The End of the Silence

Monday morning I sent a text message to Andy. I was distraught, confused, and bewildered. "What do we do now?" I asked, unable to see any way or any reason to go on.

"We march on," he said. "And we don't look back. Saturday happened. We can't change that. But there will be another Saturday, and we will go on."

Or something like that.

Utah and BYU met their BCS demise last Saturday in some high-profile games. BYU lost to an efficient Florida State team at home, while Utah had their nation's-longest-winning-streak ended by an Oregon team looking for a big win. So the question remains for those of us who have lost hope of a BYU or Utah BCS-buster: what now?

Well, it's back to business for the Cougars and Utes. No. 19 BYU (2-1) hosts an undefeated Colorado State (3-0) team on Saturday, while Utah (2-1) welcomes Louisville (1-1) to Salt Lake City.

It is important to note that while BYU and Utah have seemingly dropped out of BCS bowl contention, there are still some BCS-buster hopefuls, including Boise State, TCU and Houston. While we would have loved to see a university from Utah represent in the BCS, the most important thing is that we have non-BCS schools competing in BCS bowl games.

And so, Cougar and Ute fans, the fight must go on.

The Biggest Follow-Up Game

BYU's thrilling win over then-ranked No. 3 Oklahoma has been called one of, if not the most important win in Cougar history. If that is the case, Saturday's match up against a down-but-not-out Florida State team could well be the most important follow-up game in Cougar history.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock in Dallas, and a triumphant Cougar squad vacated the field, a slew of reasons and excuses bombarded the online message boards.

"Bradford was out half the game."

"Oklahoma's stud tight end didn't play."

"It was a fluke."

"Fluke." Probably the most hated word for any underdog after an important upset victory. Utah fans heard it last year after the Utes toppled perennial SEC power Alabama. Boise State heard it before them after a thrilling last-play OT win over Oklahoma. It haunts the victor and makes the loser feel a little vindication. And there's only one way to quiet the doubters:

Win again.

That's just what BYU has to do in its home opener against FSU.

BYU is coming off a lopsided victory over a weak Tulane team. FSU is coming off a nail-biter against an FCS team. Each team has something to prove: one that they belong, the other that they're back. Luckily for BYU, the proving grounds are sweetly familiar to them: Provo. The land of the Cougars. Mormon-town, USA. And with 65,000+ on their side, the advantage goes to the Cougars.

Pre-game reviews have pointed out that the speed of FSU could play a factor against the size of BYU. And that's probably true. But BYU will take the field Saturday confident that the game is theirs to win. It's also theirs to lose. FSU will take the field unsure of what to expect. Was the too-close-for-comfort win over Jacksonville State just a let-down, or are there major flaws to be exploited in FSU's game? Were the preseason expectations for the Seminoles accurate, or is Florida State just another inflated BCS team that can't live up to the hype? Only time will tell.

Keys to a BYU victory - BYU must play four complete quarters of dominant football. A slow start like the one against Tulane may prove disastrous for the BCS-bowl hopeful Cougs. Max Hall will need to play at the top of his game by completing short passes and avoiding his major pitfall: INTs. Big games from Pitta and Unga will be essential as well, along with a solid effort from the defense. If the Cougars hit the field running on all cylinders, it could be a very long night for the visiting 'Noles.

Keys to an FSU victory - FSU must slow down BYU's air attack, which could be difficult for a team that has struggled so far this season to defend against the pass. FSU will need to make some big plays for long yardage to wear down an aggressive BYU defense, and they will need to take advantage of BYU mistakes--turnovers and penalties--if they're gonna want to be hanging around when the fourth quarter is winding down.

Like I said, I think this game is BYU's to win, or lose, depending on which team takes the field.

Prediction: BYU 31 - FSU 17

A Little Love for Up North (Upset Watch USU v Texas A&M)

College Station--Under new head coach Gary Anderson the Utah State Aggies seem to already have a little bit of bounce in their step after a solid performance against the Utah Utes on September 3. Though the outcome was not what they had hoped it to be, the Aggies have to be pleased with the progress they have already made this season.
Behind junior QB Diondre Borel and sophomore RB Robert Turbin, the Aggie offense is revamped and ready to go. This week they will be facing the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station, Texas at the home of the "12th man." In order to pull off the upset and join the Utes and Cougs at the party, the Ags will have to be solid on defense. The big plays that they gave up during their game against Utah was the one of the main differences in the game. Though they answered once with a 96 yard touchdown run by Turbin in the first half, they were not able to keep up. They must make A&M work for their scores and on the offensive side of the ball, no turnovers.
If Gary Anderson gets his guys to believe, there is a good chance we'll have an upset on our hands.

