Y
YzzazzMy prediction: BYU is going to win the game tonight.
I am the only one that seriously believes this and can say it without cracking a smile?
Everywhere you look it's "Utah is FAVORED and don't you forget it!"
Hard to remember when the BYU fan base has been less vocal--late Crowton days perhaps?
What everyone seems to have already forgotten is that Utah isn't much (if anything) more than the team they fielded at the end of the season last year. A team that despite its best efforts had to pitch 21-0 4th quarter to win. Which they did because:
1. The only RB BYU had left uninjured was bad-angle-running Riley Burt.
2. Bronson Kafusi left the game leaving a season-weary, injury-plagued defense on the field.
Up until the 4th quarter, the BYU defense dominated that game. Of course it's tempting to say that Kafusi dominated that game, but the reality is that though Kafusi was a big factor, he wasn't the only factor. Why should we expect that a BYU defense that returns 8 starters, is healthy and has been prepping all off season for this game should somehow create a scenario where their team is an 11-point underdog at home?
How about the running game: Katoa is healthy and the new edition of Williams is likely to shine. Why would anyone expect that BYU will field a worse running game than having only Riley Burt for two quarters?
And anyone willing to talk about this game seems to forget that Zach Wilson is the real deal, or that perhaps he will have help out there this year. A Junior at tight end and a senior at WR. If the o-line buys any time at all, or if the running game is serviceable, BYU could really surprise everyone (except for perhaps K.W. who has kept his team so tight-lipped about the game the media has to drag out former year's trash talk!).
I know it seems like a stretch to make this prediction, but I think there are way too many unknowns to make a good comparison this year. The game is wildly unpredictable. It is simply rediculous to set the Utes as such a heavy favorite. It is as if noone in the sports world looked up anything more than the records and scores of last year to make this comparison--oh wait. That's exactly what the computer rankings actually do.
Well, to be fair, it is no surprise that journalists don't have time to try to outguess the computers. In truth during the regular season it is a mostly fruitless attempt, but here are the beginning of the year the Sagarinesque models simply don't have enough to input.
I don't like pretending I know what is going to happen when I don't, but I believe I know what is NOT going to happen. BYU will NOT lose by 11, and I doubt they will even lose at all.
I am the only one that seriously believes this and can say it without cracking a smile?
Everywhere you look it's "Utah is FAVORED and don't you forget it!"
Hard to remember when the BYU fan base has been less vocal--late Crowton days perhaps?
What everyone seems to have already forgotten is that Utah isn't much (if anything) more than the team they fielded at the end of the season last year. A team that despite its best efforts had to pitch 21-0 4th quarter to win. Which they did because:
1. The only RB BYU had left uninjured was bad-angle-running Riley Burt.
2. Bronson Kafusi left the game leaving a season-weary, injury-plagued defense on the field.
Up until the 4th quarter, the BYU defense dominated that game. Of course it's tempting to say that Kafusi dominated that game, but the reality is that though Kafusi was a big factor, he wasn't the only factor. Why should we expect that a BYU defense that returns 8 starters, is healthy and has been prepping all off season for this game should somehow create a scenario where their team is an 11-point underdog at home?
How about the running game: Katoa is healthy and the new edition of Williams is likely to shine. Why would anyone expect that BYU will field a worse running game than having only Riley Burt for two quarters?
And anyone willing to talk about this game seems to forget that Zach Wilson is the real deal, or that perhaps he will have help out there this year. A Junior at tight end and a senior at WR. If the o-line buys any time at all, or if the running game is serviceable, BYU could really surprise everyone (except for perhaps K.W. who has kept his team so tight-lipped about the game the media has to drag out former year's trash talk!).
I know it seems like a stretch to make this prediction, but I think there are way too many unknowns to make a good comparison this year. The game is wildly unpredictable. It is simply rediculous to set the Utes as such a heavy favorite. It is as if noone in the sports world looked up anything more than the records and scores of last year to make this comparison--oh wait. That's exactly what the computer rankings actually do.
Well, to be fair, it is no surprise that journalists don't have time to try to outguess the computers. In truth during the regular season it is a mostly fruitless attempt, but here are the beginning of the year the Sagarinesque models simply don't have enough to input.
I don't like pretending I know what is going to happen when I don't, but I believe I know what is NOT going to happen. BYU will NOT lose by 11, and I doubt they will even lose at all.