Deseret News | BYU, Utah Utes football: BYU, Utah predicted to be MWC's top teams

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BYU, Utah Utes football: BYU, Utah predicted to be MWC's top teams

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What happens... | 10:31 a.m. July 21, 2008

When Justin Sorenson is both the MWC Frosh of the Year and Special Teams Player of the Year. Sakoda will be crying that he won't get a 3 peat and will have to settle for 2nd Team All MWC. How about David Nixon making All MWC Defense

Status Quo | 10:38 a.m. July 21, 2008

This looks about right. BYU has earned this based on their play the last two years, and assuming they stay healthy they should have another great year.

Utah, in my opinion is every bit as dangerous as the Cougs this year. Most of the key players are back from a team that has had BYU beat for two straight years until some last minute magic.

Preseason polls are fun, and all about respect. Cougs and Utes look like they are well respected around the league. This year might be the best Holy War ever.

Things to watch for both teams:

Injuries- Doesn't matter how good you are if your key players go down. Just ask UNLV and Tommy Grady.

Schedule- Utes have home games with BYU and TCU. Cougs are @TCU and @UTAH. That could end up being be the difference.

Defense- Cougs have a lot of question marks on D. We could see a Tulsa repeat somewhere along the way. Utah could be soft up the middle with the DT's and MLB.

Anfernee | 10:40 a.m. July 21, 2008

I doubt the media would ever put a kicker as Frosh of the year. Even if its deserved.

Comments continue below

Pride Cycle | 10:47 a.m. July 21, 2008

Anybody else feel a pride-cycle lesson coming on for Cougar fans? BYU will be very good, borderline great this year- but BYU fans need to remember that they are about 22 seconds from being on a 6 game losing streak to the Utes.

BYU ROCKS | 10:52 a.m. July 21, 2008

way to go cougars i am pumped for byu to kick some trash down at LES. MWC champs and maybe BSC champs right here boys just keep working hard

Go Cougars

INJURIES | 11:03 a.m. July 21, 2008

If Hall goes down BYU could be in serious trouble. I'm not sure Gaskins or however the current backup is can carry the load. BYU's offense is almost entirely based on precise timing routes, and losing Hall could be the difference between 10-2 and 8-4.

@ what happens | 11:03 a.m. July 21, 2008

you are a cougar homer if there ever was one...Sorenson my be a decent kicker but sakota can kick with the best of them, he is also the nation's best punter (arguably) he also runs and passes on fake punts and makes tackles. unless he gets injured he should get his 3rd in a row.

David Nixon may be 2nd or 3rd team worthy or all conference defense but there are several better linebackers than he is in the conference. He may be the best cougar backer but that is far from jason phillips' level.

Re: Cycle | 11:04 a.m. July 21, 2008

And one OT tying play away from being on a 3-game winning streak against the Utes.

Ute Honesty | 11:06 a.m. July 21, 2008

As a Ute die-hard, I think Utah should have gotten more than 5 votes, but I can't complain about the picks. BYU has just performed too well in conference play to bet against them before a game is played. Utah has to prove they can play consistently in conference and not drop games to MWC scrubs. BYU on the other hand has to prove they can actually win an out-of-conference road game: last win was against Utah State in 2002. Ouch.

So I think Utah has an equal chance of making a huge splash and crashing the BCS this year, but BYU is just more proven in conference.

But here's hoping the Utes' finish last year was a sign of change and that we don't drop any more crap games in conference.

Re: Pride Cycle | 11:07 a.m. July 21, 2008

It has nothing to do with the fans. Fans don't put on the pads and hit the gridiron. BYU has done an excellent job playing one game at a time the past couple seasons, focusing on themselves not the other team.

Ute fan...what's your point? You lost.

what a surprise | 11:08 a.m. July 21, 2008

These media things always predict pretty much the same thing that happened the year before. however it is easy to see that AF will not finish second again so they just shift everone up a spot and move the falcons down.

Harvey Unga is the 4th best back in the conference in my opinion. 1. moore (nm) 2. mack (utah) 3. brown (tcu). Thats not saying he is bad there is just some elite backs in the MWC this year.

HALL BLIND SIDE | 11:11 a.m. July 21, 2008

Anyone remember all those vicious blind-side hits that Max Hall took last year? BYU is one "lights-out" hit away from a 7-5 season.

