The annual Utah-BYU rivalry game at Rice-Eccles Stadium this weekend is looking to be one of the biggest in the rivalry’s history, and ticket prices are definitely showing it.

For the first time ever in the storied matchup, BYU and Utah are both coming in as top-10 teams.

With the No. 7 Cougars heading up from Provo to take on the No. 3 Utes on Saturday morning in Salt Lake City, getting into the stadium will cost you a get-in price of $494 on TicketData.com. That makes it the second-most expensive ticket of the current projected top 12 College Football Playoff field. The price has increased only 1% over the previous three days, but will most likely fluctuate as kickoff approaches.

The only game with higher ticket prices during the Week 10 slate is No. 1 Miami vs. No. 4 Notre Dame, starting at $725. ESPN’s “College GameDay” is heading to South Bend for that one, so it’ll be getting plenty of attention, too.

BYU fans cheer as BYU and Utah play at Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

The BYU-Utah game hovers a little over $100 above most other big games this week. For comparison, No. 2 Georgia at No. 12 Ole Miss starts at $324, and No. 8 Kentucky at Tennessee is running around $360. The de facto CFP elimination game in Baton Rouge between No. 9 Alabama and No. 15 LSU is going for $223 and is surprisingly down 20% in the last three days. Another notable matchup in Oregon at No. 11 Ohio State has a get-in-price of $178.

Utahns will have to cheer on their side in the famous annual game early at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Kickoff is scheduled for 10 a.m. MST, with the game airing on ABC. It’s the rivalry’s first day game since 2010 and the earliest 10 a.m. start they’ve had since way back in 1996.

Weather shouldn’t be much of a concern for Utahns making the early trip after breakfast to the stadium. The current forecast calls for pretty clear skies and temperatures around 50 degrees at kickoff, but it will feel warmer than that.

The annual game has plenty riding on it beyond the bragging rights.

Utah enters the weekend unbeaten at 8-0, rising three spots in the AP Top 25 rankings after a dominant 49-25 road victory over Cincinnati. The Utes jumped out to a 42-6 halftime lead, with quarterback Devon Dampier throwing for 260 yards and three touchdowns. Utah’s running game also continued to make an impact, with Wayshawn Parker and Daniel Bray combining for 157 rushing yards.

BYU, meanwhile, is 7-1 after holding off Arizona State, 27-20, in Provo. The Cougars have already picked up one of the biggest wins in college football this season, beating Notre Dame 28-24 earlier in the year after the Fighting Irish declined to play in last bowl season’s Pop-Tarts Bowl.

A Utah fan screams at the officials as BYU and Utah play at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

There are some questions for BYU heading into the game in Salt Lake City, particularly with reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year L.J. Martin’s absence continuing to affect the running game. Utah will look to take advantage with an offense that has been particularly effective running the football.

The historical rivalry adds another layer to the matchup. Utah leads the all-time series 62-37-4, but BYU has had the upper hand recently.

The Cougars have won the last three meetings, including a 24-21 victory in Provo last season and a dramatic 22-21 win at Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2024. BYU’s three-game winning streak is its first in the rivalry since the early 1990s.

With the Utes still unbeaten and the Cougars looking to make another push toward the CFP, Saturday’s result could have major implications for the Big 12 title race.

And with a top-10 matchup, a rivalry that rarely disappoints and plenty of postseason implications, it’s no surprise that fans are paying a premium to get inside Rice-Eccles Stadium.

BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) jumps over Utah defensive tackle Pupu Sepulona (45) and Utah cornerback Elijah Davis (9) during a run into the endzone for a rushing touchdown as BYU and Utah play at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News