Will Utah QB be back in action against the Sun Devils and can Cougars preserve perfect record. Week 7 provides subplots aplenty.

Newsweek's college football Week 7 best bets start with Utah's Friday night trip to Arizona State, with Cam Rising reportedly back for the Utah offense.

Note: With EA Sports’ College Football 25 bringing college football back to the video game world, the Deseret News is simulating every Utah game against an FBS opponent this season. Utah may be coming off a loss,

The BYU campus is buzzing Friday as FOX Sports prepares to host its Big Noon Kickoff before Saturday’s game against the Arizona Wildcats.

No. 14 BYU is hosting Arizona and welcoming the Big Noon Kickoff crew to town. Former Utah head coach Urban Meyer will be on site, along with Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn and Mark Ingram III. BYU hasn’t been inside the top 15 since Sept. 9, 2022. And the last time it was there, it fell flat on its face at Oregon — losing 41-20.

The Cougars will enter the first year of Kevin Young's tenure as the No. 9-rated team in the Big 12 by league coaches, while Craig Smith's Utes were slotted 16th in the conference.

The Cougars were picked to finish ninth in the conference in the preseason poll released Thursday. The Kansas Jayhawks were picked to win the Big 12. On the other end of the spectrum, the Runnin’ Utes were picked to finish last — 16th out of 16 teams — in their first season in their new conference.

With a new head coach in Kevin Young and some notable new additions, Big 12 coaches need to see something from BYU, while Big 12 newcomer Utah is pegged to finish last.