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National perspective: BYU-TCU and the BCS

All this BCS talk will eventually be fruitless. BYU will stumble at TCU, then beat Utah, leaving no MWC team undefeated.

However, if the other non-BCS undefeated teams should all lose, leaving no non-BCS team undefeated, BYU can still get into a BCS game (automatic bid) should it be ranked higher than either the Big East or ACC champ in the end.

Either scenario (BYU going undefeated or being ranked high enough in the end) is unlikely. The latter requires others to help. The former is in BYU's hands, which haven't proven very consistent yet (except for the defense--but it can't bail out the offense all year long).

I have a bad feeling about this Thursday night game down in Texas. If we do win, it'll be so ugly that we'll get dropped out of the top 10.

Pollsters respect defense, but to be top-10 ranked you also need impressive offense, which in spite of our weapons we still don't have yet.

Get with it, BYU coaches!

And don't think for a minute pollsters won't compare how BYU does against TCU because of how TCU got clobbered by Oklahoma. Pollsters will allow for the fact that we're playing at TCU, but not by very many points.

Pollsters are expecting BYU to go down and beat TCU by at least 21 if they're going to accept BYU as a legitimate top-10 team, including not letting TCU score more than 17. And that's especially true for a tema that's getting print about playing in the National Championship game.

BTW, all this BCS and polls talk is about that championship game--not about just getting into a BCS game. A BCS berth automatic by going undefeated or by being ranked 12th or 16th (if higher than the Big East or ACC champ). So, poll talk is really all about getting to the big one.

Fun to contemplate, but an unlikely reality.

If BYU does get a BCS game, let's hope it's similar to Boise State's, where they at least beat a respected team. Or Hawaii's, where they faced a well respected team that started the next season at the top of the polls.

BYU in the Rose Bowl?

Look, I'm a lifelong BYU fan, but the only way the Rose Bowl would pick any non-BCS team is if they were absolutely forced to do so. I think they'd rather have a 3-loss BCS team than an undefeated BYU or Utah team.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong on this, but the way the system is currently set up I don't think the Rose Bowl ever "has" to take anyone. I think they get first pick to replace either the Pac-10 or Big-10 champ if either one is in the national championship game. I think only the other BCS bowls ever "have" to take a non-BCS school.

Agreed on the Rose Bowl taking a 5 lose BCS team over Utah or BYU.

I agree that for the MWC it really boils down to this game. I think when TCU travels to Utah they lose to Utah. If BYU can beat TCU tomorrow night then the Nov 22 game should be between two undefeated and nationally ranked teams. Winner goes to a BCS game. Loser is stuck in that horrible Vegas bowl with the last place finisher in the Pac-10.

I think BYU will beat TCU. Our defense should cause them fits and keep their score low. I was guessing in the 21-24 point range though I think it could be lower than this, maybe 14-17. Their offense was just horrible against Colorado St.

The key is our offense. It has been sloppy as you can imagine. Our rushing game is only there for fun. Our offense is about the pass, and we should be able to get that going against a defense that is geared to stop the rush, but has been blown open on the pass. When on all cylanders BYUs passing game is as good as any in the nation.

BYU wins this one 31-14.

RE: BlueBoy
"Pollsters are expecting BYU to go down and beat TCU by at least 21 if they're going to accept BYU as a legitimate top-10 team, including not letting TCU score more than 17. And that's especially true for a tema that's getting print about playing in the National Championship game."
Just so you know, pollsters have already accepted BYU as a legitimate top-10 team (otherwise they wouldn't be there). BYU has to get a victory by 21 points on the road against a ranked (24th in the USA Today/Coaches' Poll) team or they don't get any love? That's ridiculous. A 5-point victory would be good enough in the pollsters' eyes. I expect BYU to move up in the polls if they win tomorrow.

You're right that the rose bowl picks replacements before the Fiesta, Sugar, and Orange get to fill in their second spots.

I think there is no way BYU ends up in the Rose. If either USC or Penn St gets into the championship, the rose bowl will take either the second place Big 12 or second place SEC team. If both USC and Penn State get in, the rose bowl will take both second place teams over an undefeated BYU, Utah, or Boise.

That is all assuming no other Big 10 team is eligible, which there probably will be(Ohio St or Michigan St).

Just do it, Make UTAH proud and Happy

You people are so clueless... do you know how many Mormons live in SoCal? Almost as many as in Utah.

