While drafting an article about the Alamo Bowl's game information, I was shocked to see the betting lines for this postseason meeting between Big 12 foes... but should I have been?
BYU has a better record than the Buffaloes (10-2 vs 9-3) and is ranked six spots ahead of Coach Prime's squad in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings, but is once again expected to drop this matchup against a foe that--on paper--should be beatable.
Keep in mind, Kalani's Cougs have been underrated all season (need I remind you that they were 3-point dogs against UCF?), and for some reason, Vegas really doesn't roll with these cats. BYU is a 5-point underdog in this clash, and for some reason, that felt high to me.
Don't get me wrong--I understand how this number likely snowballed to 5 points. Colorado has the stars, the athletes, the fame, the accolades, you name it. For many media-grounded reasons, this team has been tethered to the forefront of the college football world throughout the season, while BYU has largely flown under the radar.
Simply put, all eyes are on the Buffaloes in this one, but that might sort of play into the Cougars' hands very favorably. Being underdogs for the majority of the season, yet standing at the end of the season with 10 regular season wins should inspire confidence in fans that head coach Kalani Sitake has his team ready to make one final declaration to all onlookers: BYU football is a legitimate force in the sport, and they demand respect.
The betting lines may shift one way or the other, but Cougar fans should sit comfortably understanding that their team was only a few points away from stealing a playoff spot this year, and will look to improve more next year.
The world still doesn't believe, BYU. Make a statement this weekend.