BYU's BCS Hopes

This weekend, my worst fear may have been realized when the new AP and Coaches polls were released. That is BYU most likely has no chance of going to a BCS bowl this year, even if they win the rest of their games.

This weekend, after what I felt was a solid win against a Colorado State football team that had been receiving votes in the polls, BYU football fell one spot in both the Coaches and the AP polls to 21 and 20 respectively. I was, quite honestly, surprised. I felt that the win showed that BYU was back on the right track and is still a powerful football team. In addition, four top twenty-five teams that were ranked ahead of BYU lost. However, of those teams only one of them fell below BYU in one poll (Mississippi). All of their losses were blowouts and the teams looked much worse than BYU did against FSU.

Here's the punchline. Big name programs hold on to their rankings better than BYU and voters won't put BYU back in a position that would allow them to play in a BCS game. Even if Boise State and Houston lose games and BYU beats TCU, the odds are that BYU won't ascend into the top 12 and therefore will not be allowed to play in a BCS bowl this year. Las Vegas Bowl, here we come ... for the fifth year in a row.

BYU Football - Colorado St - Final BYU 42 CSU 23

It was a great game today for the BYU football team.  In a game that many believed would be close, BYU jumped out to a quick 21-0 in the first quarter.  Although Colorado St managed to put 23 points on the board, the game wasn't ever really close.

I was happy to see BYU football playing like traditional BYU football.  Last week's loss to Florida St got me a little bit scared.  (In addition, don't get me started on how mad I am that Florida St fell apart today against USF.)  It looks like the team is back to what we saw against Oklahoma and Tulane. 

BYU Football - Colorado St - Pre-game

This week BYU football takes on the Colorado State Rams in Provo.  Colorado State is currently 3-0.  This week they look to open conference play with a statement game against19th ranked BYU Cougars.  This is the best start the Rams have had in 15 years and you can bet they will be excited to play against the team that has dominated the MWC for the past three years.  They won't go down without a fight.

At the beginning of the season, I thought of this game as sort of a gimme game for BYU football.  CSU is usually a mid MWC team, that hasn't given BYU much trouble.  Although, they had an impressive growing season last year, I didn't think they would present a large challenge for BYU.

However, after last week's humiliating loss to FSU, BYU showed they were vulnerable.  The defense that had been unbreakable the first two weeks in the season, broke.  They broke badly.  The good news for BYU is that CSU's quarterback, Grant Stucker isn't as mobile as Christian Ponder.  I don't think BYU will have trouble putting a fair amount of pressure on him.

In CSU's first three games, they have shown they can play with quality opponents and, in fact, beat them.  Look for it to be a good game this weekend, but not as close as some may think.  BYU's running game is better this year than it was last year.  CSU has shown they are suceptible to the run allowing 169 rushing yards in their game against Nevada.  Unga and Kariya will both have career days and the Cougars will win by three touchdowns.

Prediction

BYU 45 CSU 21