The Big 12 Conference Championship and a locked in near-locked spot in the College Football Playoff are both up for grabs this weekend as #3 Utah faces off against #9 BYU.

Utah is still undefeated, 8-0, after destroying Cincinnati in Week 9. BYU fell apart against UCF just a week after taking down Notre Dame at home, but bounced back against Arizona State to reach 7-1. The winner of this game sets themselves up for glory and a first-round bye in the postseason. The loser? Not so much.

Our A to Z Sports team of college football writers did our best to predict exactly how this game will go. There was a ton of agreement on the victor, but no consensus with how they get there. Let’s dive into it.

Utah 27, BYU 24

Utah has been dominant all year long. They’re undefeated. They’ve won six of their eight games by multiple possessions. Devon Dampier is among the best quarterbacks in the country by every meaningful measure. The Utes defense ranks 19th in defensive success rate allowed. There are virtually zero true glaring flaws in Utah’s game this year.

However, BYU’s offense is right there with them in adjusted EPA per play (0.11 compared to Utah’s 0.13). Bear Bachmeier is one of just 13 FBS QBs posting at least 0.3 pass EPA per pass and 0.4 EPA per rush (not too far behind Dampier) this season. There’s plenty to like with the Cougars.

Still, the edge has to go with Utah. BYU has been far less consistent on a game-to-game basis. Their schedule (outside of Notre Dame) has been absolutely nothing. This is a big-time rivalry game, and both teams are desperate to win here for playoff implications, but Utah just barely holds on 27-24. The win sends Utah’s odds to earn a first-round bye to 63%. The loss for BYU drops their chances to make the playoff to 25%.

– Travis May, College Football Managing Editor

Utah 20, BYU 17

It doesn’t get much better when it comes to college football rivalries than the Holy War. What makes this all the more fascinating is the game kicks off at 10 am local time. That’s weird, but never doubt the passionate fans of these two teams, who are as hardcore as they come.

This game is evenly matched, but the Utes are doing a great job no matter who they are playing, including a destructive win over Cincinnati last weekend. Being at home, the Utes stay undefeated and make a real case to be No. 1 in the country.

– Tyler Forness, A to Z Florida

Utah 35, BYU 26

The Holy War has some major added stakes this year, and it could be a game that massively shapes the playoff field. Utah comes in undefeated, but both BYU and Utah could finish 11-1 if the Cougars prevail, setting up the Big 12 as a strong candidate to be a two-bid league.

BYU’s defense held Notre Dame relatively in check back on Oct. 17, but they followed that up with a dud in a shocking 39-31 double OT loss to UCF the following week. Utah is ninth in FBS at over 485 yards per game, and if Wayshawn Parker is over his quad contusion from last week’s win over Cincinnati, I like his chances of getting over the century mark in a massive win that vindicates the Utes as a true top contender.

– Craig Smith, A to Z Miami

Utah 28, BYU 24

I’m taking Utah to win a close one, 28-24. Bear Bachmeier will make some impressive plays and give BYU a chance to pull off the rivalry win, but the Cougars will have a few too many mistakes at the wrong times. Bachmeier’s ability to extend plays and create something out of nothing will keep BYU in the game, but Utah’s defense will come up with a couple of important stops when it matters most.

On the other side, Devon Dampier and the Utes offense will be the more efficient group. Utah doesn’t need to put together an explosive offensive performance, but it will take advantage of its opportunities and avoid the costly mistakes that hurt BYU. In a rivalry game that should come down to the final possessions, I trust Utah to be a little more disciplined and make one more play. Utah wins 28-24.

– Ryan Roberts, A to Z Notre Dame

Utah 28, BYU 23

This will be the first real test of the season for Utah, as BYU presents a much bigger challenge than Houston, in my opinion. The Utes just ranked No. 3 in the initial CFP rankings, but now we find out how good they are. BYU has arguably the best win in the conference after taking down Notre Dame, but they also went to Orlando and lost to a bad UCF team in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. I believe that gives Utah the edge. This is the week they show they are one of the best teams in the country and toss BYU’s College Football Playoff hopes, dreams, and aspirations down the drain. Give me Utah at home in a good one.

– Rob Gregson, A to Z Alabama

Utah 32, BYU 14

This is one of the year’s biggest games. And who would have thought that looking at this schedule before the season started? Utah’s offense, with that double-QB system, is just impossible to stop. And BYU showed they couldn’t even stop UCF with the bad-looking football Scott Frost has them playing. Utah’s defense is also playing well right now, and to me, they end up rolling BYU in this one.

– Justin Churchill, A to Z Oklahoma

Final Prediction for Utah vs. BYU

Our staff firmly believes Utah is going to win this Holy War rivalry game. The score predictions are all over the place, but on average, the A to Z Sports staff believe this ends in a 28-21 victory for the Utes. Sportsbooks give the Utes the edge by about 4.5 points, so our A to Z Sports crew is even more collectively confident, but it’s still expected to be a one-possession game, either way. If Utah does pull this off, they’re in the mix for the first overall seed in the College Football Playoff. BYU would be left reeling, at the mercy of the final rankings, perhaps missing the Big 12 Conference Championship Game too.