And do you know how many Californians live in Utah? Tens of thousands! Californians love Mormons and would LOVE an excuse to have BYU at the Rose Bowl.

I can taste the In-N-Out burgers now, even if I can't get tickets to the game I'd go to watch it on TV from the parking lot there. It would be so awesome!

IF the Cougs pull of the victory then we can start talking, but let's wait 'til the game is played.

The Cougs are favored by 1.5 points down in Texas. It will definitely be a great game with a lot of implications at stake.

Yes the MWC needs both BYU and Utah to go undefeated 'til Nov. 22, BUT let's not put the cart before the horse and take each game one game at a time.

As far as BYU or Utah moving up in the polls, it ain't going to happen. Utah could move up a little but BYU won't move up much if any 'til that BYU-Utah game. After that game would be the only chance BYU or Utah would have of cracking the TOP 5, and that is unlikely.

Do you think the pollsters and especially the BCS wants a non-BCS in the top 5? I'll answer that for you, NO!

Here's to hoping that BYU and Utah go undefeated 'til Nov. 22!

I think it would be better for BYU to have wins over a two-loss Utah and a two-loss TCU when the season comes to an end. Both would still be ranked in the top 25, thus improving BYU's SOS and BCS ranking, as they would have wins over two teams who ended the season in the Top 25 rather than just one.

But that is looking ahead. Need to take care of Thursday first.

BYU in the Rose Bowl...That'll be the day! Not that I think BYU is unworthy. It's just that the Rose Bowl doesn't deal in mid-major conferences.

RE:BlueBoy

BYU opened as a two and a half point favorite. The game is now even! Any BYU win will be positive. TCU is solid defensively but playing with a second string quarterback. BYU 21- 10, go Cougars! I'll be there rooting them on to victory!

The Rose Bowl will sell out regardless. Having lots of Mormons in So Cal does not help BYU's cause.

In 1984 BYU nearly lost to Hawaii. It took a defense holding Hawaii out of the end zone with 4th and inches. An amazing defensive move where our man timed his somersault flip to catch the runner 3 yards deep in the backfield preserved the win.
The most important thing we can do is to just keep winning. Who are the pollsters that require a BYU victory by 21 or the defense to give up no more than 17 points? It sounds like you're only talking about next weeks ranking. There is still half a season of football left to play. This is the game I've been concerned about for a whole year. If we get past TCU then it will most likely be both BYU and Utah at 11-0 on November 22nd.

@ St. George Aggie,
Why can't we talk about it now? You shouldn't be talking about us, talking about it, until it has already happened. So take that! Get real. Fans are going to, and have talked about "it" every season since football was invented. If a championship isn't on everyone's mind at the beginning, middle, and end of every undefeated season there is something wrong.

Has ANYBODY noticed that BYU, after beating nobody of any significance and only beating Washington by 1, is ranked 8 & 9! People respect BYU, it is obvious. What happens if they pound on TCU, then what? What happens if they pound on TCU then roll on to Utah and win that game impressively? Don't give me the "it wont happen garbage" I'm speaking hypothetically. And, IF it does happen believe me the Rose bowl WOULD take BYU, BELIEVE IT! As hard as it is for the yewetes to accept, BYU is respected more so than any other mid-major.

I'm a cougarfan but if TCU wins they're back in the race for a BCS bowl bid. Trust me two victories over top ten teams will be enough to put the frogs ahead of an undefeated Boise State.

i think we should hold on with all the talk about going to a bowl etc..we are half way through a season with tcu coming up...the cougars are looking like they are running low on gas.

It all depends on the hype when the time comes to make selections. If BYU is undefeated after beating a highly ranked Utah team, and other teams in the top 10 are suspect with multiple losses, and there is even serious talk that BYU deserves a chance at a National Championship, then I think the Rose Bowl would take BYU, as long as either the PAC-10 or Big-10 Champ were in the NCG. They'd be crazy not to, especially after the flack from last year for taking a poor Illinois team and rendering the bowl game virtually unwatchable.

I can't believe some of the misinformed comments about the BYUvsTCU game. BYU opened at only a 2 point favorite and the points have now dropped to a "Pick'Em" or even. If BYU wins by a field goal, or even by one point, the Cougars will stay ranked in the top ten. Yes, Oklahoma killed TCU at Oklahoma, but even mighty USC got beat by a less than stellar Oregon State team at Oregon. The key to the game will be whether BYU's offense will be able to pick up key first downs on third down.