BYU 2011 football Preview,

Hello,

This is BYU's football schedule for 2011. After the bowl game I predict BYU finishes the season at 9-4. This will be a solid rebuilding season for BYU. Although if you have tickets to any of their home games you may want to think about skipping a few of those games. Other than Utah, BYU has a horrendous home schedule.

Sat, Sept 3 @ Ole Miss 4:45 PM ET ESPN ESPN3.com
Sat, Sept 10 @ Texas 7:00 PM ET ESPN2 ESPN3.com
Sat, Sept 17 vs Utah 9:15 PM ET ESPN2 ESPN3.com
Fri, Sept 23 vs UCF 8:00 PM ET ESPN ESPN3.com
Fri, Sept 30 vs Utah State 8:00 PM ET ESPN ESPN3.com
Sat, Oct 8 vs San Jose State TBD
Sat, Oct 15 @ Oregon State TBD
Sat, Oct 22 vs Idaho State 3:00 PM ET
Fri, Oct 28 @ #14 TCU 8:00 PM ET ESPN ESPN3.com
Sat, Nov 12 vs Idaho TBD
Sat, Nov 19 vs New Mexico State TBD
Sat, Dec 3 @ Hawaii 7:30 PM ET ESPN2 ESPN3.com

Obviously we'll find out a lot about how good BYU is in their first four games. In those first 4 games they play some very good teams. In their final 8 games they only play 3 decent teams: Oregon State, TCU and Hawaii. All three of those games are on the road. Again BYU has a terrible home schedule this year. Other than Utah and maybe UCF, the rest of their home schedule are cream puffs. A lot of that has to do with BYU being an independent, which means they don't have a conference schedule. With them only knowing they would be independent when most of the schedules were set, BYU had to scramble for any team that would play them. Thus the astonishingly bad schedule. Things should be better going into future seasons though.

BYU starts off their season playing in Oxford, Mississippi. They play the SEC team Ole Miss. Yes they are a SEC team, but traditionally a bottom dweller in the SEC. They Rebels are the Washington State of the SEC. Although BYU should expect more of a challenge from Ole Miss than Utah should expect from Washington State. This game could go either way, it's too close to call now. BYU will probably be better at the end of the season. With this being the first game of the season and BYU playing on the road BYU could lose this game. Next the Cougars play again on the road. On September 10th BYU plays Big 12 powerhouse Texas. Texas is coming off a terrible year by their standards. Head coach Mack Brown is anxious to show last season was an anomaly. Again at this time of the year we know so very little about these two teams. Who knows how they will play when the games actually mean something.

BYU returns to Lavell Edwards Stadium on Sept 17th to play traditional rival Utah. I hate this game being played so early in the season. This game usually is such a great way to end the season. It seems with Utah's scrimmage this past Saturday, their offense really looked good. Both quarterbacks were lights out for Utah. With Coach Whittingham in charge of the defense, it should always be at least solid. Yes, I know BYU alumnus Kalani Sitake is Utah's defensive coordinator, but the defense is Coach Whit's baby. On Sept 23rd BYU plays again at Lavell Edwards Stadium and will host UCF. Up to this point all four of their games could go either way. Sticking with the 50-50 theme I'm predicting BYU will be 2-2 after their first four games of the season.

On Friday, September 30th BYU plays their third straight home game. They play the Aggies of Utah State. If BYU doesn't win this game by more than 28 points they should be ashamed. BYU should be in regular season form by this point. They are playing a team that usually is mediocre at best. At this point of the season USU is usually looking forward to basketball season. BYU has the revenge factor working in their favor, USU beat BYU 31-16 last yet. The only question about this game is when will Coach Mendenhall call off the dogs. Losing to USU was probably the low light of BYU's tumultuous year last year. BYU wins this season's game easily and will be 3-2 at this point.

After demolishing San Jose State on October 8th, BYU will be 4-2. San Jose State had one of their worst seasons ever last year. It's better for BYU to be independent than playing in the ridiculous MWC. For instance, BYU will get $7 million per season rather than 1.3 million they would have got from the MTN. This is where BYU not playing in a conference really hurts them. They have to settle for a game against anybody, no matter how awful they are. The next week BYU goes to play Oregon State, again playing games where either team could win. To be safe I'm projecting BYU will lose to the Beavers and fall to 4-3. BYU next plays another cream puff on October 22nd when they play the Vandals in Provo. The Vandals, please what a misleading name. At this point I would mock Idaho's football tradition, if they had any.

Next BYU goes to Cowboys Stadium to play their old nemesis TCU. (I'm hoping that neither one of these quarterbacks has a better game than Tony Romo does in this building.) Not only does TCU usually dominate BYU, they usually dominate everybody. Although the game is played at an alleged neutral field, it will essentially be a home game for TCU. Usually TCU doesn't need that advantage or any other advantage. I predict TCU beats BYU again (sigh). But I'll feel really good about BYU if they can at least keep it close. BYU will now be 5-4.

The Cougars close out their pathetic home record with two more games against less than frightening opponents. BYU could score a combined total of 100 points in these two games and should win both easily. BYU should improve to 7-4, at the worst. BYU closes out on the road on December 3rd as they visit Hawaii. I won't care what the records of these two teams will be at this point as the Warriors always get fired up for this game. BYU has suffered many defeats on the islands. I predict BYU will find a way to beat Hawaii this season though and finish their regular season at 8-4. Then like last year BYU will play an over matched team in a lame bowl game. They will finish the season around 9-4. A record better than that will be gravy. A record worse than that and rumors will start about how Bronco Mendenhall's job will be in danger. Whether it actually would be is questionable though.

Tomorrow a review of USC's football season.

themusicaddict