Blue roundup: BYU basketball team will face hostile crowd at USU

The BYU basketball team opens the post-Jimmer Fredette era Friday night against Utah State at The Spectrum.

How excited are the Aggies about this season-opener? According to KSL-TV, more than 1,200 USU students are camping out in frigid temperatures waiting for the game.

ESPN.com's Andy Katz writes that the BYU-Utah State game is one of the nation's biggest games on Friday night.

"If there was ever a good time to go to Logan — where the Aggies are 193-13 in Stew Morrill's tenure at Utah State — it's now, as the Aggies are going through a major overhaul," Katz writes. "But the problem for the Cougars is that they are as well after losing Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery. One-time suspended forward Brandon Davies is back to lead the Cougs. 'He'll have different players but the same system,' (coach Dave) Rose said of (USU coach Stew) Morrill. A BYU road win on opening night will be a strong indicator of two things: The Cougars will be in the chase in the WCC, and Utah State is further down than projected. A loss to Utah State won't dampen the ultimate development of this team, in large part because it's not expected to win in Logan — even if the Aggies are rebuilding."

The Utah Statesman makes a prediction about the outcome of the game.

In football, BYU hosts Idaho Saturday night. The Moscow-Pullman Daily News points out the importance of the Vandal's running game. Idaho is 0-5 when running 30 times or fewer this season.

And despite last Sunday's loss, former Cougar quarterback John Beck will remain the Washington Redskins' starter, said coach Mike Shanahan. Beck returns to Miami this weekend to face his former team, the Dolphins.