With the season opener done and handled, it's time to focus our attention on BYU football's first real challenge of the season in their matchup against SMU this Friday.
The Cougs looked strong against the Salukis, and we got to watch in real-time as the team ironed out their kinks. Jake Retzlaff displayed plenty of confidence after earning the starting nod from coaches only a week prior, the Cougars defense held strong against their FCS foe (their performance would have been nearly perfect if not for a botched review job which allowed SIU to get their first of two scores on the night), and the offensive line threw their weight against a lesser front 7.
Defensive coordinator Jay Hill will look to be back in action after suffering a heart attack before last week's season opener, so we have no reason to expect the defense to atrophy as its head takes control once again. Players rallied around their coach last week, and they'd do well to maintain that effort and energy level against this talented SMU team.
With their FCS battle in the rearview mirror, the road to Dallas may give some Cougar fans a bit of motion sickness. Not to fear, though, as I've thrown together a pre-game checklist to help ease your anxiety and provide some context for the upcoming clash with SMU--I've even packed a doggy bag if you find yourself unable to handle the pace of this game.
BYU Cougars' Pre-Game Checklist
Coming off a win is a sweet feeling, and one that BYU football fans haven't felt since week 6 of last year's schedule, when the Cougars took down Big 12 foe, Texas Tech. The Cougars often start the year on a positive note, and stealing underdog wins in the first four games of the season is their specialty.
Since 2018, Sitake's squad has won 9 games against power conference opponents, often as a major underdog. Entering this game against SMU, most experts believe this year's BYU team is weak after a difficult 5-7 campaign which saw the team lose 6 straight in the final stretch of the seaon. After beating an FCS team comfortably at home, it's far from time to begin the celebration--this team still has plenty to prove.
The Cougs will enter this game as a double-digit underdog, and ESPN's ever-questionable FPI predicts that BYU only has a 21.3% chance to leave Gerald J. Ford Stadium with a W. But a chance is a chance, and the Cougars aren't without momentum.
College Football Insiders has BYU with a 50.3% chance to win. https://t.co/UTCFVogRGh
— Jarom Jordan (@jaromjordan) September 4, 2024
Pre-Game Notes for the Cougars
- BYU has never lost to SMU, and lead the all-time series against the Mustangs at 4-0.
- This game will mark the first clash between these two teams since the 2022 New Mexico Bowl, where BYU squeaked out a win behind quarterback Sol Jay Maiava-Peters.
- The Cougars struggled to contain SIU's mobile QB, DJ Williams. SMU's starter, Preston Stone is a mobile player, and averaged 9.5 yards per carry against Houston Christian.
SMU Pre-Game Checklist
With two games already under their belt, the Mustangs are entering this week's matchup with a 2-0 record. After an uncomfortably close win against Nevada in week zero, SMU regrouped to crush Houston Christian last week. Quarterback Preston Stone and running back, Brashard Smith carry much of the Mustangs' offensive load, and they'll look to set the tone early on the ground against BYU.
The Mustangs ran for 369 yards against last week's FCS foe, and are looking every bit the part of a power conference-level football program since joining the ACC over the offseason. SMU did everything in their power to join the ACC with Stanford and Cal, and were fortunate enough to be accepted before they missed the boat on conference realignment.
The biggest question surrounding this team now is what to make of their current body of work. In their season opener against the supposedly overmatched Nevada Wolfpack, SMU needed 16 points in the fourth quarter--including a last-minute touchdown pass to take the lead--to sneak out of Nevada with a 1-0 record. BYU isn't going to roll over and let SMU dominate this game, regardless of how many votes the Mustangs build in the AP Poll.
Would the real Southern Methodist University please stand up?
Pre-Game Notes for the Mustangs
- The Cougars struggle against mobile quarterbacks, but looked strong against the run otherwise. If the Mustangs rely too heavily on their running game, they'll meet a tough defensive front in BYU.
- BYU OC, Aaron Roderick has an affinity for trick plays, so SMU will need to be positionally sound and disciplined.
- In a season where the ACC looks to be wide open, entering conference play undefeated is essential for a team who could look to win the whole thing.