Big 3 and the little 6 | 11:13 a.m. July 21, 2008

Remember when they use to refer to the Big 10 and the Big 2 and the little 8.

The MWC is along the same lines. After BYU UTAH and TCU there is a huge drop off. I think all 3 of those teams could win this year. The key is probably injuries. Whatever team stays the healthiest will probably win the conference.

I don't see anyone outside of these 3 teams doing anything. New Mexico will probably go 7-5 again and snag the last bowl bid.

Huh? | 11:14 a.m. July 21, 2008

Tying the game in OT would've won the game for byU in '05?????? How does that work?

Anonymous | 11:14 a.m. July 21, 2008

GO COUGARS! We are going to beat Utah just like the past two years. You wont even see us comin!

Defensive ??? | 11:14 a.m. July 21, 2008

BYU's defensive question marks will soon be forgotten, just as the preseason question marks about replacing Beck, Harline, and Brown were last season.

Let's see both teams get past Michigan, Oregon State, UCLA and Washington, then we can get serious about an historic matchup in November.

BYU's two toughest conference opponents are on the road at Utah and at TCU, but don't forget that the Cowboys will have a very warm reception in store for the Utes in Laramie.

Re: Huh? | 11:25 a.m. July 21, 2008

Well said, I guess that would be Zoob logic at its best. How about two plays (Harline and 4 and 18) away from being on a 6 game LOSING streak against the Utes.

Both sides of the argument need to recognize that this rivalry has been very close lately, and that neither team has been clearly superior to the other.

Backs | 11:29 a.m. July 21, 2008

Whether Unga is best or 4th best, what's important is that BYU will have the most explosive trio of running backs in the conference with Harvey, Fui, and J.J. in the backfield.

Fui is back to the form he had before his injury. Harvey will be just as good as last season. And J.J. will dazzle fans with his speed and tenacity.

Yewt DBs | 11:38 a.m. July 21, 2008

Gald to see yewtah has the same DBs back this year. They're the same ones who couldn't cover an obvious passing down of 4th and 18 and some the same ones who couldn't cover the end zone the year before. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Cougs.

Gotta laugh | 11:39 a.m. July 21, 2008

...at all the wishful thinking on the part of Utah fans. But, if Hall, Unga, Collie... go down, BYU is doomed.

Sounds like some of the Utah faithful are already losing faith that their team won't be able to measure up to a healthy BYU team come November.

JJ? | 11:40 a.m. July 21, 2008

Sorry, but J.J. Diluigi is not a proven commodity. I'd take Ute freshman Sausan Shakerin anyday over JJ. Isn't JJ a little 5'8" guy that all the PAC 10 passed on because of his size. Shak was argueably one of the most highly recruited players in state history, holding offers from dozens of top 25 programs including LSU and Florida.

JJ--- thanks for the laugh.

Re: Gotta laugh | 11:46 a.m. July 21, 2008

Yeah, we sure can't measure up to the Kewgers. Two break downs on fouth down....otherwise Utah would have a 7 game winning streak.

Re: Gotta Laugh | 11:49 a.m. July 21, 2008

Hey, Gotta Laugh. I think you're a little confused on this whole injury thing. Ute fans aren't scared of a healthy BYU team. We've brought in teams that have been devastated by injuries the last two years and have given BYU all they could handle. Utes team speed is too much for the Cougs this year.

Utah will be even more dangerous this year with Mack and Asiata in the back field, as well as a healthy Johnson.

Dozens? | 11:53 a.m. July 21, 2008

I'm interested in how many dozen top 25 programs there really are. 5 or 7, maybe 13?

Counting on the Utes?

bobg | 11:56 a.m. July 21, 2008

yawn, yawn, yawn to it all.

Will be fun to watch BYU and Utah take on some big-name schools though.

Pre-Thanksgiving Meal | 11:59 a.m. July 21, 2008

Mmmm, grilled Cougar. Tastes like chicken!! Yum.

GO UTES!!

Laugh now | 12:02 p.m. July 21, 2008

...cause you won't be laughing as you're watching you LB's and DB's grabbing air as J.J. blows past them.

After Harvey and Fui and Pitta have run over your LB's and DB's a few times, so they're all geared to stop the power running game, suddenly they see a flash sprinting around the end to a wide open field.

Good luck covering Fui and Harvey up the middle, Pitta over the middle, Collie deep down the sidelines, AND J.J. sprinting around the end.

