’s boiled over for months finally meets its reckoning on the field. Few matchups embody that raw, unfiltered energy better than this week’s high-stakes edition of The Holy War.
By the Numbers: The Holy War Breakdown
Series Record: BYU 16-15
Longest Win Streak: BYU, 6 games (Season 22 - Season 27)
First Meeting: Season 1 – Utah 27, BYU 0
Most Recent Matchup: Season 31 – Utah 30, BYU 28
The Holy War Rivalry History
The rivalry is as close as it gets: 31 games played, BYU clinging to a razor-thin 16-15 edge. But the history books are only part of the story. This year, there’s a new spark lighting the fire, and it comes from the sidelines.
On one end, you've got TheBruisedBagel, the third-year BYU head coach who’s finally got the Cougars looking like contenders. Signature wins over North Carolina and other conference opponents have Provo buzzing — but that buzz was muffled by a gut-wrenching collapse against Kansas State, where a commanding lead slipped through their fingers in Manhattan. That loss could loom large, but the Cougars are still right in the thick of a chaotic Big XII race.
Across the field, there’s MarionCounty, Utah’s enigmatic frontman. Charismatic and unrepentant, he’s a coach who owns his missteps but never loses the plot. And so far in Season 32, Utah hasn’t missed a beat. With the exception of an early-season scare against Indiana, the Utes have steamrolled opponents, staying mostly untested — until now.
This trip to Provo could be Utah’s toughest test yet.
Momentum? That’s tricky. The Utes have won three of the last four in the series — but all of those came at home. BYU, despite recent struggles, has owned 14 of the last 20 matchups. The last road team to win in this rivalry? Utah — way back in Season 25, a 21-6 win in Provo.
If BYU can pull off the upset, they won’t just reclaim Holy War supremacy — they’ll throw the Big XII race into absolute chaos, dragging a slew of hopefuls back into the conversation. And don’t count them out. In front of a raucous home crowd with postseason dreams still alive, the Cougars will be dangerous.
But a Utah win? That could be the rocket fuel the Utes need. Not only would it solidify their spot as a title favorite, it would set up a seismic showdown with Colorado — who just suffered their first loss of the season — with the conference crown in their sights.
No matter who walks off the field victorious, this chapter of the Holy War is set to be one of the most impactful in years. Two programs. Two head coaches on dramatically different journeys. One battlefield.
And this time, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
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