BYU and Colorado are squaring off this weekend for the first time as Big 12 adversaries in the regular season. But anyone who watched last season's Alamo Bowl will remind you that, as of late, Kalani Sitake and the Cougars have had Deion Sanders' number on the field.
A 36-14 romp through the Buffaloes was a euphoric finale to one of the greatest seasons in BYU football history. As a member of a Power Four league, this bunch out of Provo, Utah, tallied 11 wins and a share of the Big 12 Conference regular season title (an absurd four-way split), capped with an absolute slaughter of the best Colorado football team in recent memory.
This year, you should expect more of the same. Yes, yes, I know these aren't the same squads that squared off in San Antonio last December, and of course there's no way to be certain how a football game will play out before the game clock starts ticking down, but given what we witnessed last season paired with what we know about these teams, it's hard to imagine the Cougars falling in Boulder if they play as they've already proved capable.
In last season's battle, seasoned quarterback and NFL Draft pick Shedeur Sanders was utterly lost when trying to decipher Jay Hill's defensive looks. Sending heat in bizarre and unfamiliar patterns, getting the quarterback uncomfortable, and forcing the Colorado offense to guess shut down one of the most dangerous attacks in the game last season. Jack Kelley and Isaiah Glasker have returned to wreak havoc on the field -- expect no mercy.
Last year's battle saw several interceptions thrown by starting QB Jake Retzlaff (and oddly enough, second stringer Gerry Bohanon tossed one himself). The Cougars dominated despite these mishaps. Bear Bachmeier -- knock on wood -- has yet to cough up possession all season. Be it play-calling or decision-making, Bear has yet to put the ball in harm's way, and a complementary offense has opened the door for the defense to dictate the course of the game.
This year's edition of Colorado, according to Pro Football Focus, is the third-worst Power Conference coverage team ahead of only UCLA (now deceased) and Virginia Tech (bunk buddies!). This team has failed to stop the run against Georgia Tech and Houston, piling up 550 rushing yards allowed by their defense. This season's BYU team is a run-heavy unit that loves to drive the ball down the throat of the opposition. Freshman quarterback or not, if the Buffs can't slow down LJ Martin, Sione Moa, and company, BYU will dominate possession and command the scoreboard.
So no, I don't have a crystal ball. And of course, this is still a game the Cougars can absolutely lose. But with history and recent evidence at our hip, it's hard to imagine BYU football failing to escape Folsom Field in Boulder with a loss. This is not a prediction, just an observation.