LJ Martin Back in the Backfield as BYU Readies for No. 3 Utah in Holy War Showdown

BYU's offense is about to get its engine back. Star running back LJ Martin, who has not played since Oct. 3 because of an ankle injury, will suit up for the Cougars against No. 3 Utah, sources told ESPN.

The timing could hardly be better for Provo. The rivalry between BYU and Utah, long known as the Holy War, rarely needs extra drama. This year it arrives with a top-three ranking on one sideline and a returning star on the other. Martin's return means the Cougars no longer have to fight one of the toughest opponents on their schedule without one of their best weapons.

A Return With Real Stakes

Martin's absence has loomed over BYU's offense for weeks. A running back who can wear down a defense, pick up tough yards between the tackles and keep a quarterback out of obvious passing downs does more than appear in the box score. He sets the rhythm of an offense. Without him, the Cougars have had to manage the game with a piece missing, and against a Utah defense that has built its national standing on physicality, that missing piece would have been glaring.

Ankle injuries are notoriously stubborn for running backs, whose game depends on planting, cutting and exploding through narrow creases. The key question now is not just whether Martin plays, but how much and how effectively. BYU's coaching staff will likely weigh how heavily to lean on him right away against the risk of a setback in a game where every snap counts.

What It Means for Utah

For the Utes, the news reshapes their defensive preparation. Game plans built around a BYU attack without Martin now have to account for a back capable of tilting the field. Utah, carrying the weight of a No. 3 ranking and the College Football Playoff hopes that come with it, cannot afford to be caught flat-footed by a rival with something to prove.

Rivalry games often scramble expectations, and a ranking can feel like a target painted on the back of a jersey. A healthy Martin gives BYU a believable path to an upset: control the clock, keep Utah's offense on the bench and turn the fourth quarter into a test of endurance.

The Bigger Picture

Beyond bragging rights in the state of Utah, the matchup carries conference and national weight. A Utah win keeps the Utes firmly in the playoff conversation. A BYU win would send ripples through the rankings and upend the Big 12 picture in an already unpredictable season.

That is why one ankle matters so much this week. Martin's return will not decide the game alone, but it changes the math. BYU now goes into one of its biggest games of the year with its full arsenal, and Utah has to prepare for a fight it may not have fully expected.

Details about Martin's expected workload were not immediately available, according to the ESPN report. Fans in Provo, however, have already received the only update they needed: their workhorse is back.