Photo by: Margaret Mower/Utah Athletics
Game Week Fan Guide Presented by Utah 360: Homecoming & ESPN College GameDay vs. Houston
10/19/2026 5:10 PM | Football, General
Eyes of the college football world on Salt Lake City for Utes’ top-15 Dark Mode matchup under the lights
SALT LAKE CITY—The 10th-ranked Utah Utes (6-0; 3-0 Big 12) get set for a massive top-15 Big 12 Conference matchup at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday when 14th-ranked Houston (6-1; 3-1 Big 12) travels to Salt Lake City for the annual Homecoming Game. ESPN's College GameDay will make its seventh visit to Utah's campus to kick off the day Saturday—the second season in a row the wildly popular college football pregame show will visit Utah and third time in the past four seasons.
Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. MT and the game is a Dark Mode theme, televised by ESPN. A limited number of tickets remain on sale. Buy here!
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Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. MT and the game is a Dark Mode theme, televised by ESPN. A limited number of tickets remain on sale. Buy here!
SATURDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
- Homecoming: The Utes' matchup with Houston is the focal point of the week-long Homecoming celebration at the University of Utah, with events beginning Monday, Oct. 19. Click here for complete Homecoming information.
- Dark Mode: Fans are encouraged to wear black, and the team will don all-black uniforms
- ESPN College GameDay: ESPN brings its signature pregame show to Salt Lake City on Saturday to broadcast live from 7-10 a.m. on Presidents Circle.
- More information for fans who want to visit the set on Friday and come watch the show and be part of the live audience on Saturday morning can be found here.
- Various parking lots around campus will be available for the public, and public transit is encouraged as well.
- Halftime Academic Recognition: Stay in your seats at halftime to applaud Utah's student-athletes who will be recognized on the field for earning their place on the Athletics Director's Honor Roll during the 2026 Spring semester. The A.D.'s Honor Roll is bestowed upon student-athletes who earn a 3.0 or higher GPA in a semester.
- First-Quarter Break Light Show: Fans can take part in the light show at the break between the first and second quarters by selecting "Utes Light Show" in the dropdown menu of the Utah 360 app.
Fans can find everything they need to plan their game day and manage their tickets and parking passes on the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah 360.???????? ????????: ?????????????????? ???? ??? https://t.co/enCrUvhvdS #GoUtes | #RSNB https://t.co/jdbPvmNe1p
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) October 19, 2026
- Be early, be loud, and arrive with your digital tickets and parking passes already downloaded to your smartphone wallet.
- Enter the stadium by 7:30 p.m. to be in your seat for pregame festivities and team introductions. The Olympic cauldron will be lit and a cannon blast will sound 45 minutes before kickoff to signal to fans to start making their way into the stadium.
UTAH 360 MOBILE APP
The Utah 360 app is your one-stop gameday home. Download it here. Fans can manage their tickets, order concessions from their seat for express pickup, and use other features to maximize their game day experience including stadium maps and navigation, parking details, tailgating guides and a Game Day Planner, as well as news, video content, stats, schedules, rosters and more.GAMEDAY.UTAH.EDU
Fans can also use our Gameday website to plan everything from transportation options, parking, stadium entry, stadium policies and services, concessions options and fan behavior expectations.THE ARRIVAL
Fans are encouraged to welcome the Utes to Rice-Eccles Stadium on game day by gathering outside Gate L on 500 South by 5:50 p.m. to meet the team buses.PREGAME FESTIVITIES
Make plans to be in your seats by 7:30 p.m. to enjoy pregame entertainment counting down to kickoff, including a performance by the "Pride of Utah," the University of Utah Marching Band, before the team's run-out onto the field amidst of the roar of the anticipated sellout crowd, which would be Utah's 100th in a row, dating back to 2010.MOBILE CONCESSIONS ORDERING
- Find "RiceEcclesWiFi" and follow the prompts to connect to the network. Open your Utah 360 app and find food and drink maps.
- Mobile concessions ordering and the Pepsi refill stations speed the concessions process. Fans can order ahead from any concession stand in the stadium through the Utah 360 app and pick up their order with ease.
- Two dedicated mobile order pickup stands (Stand 32 on the east side and Stand 15 on the west) serve mobile orders only, allowing fans to skip lines, grab their food quickly and return to their seats without missing the action. Access the concourse map here and on the Utah 360 app.
GRAB-AND-GO CONCESSIONS
- Rice-Eccles Stadium offers grab-and-go concession stands, one located on the west side near the main stadium stairs at Gate D and one behind Portal 42 across from the Red Zone Store near Gate L. Both stands allow fans to quickly grab popular game-day snacks and check out using AI-powered touchless checkout. This is a fast and convenient way to get a snack and be back watching the game quickly. See the map here.