FYI, for a "little guy," he also runs with power.

Huge BYU fan | 12:09 p.m. July 21, 2008

I am a Huge BYU fan but i am getting sick or moronic BYU fans referring to 4th and 18, and Harlines still open. I will say it was good for the first week after, but it gets old. Hopefully they dont have to win like these previous two games. GO Sampson, go BYU

doom & gloomers | 12:09 p.m. July 21, 2008

It's funny to read all the posts from the BYU haters predicting the Cougars' downfall once again. Same song, second verse (third verse?) of what we've seen posted before every BYU game last season and the season before: "BYU's gonna lose to Air Force because..." "BYU's gonna lose to New Mexico because..." "BYU's gonna lose to TCU because...". And now they're saying BYU is going to lose because of what, something called a 'pride cycle' or an injury to Max Hall that hasn't happened yet?? It's just a bunch of wishful thinking from the haters. Bronco and his team aren't affected by wishful thinking.

GO COUGARS!!! UNDEFEATED MWC CHAMPS 3 YEARS STRAIGHT!!!

Selective TDS fan memory | 12:13 p.m. July 21, 2008

Urban Meyer had Alex Smith take a knee at the close of the 2003 Holy War to run out the last minute on the clock rather than push to run in another score, or even kick a field goal despite being well within range. Even if the cougars didn't miss that long field goal, it would have done them no good. The Utes would've won anyway.

GO UTES!!!

Anonymous | 12:17 p.m. July 21, 2008

"What if's" are meaningless.

While Utah fans are wishfully trying to rewrite history, BYU fans continue to enjoy having a two-game winning streak over their bitter rivals.

As a BYU fan, winning with two "miracle" finishes in a row is more satisfying than having two blowout wins. It's tortuously delicious watching the Utes relive their last two losses to the Cougars.

In Years past | 12:18 p.m. July 21, 2008

Yewtah was into BYU's head, and played better than they had all year, while BYU tightened up and did not play their best. I think that is in the past. When BYU plays up to thier potential, they beat the Yewts by 14, even at RES.

RE: INJURIES | 12:18 p.m. July 21, 2008

Dear "INJURIES"-

If I am remembering correctly. . . in the past 30 year. . . BYU has had quarterback injuries. And they've had people like Neilson, Wilson, Young, etc. etc. etc. to step in. Over that time, they have been the best team in the country, at QB to bounce back from injuries.

Plus, these guys are no cream puffs, Loom at Detmer in the Miami game. . . split his chin and kept the grin!

Defending J.J. | 12:22 p.m. July 21, 2008

All the Utes will have to do to stop J.J. Diluigi is drop a couple of newspapers on the field.

Cougar fan | 12:21 p.m. July 21, 2008

Early WAG here:

November's match up could be the best ever with both teams shooting for the BCS. It's a long shot, but I'd love to see it!

It'll be a fun season though. I can't wait.

Re: Selective TDS fan memory | 12:22 p.m. July 21, 2008

Woulda, coulda, shoulda...look who's looking in the past now! Hey, by the way, do you think you could loan me that sombrero you have in your attic next to your Alex Smith jersey? We should be making a trip to Arizona in January and I don't want to be underdressed.

GO COUGS!!!

Conejo | 12:30 p.m. July 21, 2008

Why doesn't anyone count the wins in Las Vegas over PAC 10 teams as out of conference road games? I know it isn't on their field but it isn't on ours either.

To Pride Circle | 12:30 p.m. July 21, 2008

I am a huge BYU fan, and yes BYU should have lost both of those games to Utah, but a win is a win. It doesn't matter by how much. BYU has the potential to bust the BCS, but I honestly don't think they will (prove me wrong BYU). To turn a team around like Mendenhall has done is incredible. I hope BYU and Utah will go undefeated until the "holy war." I hate to admit this, but I cheer for Utah until they play BYU because 1)It increases the quality of the conference 2)The holy war is intensified 3)success of both teams could lead to a better conference one day for the rivals(doubtful though).

Darrell | 12:34 p.m. July 21, 2008

The media are a bunch of sheep. They have never predicted the order of finish correctly and they never will. It is difficult to do in the first place, and the media never think very critically about these things -- they basically take last year's performances and extrapolate them into this year.

