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Dcr36The subject title is sort of a lie - I guess season openers can tell us a few things. But I think we should probably hold out before we do too much prognostication on what BYU is going to accomplish this year. Regardless of quality, a team's performance is going to be a wild card in the first game of the season. There's a reason most teams play doormats for the season opener.
I thought I would put together a few examples of first week games that were hardly representative of either participant's subsequent seasons. I limited it to one per year.
2007 - Texas 21, Arkansas State 13
Synopsis: In honor of our upcoming opponent, I thought I'd start off with a game I'm sure they're less than proud of. Texas had the Sun Belt team down 21-3 when they managed to put together an impressive comeback that was stopped when they failed to recover an onside kick. Notable for happening on the same day as the App. State - Michigan "Miracle in the Big House."
Result - Probably not Texas' finest year (they did lose 3 game), but they finished with 10 wins and a win over #10 Arizona State in the Cotton Bowl. Ark State, on the other hand, couldn't even put together enough wins in the Sun Belt to be bowl eligible.
2008 - Utah 25, Michigan 23
Synopsis: Utah dominated the yardage game, 341-to-203, but struggled to put it in the endzone (sound familiar?) and only scored two touchdowns, settling for FGs on 4 different drives. Michigan made the game 25-23 in the 4th quarter but failed the two point conversion. Utah escaped with a narrow victory.
Season result: Turned out Michigan really sucked. They went 3-9. I think Utah played in a pretty decent bowl game and even beat an SEC team. I'm hazy on the details. :whistle:
2009 - Boise State 19, Oregon 8
Synopsis: Probably best remembered as "the game where LeGarett Blount laid out some sucker," it's also a game where Oregon produced 14 yards total offense in the first half.
Season result: Both had fine seasons, but this game was a ridiculous outlier for Oregon. Oregon went on to average 40 points against the Pac-10, Utah and Purdue. Meanwhile, Boise State gave up more points to 10 other opponents, including UC-Davis.
2010 - Oklahoma 31, Utah State 24
Synopsis: Utah State vs. Auburn had a reference point as recent as last year! Utah State gained 421 yards of total offense to Oklahoma's 422. Utah State probably could have won this game if they hadn't turned the ball over 4 times.
Season result: Oklahoma went 12-2, won the Fiesta Bowl and showed enough talent and potential to get a #1 preseason ranking the following year. Utah State had their usual 4-8 season, highlighted by their fans rushing the field after a victory over a 1-4 opponent. :sick:
So basically - one game is a small sample size that is further plagued by a lot of variables (nerves, unfamiliarity, lack of tape, etc.) that start to shrink as the season progresses. For now, I'm just going to be happy we got the W and wait one or two games before I start dissecting the team.
I thought I would put together a few examples of first week games that were hardly representative of either participant's subsequent seasons. I limited it to one per year.
2007 - Texas 21, Arkansas State 13
Synopsis: In honor of our upcoming opponent, I thought I'd start off with a game I'm sure they're less than proud of. Texas had the Sun Belt team down 21-3 when they managed to put together an impressive comeback that was stopped when they failed to recover an onside kick. Notable for happening on the same day as the App. State - Michigan "Miracle in the Big House."
Result - Probably not Texas' finest year (they did lose 3 game), but they finished with 10 wins and a win over #10 Arizona State in the Cotton Bowl. Ark State, on the other hand, couldn't even put together enough wins in the Sun Belt to be bowl eligible.
2008 - Utah 25, Michigan 23
Synopsis: Utah dominated the yardage game, 341-to-203, but struggled to put it in the endzone (sound familiar?) and only scored two touchdowns, settling for FGs on 4 different drives. Michigan made the game 25-23 in the 4th quarter but failed the two point conversion. Utah escaped with a narrow victory.
Season result: Turned out Michigan really sucked. They went 3-9. I think Utah played in a pretty decent bowl game and even beat an SEC team. I'm hazy on the details. :whistle:
2009 - Boise State 19, Oregon 8
Synopsis: Probably best remembered as "the game where LeGarett Blount laid out some sucker," it's also a game where Oregon produced 14 yards total offense in the first half.
Season result: Both had fine seasons, but this game was a ridiculous outlier for Oregon. Oregon went on to average 40 points against the Pac-10, Utah and Purdue. Meanwhile, Boise State gave up more points to 10 other opponents, including UC-Davis.
2010 - Oklahoma 31, Utah State 24
Synopsis: Utah State vs. Auburn had a reference point as recent as last year! Utah State gained 421 yards of total offense to Oklahoma's 422. Utah State probably could have won this game if they hadn't turned the ball over 4 times.
Season result: Oklahoma went 12-2, won the Fiesta Bowl and showed enough talent and potential to get a #1 preseason ranking the following year. Utah State had their usual 4-8 season, highlighted by their fans rushing the field after a victory over a 1-4 opponent. :sick:
So basically - one game is a small sample size that is further plagued by a lot of variables (nerves, unfamiliarity, lack of tape, etc.) that start to shrink as the season progresses. For now, I'm just going to be happy we got the W and wait one or two games before I start dissecting the team.