Thursday, September 3
Salt Lake City, Utah / Rice-Eccles Stadium
7 p.m.
University of Utah
vs
Idaho
No. 21 Utah Hosts Idaho in Season Opener
8/30/2026 11:00 AM | Football
Utes, Vandals set for 7 p.m. MT kickoff Thursday on ESPNU
SALT LAKE CITY — The 21st-ranked Utah football team opens the 2026 season on Thursday night against the Idaho Vandals. Morgan Scalley will make his regular season head coaching debut leading the Utes with kickoff set for 7 p.m. MT on Sept. 3 in Rice-Eccles Stadium.
THURSDAY LINEUP
Venue: Rice-Eccles Stadium (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Time: 7 p.m. MT
Watch (ESPNU): Pete Sousa (play-by-play), Leger Douzable (analyst)
ESPN 700 AM & 92.1 FM: Bill Riley (play-by-play), Steven Sylvester (analyst), Zack Moss (sideline); SiriusXM Ch. 83
THE UTAH MAN
• Utah head coach Morgan Scalley is set to make his regular season debut leading the Utes after a 44-22 victory over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31. Scalley, a Salt Lake City native and U alum who has been on the coaching staff since 2008, has served as safeties coach that entire time and was tabbed defensive coordinator in 2016.
• Regarded as one of the brightest defensive minds in the business, Scalley was a finalist for the 2019 Broyles Award. He played for the Utes from 2001-04 and was part of Utah's 2004 team which went 12-0 and defeated Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl as the first "BCS Busters".
HOME COOKING
• The Utes open the 2026 season with three straight home games at Rice-Eccles Stadium, having sold out 95 consecutive contests in Salt Lake City. Home has been a great place to be for the Utah football team over the last five years, ranking atop the Big 12 Conference and No. 14 in the nation in home winning percentage during that time (25-6, .806).
UTAH FOOTBALL: NEED TO KNOWS
• Quarterback Devon Dampier is back after starting 12 of Utah's games in 2025, throwing for 2,490 yards and 24 touchdowns, while rushing for 835 yards and 10 scores. He has been named to preseason watch lists for the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Davey O'Brien Awards among others.
• Wayshawn Parker is also returning at running back for the Utes following a 2025 season where he played in all 13 games, rushing for 981 yards and six touchdowns on 149 carries.
• On the defensive side, 2025 team-leading tackler (67, 6.0 TFL) at linebacker Johnathan Hall returns along with safety and second-leading tackler (64, 4.0 TFL) Jackson Bennee.
• Utah has won 10 of its last 11 season openers with the lone loss coming in a 29-26 defeat in The Swamp against Florida on Sept. 3, 2022.
• The Utes have won 17 straight home openers at Rice-Eccles Stadium (not counting truncated 2020 season due to COVID-19).
• Utah and Idaho are set to meet on the football field for the first time since 1993, a 28-17 Vandal victory in Salt Lake City.
FOLLOW THE UTES
Follow the Utes on social media through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com. Download the Utah 360 app here.
THURSDAY LINEUP
Venue: Rice-Eccles Stadium (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Time: 7 p.m. MT
Watch (ESPNU): Pete Sousa (play-by-play), Leger Douzable (analyst)
ESPN 700 AM & 92.1 FM: Bill Riley (play-by-play), Steven Sylvester (analyst), Zack Moss (sideline); SiriusXM Ch. 83
THE UTAH MAN
• Utah head coach Morgan Scalley is set to make his regular season debut leading the Utes after a 44-22 victory over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31. Scalley, a Salt Lake City native and U alum who has been on the coaching staff since 2008, has served as safeties coach that entire time and was tabbed defensive coordinator in 2016.
• Regarded as one of the brightest defensive minds in the business, Scalley was a finalist for the 2019 Broyles Award. He played for the Utes from 2001-04 and was part of Utah's 2004 team which went 12-0 and defeated Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl as the first "BCS Busters".
HOME COOKING
• The Utes open the 2026 season with three straight home games at Rice-Eccles Stadium, having sold out 95 consecutive contests in Salt Lake City. Home has been a great place to be for the Utah football team over the last five years, ranking atop the Big 12 Conference and No. 14 in the nation in home winning percentage during that time (25-6, .806).
UTAH FOOTBALL: NEED TO KNOWS
• Quarterback Devon Dampier is back after starting 12 of Utah's games in 2025, throwing for 2,490 yards and 24 touchdowns, while rushing for 835 yards and 10 scores. He has been named to preseason watch lists for the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Davey O'Brien Awards among others.
• Wayshawn Parker is also returning at running back for the Utes following a 2025 season where he played in all 13 games, rushing for 981 yards and six touchdowns on 149 carries.
• On the defensive side, 2025 team-leading tackler (67, 6.0 TFL) at linebacker Johnathan Hall returns along with safety and second-leading tackler (64, 4.0 TFL) Jackson Bennee.
• Utah has won 10 of its last 11 season openers with the lone loss coming in a 29-26 defeat in The Swamp against Florida on Sept. 3, 2022.
• The Utes have won 17 straight home openers at Rice-Eccles Stadium (not counting truncated 2020 season due to COVID-19).
• Utah and Idaho are set to meet on the football field for the first time since 1993, a 28-17 Vandal victory in Salt Lake City.
FOLLOW THE UTES
Follow the Utes on social media through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com. Download the Utah 360 app here.
Players Mentioned
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