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No. 9 BYU aims to bolster CFP push against struggling rival Utah

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No. 9 BYU aims to bolster CFP push against struggling rival Utah


Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — More than mere bragging rights are on the line when BYU and Utah renew their rivalry for the first time in three years on Saturday.

No. 9 BYU (8-0, 5-0 Big 12 ) debuted at No. 9 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday with a projected first-round bye as conference champion. It is the highest ever CFB ranking for the Cougars, surpassing the previous high of No. 12 in 2021. Many fans and pundits on social media criticized the CFP selection committee for ranking BYU too low since the Cougars have beaten two Top 25 opponents and boast a better strength of schedule than multiple teams ranked ahead of them.

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If BYU is truly feeling disrespected, the Cougars are content to simply build their case by quietly continuing their unbeaten run.

“That’s the one thing that makes this team so different is that we’re not focused on what we’ve already done. We’re looking forward to the new week,” BYU running back Hinckley Ropati said. “Every week is a Super Bowl. Every week for us is a new statement.”

The Cougars hold a one-game lead atop the Big 12 standings over Colorado and Iowa State. A victory over Utah would move BYU one step closer to clinching a spot in the Big 12 championship game in the team’s second year in the league.

Utah aims to be a spoiler, dealing a blow to BYU’s unexpected title chase while ending a frustrating four-game slide and drawing one game closer to bowl eligibility.

The Utes lost to the Cougars 26-17 when the teams last met in 2021 — snapping Utah’s nine-game winning streak in the series.

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“The season we’re having is not the one we expected,” Utah running back Micah Bernard said. “But we don’t waver. We still have belief, and our belief is we’re going to win the next game, the next game, and the next game.”

BYU and Utah enter this latest edition of the Holy War on opposite ends of the spectrum on offense.

The Cougars are churning out a league-best 37.6 points per game against Big 12 opponents even while averaging just 391.8 total yards in those contests. They have scored fewer than 34 points just once this season. Meanwhile, the Utes have scored 15.8 points per contest in Big 12 play and have failed to reach 20 points in four straight games for the first time since 1997.

Splitting time

Kyle Whittingham re-opened the quarterback competition at Utah during the bye week. Isaac Wilson and Brandon Rose split first team reps. The move came after Utah’s offense averaged just 10.3 points per game in Wilson’s last three starts. Rose finished out the Utes’ 17-14 loss to Houston after Wilson got benched early in the second half. He threw for 45 yards and had an interception while completing only 47% of his passes.

Wilson has thrown for 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He’s also tossed eight interceptions and is completing 55% of his passes.

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Whittingham declined to reveal which quarterback will start on Saturday.

“We’ve got a good plan right now,” Whittingham said. “We’ll keep it to ourselves, obviously, but we have a plan going forward and nothing is ever set in stone, but we feel like we have a situation that’s best for us and gives us the best chance to win.”

The beleaguered offense will be without Money Parks, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against Houston. Parks had 294 yards and three touchdowns on 21 catches this season.

Opportunistic defense

Creating turnovers has been BYU’s defensive trademark this season. The Cougars lead the Big 12 in takeaways (18) and interceptions (14). Eleven different players have made at least one interception. Four different players have recovered a fumble.

This knack for making disruptive plays has led to BYU ranking fourth nationally in pass efficiency defense (96.31).

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BYU coach Kalani Sitake credits the team’s success in all three phases to his players focusing on filling a specific niche rather than playing hero ball.

“You have to buy into your 1/11th,” Sitake said. “I think our guys are doing a great job at it. Have we played perfect? No. Can we play better? Yes. And I’d like to see that happen this weekend.”

Fighting words

Utah running back Jaylon Glover sparked controversy on Monday when he used an expletive directed at BYU while speaking with reporters following practice. Glover later apologized for what he said on a post to his X account.

“It doesn’t represent who I am or our program and was a lapse in my judgment,” Glover wrote. “As a program, we respect every opponent we face, and we have respect for BYU and are excited to play them Saturday.”

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Utah man dies of injuries sustained in avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon

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Utah man dies of injuries sustained in avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon


A man died after he was caught in an avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon over the weekend.

A spokesperson for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Thursday that Kevin Williams, 57, had died.

He, along with one other person, was hospitalized in critical condition after Saturday’s avalanche in the backcountry.

MORE | Big Cottonwood Canyon Avalanche

In an interview with 2News earlier this week, one of Williams’ close friends, Nate Burbidge, described him as a loving family man.

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“Kevin’s an amazing guy. He’s always serving, looking for ways that he can connect with others,” Burbidge said.

A GoFundMe was set up to help support Williams’ family.

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911 recordings detail hours leading up to discovery of Utah girl, mother dead in Las Vegas

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911 recordings detail hours leading up to discovery of Utah girl, mother dead in Las Vegas


CONTENT WARNING: This report discusses suicide and includes descriptions of audio from 911 calls that some viewers may find disturbing.

