Home field advantage is no myth

The home-field advantage is not a myth. It's proven.

Although mostly a psychological victory, home teams play in familiar facilities in front of supportive fans. They are more acclimated to the climate and elevation. And they even benefit from more favorable rules in some cases, such as the home team batting last in baseball.

Not only that, but multiple studies — including a recent one by Harvard University — have shown that home teams are systematically awarded more favorable officiating calls than visiting teams.

In other words, when playing on the road, the odds are not in your favor. But winning on the road can be done, even without the law of averages.

How so?

"Answer that and you'll become a millionaire," joked Utah State basketball coach Stew Morrill. Turning serious, he added, "To think there's magic involved, you're out of whack."

Of course not. But visiting teams can increase their chances, as number-cruncher and best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell has pointed out, stating that underdogs can boost their odds by an impressive 35 percent when they compete in an unexpected way.

More commonly called a surprise attack, it's something Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham has gained a reputation for in his six-plus years guiding the Utes.

"When you prepare for an opponent, you prepare for what you see on tape," he explained. To keep his opponents guessing, Whittingham said he regularly does things his opponents haven't seen on tape.

Former BYU basketball star Jimmer Fredette, who achieved some of his biggest collegiate performances on the road, agrees. "Good offense is being unpredictable!" he said emphatically. "You have to be able to trick people."

In Fredette's case, that means dribbling the ball with varying speeds. "Playing as fast as you can all the time makes you very predictable," Fredette said. "That is the last thing a point guard or scorer wants."

Admittedly, unconventional play can increase the odds of winning, whether at home or on the road. But as Gladwell points out, the favored home team wins just as much, if not more, when both teams play to their conventions.

It's a trend even the more conservative Morrill is willing to concede.

"You got to play a little different on the road," the Aggies coach said. But at the same time, "you have to be careful not to do something you're team's not good at."