Utah - BYU 2020

I’m reading the Pac-12 made it where we can schedule out of conference games. What do y’all think of playing BYU?

Larry doesn’t have a winning record against many coaches, but he does have one against Mark Pope. Pressure is on Pope this year.

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I’m sure BYU would love it. They’ve been playing since September and Utah has yet to play a single game. Assuming Utah plays USC this Saturday the next possible free game/date (assuming Utah’s opponent is unavailable) would be 28 Nov, 5 Dec or 11 Dec. At that point BYU will have played 10 games. There is a lot to say about team chemestry and teams ‘gelling’ and position groups getting better the more they play in their scheme.

While I’m not sold on BYU’s resume -quite garbage actually- the manner in which they are winning does indicate they are a decent team. If we did play them in 2020, this would be their best chance to beat Utah in the last 11+ years and probably for years to come.

Really this is a lose/lose for Utah. If we don’t take their calls or turn them down, Utah is ‘affraid’ to play BYU. If we play them and they win, it further cements the viewpoint of their followers that they are “the bestest team evar”.

IMO, pass on 2020 and kick the ■■■■■ out of them in 2021. :wink:

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It would be a high risk/low reward game for BYU.

It’s not clear to me that there would be a benefit to Utah, but there may be. Ask me again after the USC game. It certainly would feel great to ruin this season for them. They have a chance to go to a NY6 bowl, which hasn’t happened in over 20 years.

No, thanks.

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Though you do bring up an very interesting point I hadn’t considered. Wouldn’t that be something to ruin their 'most special season since ‘84’. Hmmmm.

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This is a no brainer yes in my book. BYU is not a great team. You have a chance to knock off a bad top 10 team, jump in the rankings AND ruin BYU?

It’s a no brainer. If you lose, it’s not a big deal. You hear about how amazing BYU is until you beat them in 2021. If you don’t play BYU, you hear about how great they are until you beat them in 2021. Either way, it sucks to be a Utah fan.

But when you win, you make a big jump in the rankings (and if you beat a ranked USC the week before you are probably a top 10 team) and go into the Oregon game undefeated with another shot at the playoffs.

Utah will/would roll BYU this year. This is the easiest decision you can make. If ASU can’t play and BYU can, let them come to SLC and get beat.

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If we can get 4 PAC games in, and BYU wants to play us, I could get behind that.

4 P5 games for our talented youngsters should go a long way toward showing them 95% of what they’ll see.

The lines would match up pretty well on the interior. Our DEs I think would have an advantage athletically, and in the skill positions there’s a clear talent differential.

The biggest question mark for this kind of matchup would be getting our secondary enough game snaps so they don’t fall for the gimmick stuff BYU would have to use. Wilson is a really good QB, but I don’t see JT Broughton or Clark Phillips being toasted by Milne or any of their WRs, not enough to swing the game.

If we get enough game snaps, go ahead and play them.

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I would never play them again, ever. But I’m a prick.

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Why play a glorified high school team?

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If we can make money off that game, then yes.

This is where I am. I think we can beat them, and a victory over a top-10 team (and in-state rival) sounds good to me.

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If they’re still undefeated at the end of the year, why not?

Btw is it just me or is mobile formatting screwed up? Bar at top floats over the text box rather than sitting at top. I’m using android and chrome.

I prefer to play ASU, if not I hope for another Pac team. I do prefer BYU to taking a week off even though this is clearly everything to lose (not likely) and nothing to gain from beating BYU who would then fall out of the ranking,

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I’m generally against ever playing them again, but could be ok with it this year, ruining their season after we’ve had four games under our belt.

“Wilson is a really good QB…”. I agree, except when he’s under pressure and I think we can put the pressure on him.

Yes, play BYU!
Play them every year you can, but what kind of Ute fan would I be to skip playing a Top Ten ranked team and miss the opportunity to keep BYU out of a NY6 bowl game.

Am I taking crazy pills or are utes seriously saying we skip the opportunity to knock BYU off its perch and chalk up another victory against a top ten team for Kyle Whittingham. The best part is this would be a freebie!

Nothing to gain = Beating a Top Ten team and possibly getting college Game Day to come out for the game.

I don’t know what there would be to gain from beating a hapless ASU that would field half their team because COVID will keep the other half from playing.

Playing and beating the #8 team is always a benefit.
Playing and beating your rival is always a benefit.

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