There are plenty of questions surrounding the Cougars for this up coming season. Who will start at QB? What will the offense look like? Is BYU ready for such a challenging schedule? Is Kalani Sitake ready to be the head coach of a FBS program? There is no doubt that the departure of Bronco Mendenhall and hiring of Kalani Sitake has breathed a breath of fresh air into the program, But will it pay off? Currently there are no answers to these questions but one thing is for sure, there will be plenty of attention on the Cougars IF they rise to the occasion.
Schedule Predictions:
Sep. 3 - Arizona
Prior to this game no starter has been announced at QB. On BYU's first play of the game though Taysom Hill trots on to the field to field and calls out the signals. Taysom is physically and mentally ready to be back out on the gridiron. The Wildcats are no slouch of a team either though and BYU and Arizona proceed to put on a great show. With BYU down 3 and less than one minute left in the game Hill takes a snap near midfield drops back, scans the defense and then takes off running and weaving his way to the end zone for the game winning score. BYU leaves the desert with an impressive and dramatic 35-31 victory in University of Phoenix Stadium to start the season on the right foot.
Sep. 10 - at Utah
BYU hasn't beat Utah since 2009. Kalani Sitake and company are bent on changing that. As always, this game is intense from the start. The Utes have a solid defense, but their offense has yet to find a groove which levels the playing field in the first half. In the second half however, Utah's defense begins to fatigue in large part due to their offenses inability to sustain drives. Slowly but surely Taysom Hill, Jamaal Williams and friends pull away from Utah snaring a 27-13 victory and snapping a 5 game losing streak to their bitter rival. Following back to back wins against PAC-12 teams BYU finds itself ranked in the top 25.
Sep. 17 - UCLA
Last season UCLA stole one from BYU. This year the Cougars won't give the Bruins the opportunity to sneak out a victory. BYU scores early and often in this one putting # 10 UCLA away well before the final whistle. Taysom Hill is dominant in this game burning the Bruins through the air and on the ground, throwing for 200 and 2 TDs, and running for 85 and another 2. BYU wins this one 42-20 leaving no doubt that the Cougars are legit and spring boarding Taysom into the Heisman discussion.
Sep. 24 - West Virginia
BYU has started white hot, improving each week and now ranked 18th in the nation. West Virginia is good, but not that good. Once again BYU hits the ground running in this game with Taysom Hill and Jamaal Williams leading the way. Still the Mountaineers don't go down without a fight making a late surge to make the score seem closer than the game truly was. BYU wins this one 45-35 at FedEx field, and improve to 4-0 on the season
Sep. 30 - Toledo
Toledo is a nice team, with some good players and an up and coming coach. Traveling to Provo is a challenge for them but they are determined to make a splash against #15 BYU. The first half is hotly contested with BYU up by just a field goal at halftime. But that is where the competition ends. BYU's depth and experience help the Cougars pull away in the second half and BYU wins this one comfortably in the end. BYU 52 Toledo 24. The fans are excited, the team is 5-0,focused, and the stage is set for a huge game on the road against Michigan State.
Oct. 8 - at Michigan State
BYU is ranked #15. Michigan State is ranked #11. The stakes are high for both teams, and this game does not disappoint. Like two heavy weights exchanging blows for three rounds this one comes down to the last play. BYU has played itself into a 2 point lead but the spartians have the ball on the 33 yard line setting them up for a 50 yard field goal attempt to win it. The snap, the hold, the kick.......It's long enough....It is.......DOINK.....No good! The attempt bounces off the right post and BYU's players jubilantly celebrate the victory as Michigan State's fans and players look on in disbelief.
Oct. 15 - Mississippi State
The Bulldogs come to Provo to take on the #10 Cougars. For the second week in a row BYU finds itself in a real dog fight. Every time one team seems like it might pull away the other comes charging right back. In the final moments of this one the Cougars are up 7 but the Bulldogs are able to punch it into the endzone with 3 seconds left, and it looks like this one is going to overtime. But wait whats this? MSU is leaving the offense on the field...they are going for the win. The play is a fade to the right corner of the end zone, he catches it, and the officials arms go up! The Bulldogs are up by one and BYU's season has come to an end. "The previous play is under further review" announces the ref. The replay on the video board zooms in on the Bulldog recievers right foot and its clear, his toe was out of bounds. "After further review the ruling on the field is over-turned" and LaVell Edwards stadium erupts. BYU has escaped a miraculous 35-34 victory.