LOL! | 12:36 p.m. July 21, 2008

Lots of "woulda, coulda, shoulda" Ute fans posting comments today!

good luck kitties | 12:39 p.m. July 21, 2008

I can't believe the team from down south actually thinks they are going to the BSC. you are going to blow it at washington, and norm chow is going to come into boring provo and kick your trash. you have a wonderful non-conference game with northern iowa coming to town. boy, that will be a true test. that's what bugs me. if you want to get to the bsc the weak way, then so be it. but, with your weak schedule, i think you will be snubbed. the utes on the other hand go on the road to michigan, bring in a good oregon state team, and maintain in-state rivalries/traditions. same thing goes for basketball. no wonder byu has a 40+ home winning streak, who do they schedule? lamar? william and mary? division IIs? the utes on the other hand schedule likes of gonzaga, arizona, oklahoma, etc. if you want to have success the sell-out way, go ahead. you'll never have my respect. that's why it's great to be a Ute fan! go Utes forever!

Re: Selective memory | 12:39 p.m. July 21, 2008

The reason Utah had the ball so deep in BYU territory late in the game was because BYU didn't punt on 4th down deep in their own territory. If the game had been tied 3-3, BYU would have punted, giving the ball back to an equally inept Utah offense, on that day, to try to get the ball back into scoring position.

Bottom line is one of the best teams in Utah history, 10-2, with most of the same players who went 12-0 the next year, should have beaten one of the worst BYU teams in the last 40 years by more than a measly field goal. BYU was 5-6 and in the middle of a 3-game losing streak, their longest losing streak since 1962-64.

BYU's ineptness was overshadowed by the pathetic nature of the win by a vastly superior Utah team.

LaTendresse is still open | 12:40 p.m. July 21, 2008

Re Conejo
Nuetral field is what the wins in Las Vegas are. That is not the same as being on someone else's turf. And lets face it the last two Las Vegas bowls were home games for BYU based on the number of fans they had vs their opponents.

Conejo | 12:45 p.m. July 21, 2008

1.) Utah was clearly better in 2003 and 2004. The only reason BYU ONLY lost by 3 in 2003 was because they were playing on an ice rink during a blizzard.

2.) '05, '06, '07, The teams were so close to each other you couldn't tell the difference. The difference was consistency and the records show that.

3.) Shakerin was recruited by everyone his Junior year. His Senior year he wasn't recruited by very many because of his injuries. I think Utah got a steal with him if he stays healthy but they didn't beat out LSU to get him.

4.) J.J. wasn't recruited his Junior year much but got much more interest his senior year when he proved he could beat the big boys consistently.

A shutout is a shutout | 12:47 p.m. July 21, 2008

I don't care if it was only a 3 point victory. It was a SHUTOUT.

BYU-Provo | 12:46 p.m. July 21, 2008

BYU-Provo is a joke. They are more of a community college with all their school and campuses.

@ LaTendresse | 1:00 p.m. July 21, 2008

I know the technical answer to the question but Some are acting as though BYU hasn't won outside of Provo in years. If the measure of a home game is attendance then UNLV and Wyoming are always home games. :)

Re: BYU-Provo | 1:03 p.m. July 21, 2008

So would you consider UC Berkely, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, etc all community colleges? I think you just show your ignorance more than anything else.

Re: good luck | 1:07 p.m. July 21, 2008

No, BYU has much bigger goals than just a BCS appearance. Rather than making wishful, clueless predictions about losses to Washington and UCLA, however, little uties like you should be worrying about how you're going to escape the Big House unscathed.

Then again, it appears that you've already conceded another wasted opportunity in football, so you've already moved on to basketball.

On the other hand, BYU fans will wait until the down time between the Utah game and their bowl game to start thinking about basketball season. No worries, we'll be ready for basketball when the time comes.

As for football, if BYU goes undefeated, beating two PAC-10 teams and a very good (hopefully) Utah team, it won't matter whether BYU starts the season with Northern Iowa (a vastly superior team to Weber State, btw) or with Southern Cal, BYU will be a lock for a BCS invite.

Fortunately for Utah, the same is also true; playing Weber State won't dminish their chances for a BCS game, as long as they go undefeated.

nadiesabe | 1:13 p.m. July 21, 2008

The funny thing about the holy war last year, was that M. Hall had a separated throwing shoulder? So he wasn't exactly 100% plus we held Mack to under 100 yrds?
I won't lie, I'm excited to watch the game this year, both teams should be fun to watch!

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