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Why BYU Football won’t end the season with six wins

By Ron Jensen

STARKVILLE, MS - OCTOBER 14: Tanner Mangum
STARKVILLE, MS - OCTOBER 14: Tanner Mangum /
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PROVO, UT – SEPTEMBER 16: General view of the BYU Cougars offensive line during a game against the Wisconsin Badgers at LaVell Edwards Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
PROVO, UT – SEPTEMBER 16: General view of the BYU Cougars offensive line during a game against the Wisconsin Badgers at LaVell Edwards Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

Scenario No. 2 – “7 wins or more”

Let’s rewind to the beginning of the season to discuss a different outcome. Back to Arizona and Cal.

If they can beat one, they probably are good enough to beat both these teams. For argument’s sake, we’ll say the opener is a loss, and the Cougars rebound to beat the Golden Bears at home.

When BYU football goes to Wisconsin, this go-around, they are still out-manned but play admirably. Even with the loss, the Cougars use McNeese State as a chance to fine tune some nuances of the offense, and rest many of their starters. They win easily.

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Now 2-2, the Cougars take on Washington and fall to the stronger opponent. They get pretty beat up, but the Huskies are a playoff contender. They leave Seattle with their self-esteem still intact.

BYU football prepares for Utah State in six days. A major distinction in this scenario is this time, the Cougars are confident in the fact that they’ve already beat a team that’s better than the Aggies. It’s a battle, but they come out on top.

After breaking even at 3-3, Cougar Nation watches their team beat Hawaii at home. It uses a bye-week to recuperate and creates a great game plan for a tough Northern Illinois bunch. The team takes advantage of the home field and a rowdy crowd to defeat the Huskies.

Boise State stays undefeated at home against BYU football, but once again, Kalani Sitake and the boys recognize that they lost to a good football team.

Next, two consecutive wins against UMass and New Mexico State bring the Cougars’ record to 7-4. At this stage, the Cougars consider the season a redemption for the failed 2017 campaign, and are confident in their chances in the closing contest.

Finally, the game at Rice-Eccles Stadium remains a toss-up, but provides a more likely chance for BYU football to win in this case. Notwithstanding the result, the game does not affect the premise that the Cougars do not finish with six wins.

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And there you have it, my bold prediction for 2018. Which scenario plays out? That’s one thing I won’t predict, but we’ll all know by the end of the second game of the season.

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