LAS VEGAS — Exclusively obtained 911 recordings detail the hours leading up to the discovery of an 11-year-old Utah girl and her mother dead inside a Las Vegas hotel room in an apparent murder-suicide.

Addi Smith and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, lived in West Jordan and had traveled to Nevada for the JAMZ cheerleading competition.

The calls show a growing sense of urgency from family members and coaches, and several hours passing before relatives learned what happened.

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MORE | Murder-Suicide

Below is a timeline of the key moments, according to dispatch records. All times are Pacific Time.

10:33 a.m. — Call 1

After Addi and her mother failed to appear at the cheerleading competition, Addi’s father and stepmother called dispatch for a welfare check.

Addi and her mother were staying at the Rio hotel. The father told dispatch that hotel security had already attempted contact.

“Security went up and knocked on the door. There’s no answer or response it doesn’t look like they checked out or anything…”

11:18 a.m. and 11:27 a.m. — Calls 2 and 3

As concern grew, Addi’s coach contacted the police two times within minutes.

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“We think the child possibly is in imminent danger…”

11:26 a.m. — Call 4

Addi’s stepmother placed another call to dispatch, expressing escalating concern.

“We are extremely concerned we believe that something might have seriously happened.”

She said that Tawnia’s car was still at the hotel.

Police indicated officers were on the way.

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2:26 p.m. — Call 5

Nearly three hours after the initial welfare check request, fire personnel were en route to the scene. It appeared they had been in contact with hotel security.

Fire told police that they were responding to a possible suicide.

“They found a note on the door.”

2:35 p.m. — Call 6

Emergency medical personnel at the scene told police they had located two victims.

“It’s going to be gunshot wound to the head for both patients with notes”

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A dispatcher responded:

“Oh my goodness that’s not okay.”

2:36 p.m. — Call 7

Moments later, fire personnel relayed their assessment to law enforcement:

“It’s going to be a murder suicide, a juvenile and a mother.”

2:39 p.m. — Call 8

Unaware of what had been discovered, Addi’s father called dispatch again.

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“I’m trying to file a missing persons report for my daughter.”

He repeats the details he knows for the second time.

3:13 p.m. — Call 9

Father and stepmother call again seeking information and continue to press for answers.

“We just need some information. There was a room check done around 3:00 we really don’t know where to start with all of this Can we have them call us back immediately?”

Dispatch responded:

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“As soon as there’s a free officer, we’ll have them reach out to you.”

4:05 p.m. — Call 10

More than an hour later, Addi’s father was put in contact with the police on the scene. He pleaded for immediate action.

“I need someone there I need someone there looking in that room”

The officer confirmed that they had officers currently in the room.

Addi’s father asks again what they found, if Addi and her mother are there, and if their things were missing.

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The officer, who was not on scene, said he had received limited information.

5:23 p.m. — Call 11

Nearly seven hours after the first welfare check request, Addi’s grandmother contacted police, describing conflicting information circulating within the family.

“Some people are telling us that they were able to get in, and they were not in the hotel room, and other people saying they were not able to get in the hotel room, and we need to know”

She repeated the details of the case. Dispatch said officers will call her back once they have more information.

Around 8:00 p.m. — Press Conference

Later that evening, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police held a news conference confirming that Addi and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, were found dead inside the hotel room.

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The investigation remains ongoing.

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Ban on AI glasses in Utah classrooms inches closer to passing

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Ban on AI glasses in Utah classrooms inches closer to passing


AI glasses could allow you to get answers, snap photos, access audio and take phone calls—and now a proposal moving through the legislature would ban the glasses from Utah school classrooms.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said Kizzy Guyton Murphy, a mother who accompanied her child’s class on a field trip to the state Capitol on Wednesday. “You can’t see inside what the student is looking at, and it’s just grounds for cheating.”

Mom Tristan Davies Seamons also sees trouble with AI glasses.

“I don’t think they should have any more technology in schools than they currently have,” she said.

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Her twin daughters, fourth graders Finley and Grayson, don’t have cell phones yet.

“Not until we’re like 14,” said Grayson, adding they do have Chromebooks in school.

2News sent questions to the Utah State Board of Education:

  • Does it have reports of students using AI glasses?
  • Does it see cheating and privacy as major concerns?
  • Does it support a ban from classrooms?

Matt Winters, USBE AI specialist, said the board has not received reports from school districts of students with AI glasses.

“Local Education Agencies (school districts) have local control over these decisions based on current law and code,” said Winters. “The Board has not taken a position on AI glasses.

MORE | Utah State Legislature:

Some districts across the country have reportedly put restrictions on the glasses in schools.

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“I think it should be up to the teachers,” said Briauna Later, another mother who is all for preventing cheating, but senses a ban could leave administrators with tired eyes.

“It’s one more thing for the administration to have to keep track of,” said Later.

The proposal, HB 42, passed the House and cleared a Senate committee on Wednesday.

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