The BYU Cougars are 2-0 in the young 2026-27 season and riding high off a comfortable win against Omaha. Looking well-balanced and executing phenomenally on the offensive end, this year's team seems better prepared for a long, sustained run at the end of the season -- a refreshing change from the disappointment of last year's squad.
Up next, the Cougars line up a buy game tilt with a team they've only met once before: Queens. In case you haven't heard, Queens University is one of the hottest mid-majors in the early days of this college basketball season. They've scored 96 or more points in two of their first three games, including a 96-95 win in a buy game against BYU's old neighbors from the WCC, Loyola Marymount.
When a team loses a game in which they were paid to simply make an appearance, the basketball world takes notice. But when the Royals fell to Oklahoma State by 50 points, 118-68, the fear factor is vaporized. Kevin Young's team won't be concerned about Queens' upset bid.
Led by Robert Wright III and his 27.0 points per game, all five players in BYU's starting lineup are averaging double-digit points per game. It's a roster built to succeed in the modern age of college basketball, and also boasts one of the most talented backcourts in the nation.
Wright, at point guard, is already turning heads and building his campaign for All-America as a junior. Collin Chandler, a transfer from Kentucky, has been living above the rim and beyond the arc at shooting guard. Then add small forward Bruce Branch III to the mix as the current projected third overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, and you have one of the most fearsome trios in the loaded Big 12.
I haven't even mentioned Tyler Betsey, who's shooting 10-for-13 from three-point land, or Jaxon Kohler, the veteran big who led an excellent Michigan State team a season ago.
Expect the Cougars to take down Queens in similar fashion to Oklahoma State, exclipsing the 100-point mark against a defense that has allowed a hideous sum to this point in the year.
Pick: BYU 109, Queens 73
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