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YzzazzSo long as BYU remains undefeated, I believe the UVA game will be the most important reference point for the playoff selection committee. If UVA does well through the rest of its season, that will be a good thing for the cougs.
When you consider UVA's upcoming schedule (Kent State, Pitt, Duke, NC), it is quite likely that when the only poll the really counts first comes out, UVA is sitting pretty with a 6-2 schedule. They play Georgia Tech after that (who beat VT last week to go 4-0) and if they manage a win on the road there (a tough feat), then two weeks into the poll they face Florida State at a time when they could actually have a 7-2 record and be ranked.
Just how good was Virginia? Was their 16-13 halftime lead merely a fluke of BYU's penalties and bad luck? I think not. I think UVA is the real deal and that BYU's performance against them really meant something significant.
Consider this. If someone told you that the next cougar game would feature Taysom being held to his lowest rushing yards this season, lowest passing yards this season, and lowest completion percentage, by a team that would dominate time of possession by more than 2 to 1, where BYU would only register 1 interception, who would you predict the winner of the game to be? You know that if you hadn't already watched the game, you would find it a mind-boggling exercise to imagine how BYU could come away with a win.
Can that really be a function of BYU's mistakes alone? Yes those mistakes are so easy to call out that Gordon Monson could feel comfy fashioning his article on them. And BYU surely lost style points since their game was prime-time east coast while Oregon and Arizona (with equal scares) played when fewer viewers were in an attitude to care. But over time those style points will change to badges of honor if Virginia hangs tough in the rest of their games.
I say they will for the following reasons:
1. Their O-line was very impressive. That the cougar defense found a way to diminish the impact of that unit is VERY impressive. The cougs were simply not going to win that game unless the defense could do something different in the second half. Thankfully they did. That kind of O-line play will probably win them their next four games alone.
2. Their starting QB is quite good, and their backup is not-to-shabby. It's really hard to look as good as Taysom Hill looks even when he isn't trying (just as Travis Wilson--doh!), but UVA's QBs were playing against any other QB that day, they look pretty good. Good enough to go 7-2 in front of playing Florida State.
3. Their defensive secondary knows how play their positions well. Lots of PI close calls that ended as no-calls. They are well coached and can reduce the pass threat of a lot of teams.
All in all, I won't be surprised if Virginia is a four loss, or even three loss team at the end of the year. A three-loss ACC contender could easily be ranked at the end of the season. And that might be all it takes for BYU to land an at-large spot at the end of the season assuming the cougs can go undefeated.
So can the cougs go undefeated? If the last game didn't convince you that this squad of cougars has that x-factor, will-to-win, find-a-way, kind of spirit needed to do so, then nothing will. ESPN's probability number is up to 25%. Realistically that says BSU is a 50/50 game, and Cal is too. In other words, BYU is expected to win all other games. Because that is reasonable, then the gritty performance today means they have shown they can do what it takes to win those two more tough games.
Sure wish BYU could have beat them 66-0 so that Wisconsin would not have played leap-frog in the polls, but that just confirmed what we all hated to admit. BYU is probably not fit on the stage of the final four. Even if you don't agree with that assessment, you know the majority of the selection committee will feel that way.
Here's hoping for a New Year's day bowl that ends with a healthy Taysom prepping for a senior year run at the final four.
If he doesn't win the Heisman this year (oh yes he IS a match for Mariota but Oregon won't go undefeated), he will win it next year if he stays!
When you consider UVA's upcoming schedule (Kent State, Pitt, Duke, NC), it is quite likely that when the only poll the really counts first comes out, UVA is sitting pretty with a 6-2 schedule. They play Georgia Tech after that (who beat VT last week to go 4-0) and if they manage a win on the road there (a tough feat), then two weeks into the poll they face Florida State at a time when they could actually have a 7-2 record and be ranked.
Just how good was Virginia? Was their 16-13 halftime lead merely a fluke of BYU's penalties and bad luck? I think not. I think UVA is the real deal and that BYU's performance against them really meant something significant.
Consider this. If someone told you that the next cougar game would feature Taysom being held to his lowest rushing yards this season, lowest passing yards this season, and lowest completion percentage, by a team that would dominate time of possession by more than 2 to 1, where BYU would only register 1 interception, who would you predict the winner of the game to be? You know that if you hadn't already watched the game, you would find it a mind-boggling exercise to imagine how BYU could come away with a win.
Can that really be a function of BYU's mistakes alone? Yes those mistakes are so easy to call out that Gordon Monson could feel comfy fashioning his article on them. And BYU surely lost style points since their game was prime-time east coast while Oregon and Arizona (with equal scares) played when fewer viewers were in an attitude to care. But over time those style points will change to badges of honor if Virginia hangs tough in the rest of their games.
I say they will for the following reasons:
1. Their O-line was very impressive. That the cougar defense found a way to diminish the impact of that unit is VERY impressive. The cougs were simply not going to win that game unless the defense could do something different in the second half. Thankfully they did. That kind of O-line play will probably win them their next four games alone.
2. Their starting QB is quite good, and their backup is not-to-shabby. It's really hard to look as good as Taysom Hill looks even when he isn't trying (just as Travis Wilson--doh!), but UVA's QBs were playing against any other QB that day, they look pretty good. Good enough to go 7-2 in front of playing Florida State.
3. Their defensive secondary knows how play their positions well. Lots of PI close calls that ended as no-calls. They are well coached and can reduce the pass threat of a lot of teams.
All in all, I won't be surprised if Virginia is a four loss, or even three loss team at the end of the year. A three-loss ACC contender could easily be ranked at the end of the season. And that might be all it takes for BYU to land an at-large spot at the end of the season assuming the cougs can go undefeated.
So can the cougs go undefeated? If the last game didn't convince you that this squad of cougars has that x-factor, will-to-win, find-a-way, kind of spirit needed to do so, then nothing will. ESPN's probability number is up to 25%. Realistically that says BSU is a 50/50 game, and Cal is too. In other words, BYU is expected to win all other games. Because that is reasonable, then the gritty performance today means they have shown they can do what it takes to win those two more tough games.
Sure wish BYU could have beat them 66-0 so that Wisconsin would not have played leap-frog in the polls, but that just confirmed what we all hated to admit. BYU is probably not fit on the stage of the final four. Even if you don't agree with that assessment, you know the majority of the selection committee will feel that way.
Here's hoping for a New Year's day bowl that ends with a healthy Taysom prepping for a senior year run at the final four.
If he doesn't win the Heisman this year (oh yes he IS a match for Mariota but Oregon won't go undefeated), he will win it next year if he stays!