Final: USU 23 v. Texas A&M 19

Andy the Sage Enlightens Us

Q: Two non-BCS teams are in the AP top ten. This early in the season, is that significant? Why?

Andy's Answer: This is very significant and there are several reasons why. First, this shows that the national media and coaches around the country seem to have renewed respect for teams that are not in the so called "elite" conferences of the evil stepmother known as the BCS.

Teams like No. 7 BYU and No. 10 Boise St. continue to benefit from BCS busters of the past; however, what is more important than what has happened in the past is that these programs, along with others, continue to produce high quality football teams year after year. Teams that continue to compete with, and beat teams "where they play BIG BOY football" (as I heard a radio host from Alabama say the week before the tide was rolled by the Utes in the '09 sugarbowl).

Q: Utah dropped one spot to No. 18 after a sluggish win over San Jose State. Was Saturday's game against San Jose State an indication of Utah's season, or was it a one-game lapse?

Andy's Answer: On saturday against SJSU the Utes looked a little bit like the Utes of the 90's under coach Ron Mcbride. Those of you who don't know what I mean, let me explain. Though coach mcbride did tremendous things for the Ute program and helped shape the Utah-BYU rivalry into the blood bath it is today, his teams struggled with consistency and would often make the mistake of overlooking lesser opponents, just like on Saturday.

The Utes did not seem to have the desire to show up and play against the Spartans. The daunting task of traveling to take on the Oregon Ducks seemed to be weighing on the Ute minds, at least offensively. Luckily the defense showed up to play most of the game and ultimately won the game for Utah. Had the defense not shown up, the up and coming spartans may have pulled off the upset.

It is too early to tell if this is a sign of things to come; however, after this week's matchup in Eugene we will figure out what type of season and team Kyle Whittingham has to work with.

For more of Andy's insights, check back often as we continue to update the blog.

TCU Solid in Season Opener

Charlottesville, Virginia--The Cavalier mascot, on horseback, raced on to the field during pre-game and was thrown off as he reached the thirty yard line, a sign of things to come.

Virginia picked up right where they left off last week when they lost to FCS school William & Mary. It didn't help that their second game of the season was against last year's #1 ranked defense in TCU. The Cavaliers never took a snap in the redzone and only had seven first downs. Two of those first downs came on touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. At that point TCU had already flexed their superiority and the game was out of hand.

TCU held Virgina to just 177 yards of total offense, 83 of which came on a single touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. The Frogs only forced 1 turnover the entire game but had a couple of key special teams plays that aided their effort. Two of these plays came courtesy of Cavalier return man Chase Minnifield when he fair caught the ball on the three yard line and decided to let another go, which was downed on the three yard line.

Like expected, the defense was as solid as ever and the offense looked like it was being run by a seasoned veteran in Andy Dalton. Dalton finished 15/21 for 177 yards and a touchdown. The rushing game featured 9 different ball carriers that combined for 50 carries and 203 yards in the dominating victory over Virginia.

Final Score: No. 16 TCU 30, Virginia 14

The Horned Frogs host Texas State next week before they travel back to the land of the ACC to take on the Clemson Tigers September 26.

Post Game: BYU Starts Slow, Finishes Strong

NEW ORLEANS--With under four minutes left in the 1st half, No. 9 BYU led Tulane, a team that hasn't had a winning season since 2002, by the score of 6-3. Two field goals were the only scores BYU's high-powered offense could muster until then. But then the tide turned, a sluggish offense came to life, and the rest is history, as BYU rattled off 48 unanswered points on their way to a 54-3 rout of Tulane.

BYU's 206 rushing yards were more than the total yards that Tulane could produce, a sub-par 162. BYU finished the game with 527 yards of total offense. After last week's emotional win over Oklahoma, and with an important match up next Saturday against Florida State, there was speculation that BYU would struggle focusing on a game against a less-than-stellar team. And with only a few minutes left in the first half, and Tulane still in the game, the speculation seemed to be transforming into reality. However, BYU's Bryan Kariya was able to punch it in from the one yard line for a touchdown with 3:28 left in the half. BYU reacted quickly with an interception followed by a touchdown catch for Kariya with 25 seconds to go before halftime. The momentum had swung to BYU, and they wouldn't look back.

Max Hall, now being referred to as a Heisman contender, finished the game 24-32 for 309 passing yards, two TDs, and one INT. While Harvey Unga's hamstring injury continued to bother him, RBs Di Luigi and Kariya filled in nicely with 12 carries each, combining for 134 yards on the ground.

