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Times listed in Mountain. The remaining eight games get kickoff times and TV selections 12 or 6 days in advance.
Utah Football Schedule 2026: Full Utes Slate, Dates, and Key Games
Games That Will Decide Utah’s Season
| Sept 12 vs Arkansas | An SEC opponent at Rice-Eccles in an 8:15 p.m. ESPN window. Scalley’s first real test, and the best non-conference win available. |
| Sept 26 at Iowa State | Utah’s Big 12 opener on the road, against a Cyclones team also breaking in a new head coach in Jimmy Rogers. A tricky spot to start league play. |
| Nov 7 vs BYU | The Holy War at Rice-Eccles against a top-15 BYU team. The biggest home game of the year, and the one that will define the season locally regardless of record. |
| Nov 14 & 21 road trips | Back-to-back trips to Arizona and TCU immediately after BYU. If Utah is in Big 12 title contention, this is where it gets tested. |
Scalley Replaces a Legend
Morgan Scalley took over from Kyle Whittingham at the end of 2025. Whittingham is now the head coach at Michigan, and Scalley leads his alma mater into its third Big 12 season.
Coming Off 11-2
Utah finished 2025 at 11-2 with a six-game winning streak, and returns key pieces alongside a heavily worked transfer portal class.
A New Title Game Date
The Big 12 moved its championship to the Friday before the first Saturday in December — Dec 4 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
How the Schedule Sets Up
Three home games to open, including a Thursday night debut, gives Scalley the gentlest possible start — though Arkansas in Week 2 is a genuine measuring stick. Big 12 play begins on the road at Iowa State, and then the only bye arrives on Oct 3. October is manageable: Kansas at home, Colorado on the road, Houston at home, Cincinnati away. November is the month that matters — BYU at Rice-Eccles, then consecutive road trips to Arizona and TCU, then West Virginia on Black Friday. Utah has the roster and the home slate to be in the Big 12 title race; whether that translates further depends on the committee, and here’s how the College Football Playoff works under the 12-team format. Deeper conference scheduling is the trend across the NCAA FBS.
The Bottom Line
Seven home games, a Thursday night opener, Arkansas under the lights in September, the Holy War in November, and a Black Friday finale — Morgan Scalley’s first Utah schedule gives him room to settle in before a demanding close. Bookmark this page; times, networks, and results are updated throughout the season.