Oct. 22 - at Boise State
Nothing comes easy on the Smurf Turf. BYU is 7-0 and ranked #8. Boise State is 6-0 and ranked #14. Neither team is going to back down. It's a clash of non P5 titans. Taysom and the Cougars find themselves down 7 with less than a minute to go and driving. It's 4th and goal from from the 3. Taysom takes the snap fakes the hand off to Jamaal and runs a naked boot to the left. He dives for the pylon and he is in with only 3 seconds left on the clock! Now all they need is the PAT and we'll see what happens in OT...but wait...the offense is staying out there to go for 2. The play is a fade to the right corner, and it is caught, but the official signals incomplete! "The previous play is under further review. For the second week in a row the hopes and dreams of Cougar Nation hang in the balance. The replay zooms in on the receivers right foot but it may be too close to call. Here comes the announcement from the ref. "After further review, the ruling on the field is over-turned, the two-point conversion is good." The final score BYU 36 Boise State 35
Nov. 5 - at Cincinnati
After a bye week BYU has had a chance to recover from three of the most incredible finishes in the history of football. The Bearcats do their best to keep up with Taysom and company but they are no match for the # 6 ranked BYU Cougars. Taysom puts up huge numbers 300 passing with 3 TDs, 150 rushing with 2 TDs, and solidifies his position as the front runner for the Heisman Trophy. BYU Cruises to a resounding 52-17 victory.
Nov. 12 - Southern Utah
The T-Birds have some great uniforms. That's about the only positive for them in this one. BYU is ranked #5. The game is over and the starters are out 5 minutes into the second quarter. Plenty of playing time for the back-ups in this one. BYU 84 SUU 3
Nov. 19 - Massachusetts
UMass? They have a football team? BYU is still ranked #5. Same story as last week only worse. BYU sets a school record for points and margin of victory winning 105-0.
Nov. 26 - Utah State
Finally a real opponent for BYU. Despite the HUGE wins the past two weeks, BYU's ranking dropped to #6 becasue those weren't real games. But the Aggies have actually put together a good season to this point and find themselves ranked #25 coming into Provo. A resounding victory over a ranked opponent is exactly what the Cougars need, and they deliver. BYU takes control of this game from the start and never lets go. Taysom once again displays his almost superhuman abilities on the football field shredding the Aggies for 200 yards in the air and 90 on the ground with 1 passing and 3 rushing TDs. For the first time since 2001 BYU is 12-0 after disposing of USU 45-10. This victory over a ranked opponent is just enough to bump BYU into the playoff picture when 4th ranked Oklahoma loses in it's conference championship game to 15th ranked Oklahoma state, a team they beat earlier in the season (this debacle puts major pressure on the Big 12 to expand) and 5th ranked Florida State loses to 20th ranked Duke in the ACC championship game.
BYU's End of season CFP ranking #4
Taysom Hill wins the Heisman Trophy
Jamaal Williams wins the Doak Walker Award
CFB Semifinal- Ohio State
BYU has never been here, and The Ohio State has. Many people people have more or less written BYU off in this one for that reason alone. But from the opening kick off its clear the BYU belongs in this game. Remember how Utah stuck it to Alabama back in '08? That about how this one goes. BYU hits the ground running, and before the Buckeyes realize whats hit them this one is out of reach with Heisman winner Taysom Hill leading the way. BYU 38 OSU 17
CFB Final- Alabama
BYU is poised, cool, and collected before this game. So is Bama. The Tide and Cougars battle back and forth all game long. This one is going to come down to the wire. The tide own a three point lead with 4 seconds left but BYU has driven to the 15 yard line and is lined up for the game tying field goal to send it to OT. Alabama sends an all out block and one of BYU's ends sneaks down field. BYU's holder, who is none other than Back-up QB Tanner Mangum tosses a high arching floater just before being drilled by the Tide rush, but they are too late. The pass floats right down in to the hands of BYU's wide open receiver in the end zone and BYU wins 38-35 in the most dramatic ending to a national championship game ever!
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