Tulane's losing woes continued. After sustaining a 50+ yard drive in the second quarter that resulted in a field goal to pull Tulane within three points, the team looked hopeful. But Tulane's defense couldn't contend with BYU's powerful O-line, and by the time the 4th quarter began, Tulane's D-line was worn down.

Stat of the game: 527. BYU passes the 500 yards mark against Tulane's less-experienced defense.

Next week: Florida State @ No. 7 BYU

Moving On Key for BYU vs. Tulane

Coming off one of the biggest wins in school history, the BYU Cougars have their first test as a top ten ranked team as the No. 9 Cougars travel down to New Orleans to take on the Green Wave of Tulane.

The championship mentality of the BYU football program will be the main focus of this matchup. Over the past couple of years the Cougars have been thrust in to the teeth of the national media, and usually without having to prove much. Most notably last year, they have not been able to bear that mantel.

However, this year seems to be different. This is their chance to prove that they are where they deserve to be. Though we cannot ignore the magnitude of the victory last week, it is time to move on and focus on the task at hand.

Keys for a BYU victory- With QB Max Hall picking up right where he left off last year, his protection will again be the key for the BYU offense. The return of star running back Harvey Unga will only help this cause. His presence, along with surprise back up Bryan Kariya, will take a large load off of Hall as they should be able to move the ball on the ground behind a massive offensive line.

On the defensive side of the ball BYU must put pressure on Tulane’s young QB and force him to make ill-advised throws. Keeping pace with their performance on 3rd down against Oklahoma’s offense (held OU to 2-11 on 3rd downs) surely wouldn’t hurt.

Keys for a Tulane Upset- Hit the Cougars in the mouth and don’t look back. A fast start on the offensive side of the ball may be the only thing that can save the Wave if they want to keep up on Saturday. Sophomore QB Joe Kemp will be starting only his 2nd game of his young collegiate career. In his first start on September 4, 2009 against Tulsa, Kemp went 16-28 with 278 yards one TD and a pick. Not bad for a first start, however Kemp was sacked 5 times in the loss.

Tulane must give their young QB time to make smart plays to keep the offense on the field. Keeping the Cougars out of the end zone will be a tall task for the Wave defense, and if they can make the Cougars work for their scores they may be in the game in the fourth quarter.

Final: BYU 41 vs. Tulane 17

Pregame Analysis: No. 16 TCU vs. Virginia

Texas Christian University opens its season riding high. Going back to last season, TCU has won six in a row, including a Poinsettia Bowl victory over then-undefeated Boise State. TCU returns a terrifying defense for the 2009-2010 season, including All-American defensive end Jerry Hughes, who was the nation's sack leader last year.

Virginia, on the other hand, is coming off of a home loss against the College of William and Mary, 14-26. William and Mary forced seven turnovers, including a fourth-quarter interception that was returned for a touchdown. It marked the first time that Virginia had lost to an FCS team since 1986, which was the last time they lost to William and Mary.

It also marked the first time since Appalachian State defeated Michigan that an FCS school defeated a team from a conference that has a guaranteed spot in a BCS bowl game.

Keys to the Game:

TCU is obviously favored in this matchup, but they can't afford to be complacent. While a win over Virginia would seem routine, a loss would be devastating, not only to TCU's young season, but to the Mountain West Conference as a whole.

Virginia has to take care of the ball and try to sustain long drives. Unless Virgina can wear down TCU's defense, the Cavaliers could be looking at a very long football game. With TCU's stellar run defense, and Virginia's quarterback problems, TCU could extend their current streak to three: games without allowing a touchdown.

Keep your eye on this one. The fun's just getting started.

Final: TCU 31 vs. Virginia 14

Genesis

Since the dawn of college football, two groups of people have always been in a disagreement. While virtually identical in appearance and behavior, both groups have an unalterable, deeply-rooted belief about themselves and the other group. Both groups believe they, and not their adversaries, are superior. The only distinction between the groups is their traditional colors: one group sports RED and white, while the other displays BLUE and white.

For years now these groups have battled for respect, glory, and bragging rights. However, recent events have created a common rallying cry among them, and for the first time in, well, forever, these two groups are on the same side of an argument, fighting a larger, greedier foe: the dreaded BCS. Random shouts of, "Down with the BCS!" and, "Play-off system now!" have been heard throughout the Salt Lake Valley and down south, in the strange land of Provo. The blue group and the red group have joined forces to defeat a common enemy, so that one day they can go back to what they both love doing: defeating each other.

In anticipation for that day, we, Kevin and Andy, commemorate this blog to everything that is good, wholesome, and anti-BCS. Go Cougs! Go Utes! And on game day, may the better team win!