SECURITY SCREENING AND ENTRY PROCESS
- Stadium entry processes have been streamlined to improve both speed and safety.
- Tickets are now scanned first, using NFC-enabled technology, allowing fans to simply tap their phone to the scanner, then proceed through the weapons detection system and security screening.
- Remember the clear bag policy!
ADDITIONAL FAN SERVICES
- Rice-Eccles Stadium offers two lactation pods, one on the west concourse, and one on the east.
- Four phone charging locations have been added on the concourse.
- Item of the Game for both the Red Zone Store and Concessions.
- Game day parking passes can be purchased for Lots 27, 32, 39 and 46.
STADIUM WIFI NETWORK
Search for the "RiceEcclesWifi" network and follow the prompts to connect to the network.DIGITAL TICKETS AND PARKING PASSES
Tickets and parking passes will be scanned on game day using the ticket holder's mobile device. They also may be transferred to others via email or text message.- To ensure a successful experience with digital ticketing, fans must have downloaded their tickets and parking passes to their smartphone wallet before arrival to present at the parking lot and stadium gates to expedite the entry process.
- It is also recommended that fans plan to arrive early to allow extra time for the entry process and not miss any of the action on the field.
- Check out our Digital Ticket Guide here.
STADIUM GATES
Stadium gates open two hours before kickoff. To speed the process for entry into Rice-Eccles Stadium, fans are encouraged to arrive early and to review the most efficient route from their parking lot or the TRAX station and determine the most appropriate stadium gate for entry. All main stadium gates also feature a no-bag line for express entry. See a gate map here.STADIUM SERVICES AND POLICIES
- A-TO-Z FAN GUIDE
Rice-Eccles Stadium's services, policies and things to know before you go can be found here. - CLEAR BAG POLICY AND NO-BAG EXPRESS LANES
Rice-Eccles Stadium operates on a clear-bag policy and offers no-bag lanes at all main gates to help expedite entry for those not bringing a bag into the stadium. Only clear bags, up to 12"x18", will be allowed inside the stadium. No bags, purses or duffles may be brought into the stadium except for small clutch bags no larger than 6.5" x 4.5". - WATER BOTTLES
One factory-sealed bottle of water per person (1 liter or less), is permitted in the stadium. Bottled water may not be frozen. Empty personal water bottles, (1 liter or less) will be permitted, and the stadium offers water bottle refill dispensers throughout the stadium. A map can be found here. Glass water bottles will not be permitted. Additionally, all fountain drink dispensers at concessions stands will offer drinking water on one of the valves. - CASHLESS CONCESSIONS
To reduce touchpoints and increase efficiency with concessions sales, Rice-Eccles Stadium has implemented cashless transactions at all concessions stands. All sales will be completed using either credit cards or Apple Pay and Google Wallet mobile payment apps.
FAN BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS – WE ARE UTAH!
The safety of student-athletes and spectators is a top priority for all Utah Athletics home events. We ask all fans to be respectful and responsible when attending our events and create a home-field advantage for our teams in a way that also shows class and sportsmanship toward visiting teams—that "We are Utah!". The FanUP initiative exists to define the expected fan behavior at our home venues and is centered around:- Supporting our Utes and welcoming visiting teams and their fans
- Promoting a family-friendly experience
- Enjoying the game responsibly
- Cheering loud and being Ute Proud!
- Reporting fan behavior issues by texting 'FANUP' to 385-355-7533.
PARKING LOTS
Parking lots open five hours before kickoff, except for the Signature and tailgate lots, which open at 6 a.m. A parking map can be found here.- Parking Passes can be purchased on arrival in Lots 27, 32, 39 and 46.
- Tailgating is only allowed in designated lots.
- Alcohol, RVs, trailers and tailgating are not permitted in Lots 15, 18 or 19.
- ADA Parking (ADA Lot and ADA Shuttle Stop) has moved from Lot 14 to Lot 27, off Wasatch Drive north of the Eccles Broadcast Center. Shuttle bus runs from this lot, and TRAX station is adjacent to the lot.
- If seated on West side of stadium, TRAX is recommended
- If seated on East side of stadium, Shuttle Bus is recommended
TRANSIT
In addition, rides on UTA buses, TRAX and FrontRunner trains are free for ticketholders by displaying a valid game ticket, including the new postgame bus service from the stadium to the Court House TRAX station. For more information please visit UTA.com.OTHER TRANSPORTATION MODES
- SPIN Scooters are also available on campus.
- Ride-share (Uber/Lyft) drop/off and pickup location is along University Street, on the east side, between 250-400 South, just northwest of the stadium.
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