Deseret News | Reader comments: Strange but true: 'Boys could earn bowl berth

Reader comments
Dick Harmon: Strange but true: 'Boys could earn bowl berth

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Yeah, But | 4:40 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Boise State would hand the Utes their lunch, and all you would say is "if it wasn't for the trick plays.."
To Boise State they are not trick plays, they are part of the play book, now look at what the next 4 opponents have to prepare for. Utah needing desperate drives to win a couple of games is laughable, but I suppose its really great football because they play a predictable standard offense and still won. Hoo boy, really poured it on 3-7 New Mexico didn't ya. And what's with a 16 point win over Weber State..WEBER STATE! The Utes allowed 21 points to Weber State?

Oh, and now might be a good time to point out that Boise State is 11-0 vs. Mountain West schools, including several wins over Utah and BYU.

Mark | 5:47 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

"BOTTOM LINE: Southern Cal has a better chance of playing in a BCS game than winning the Pac-10."

True, but you have to say that quickly, because the next three weeks OSU plays three teams with equal or better records, making it pretty likely they will lose one or two. That will bring their PAC10 prowess to an end and make USC the sole leader.

Clear Mechanism | 6:33 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Tennessee scheduled a team outside the fearfull SEC for their homecoming...sounds like their own conferences propaganda got the better of them. Funny, I'm pretty certain they won't scedule Utah, TCU, Air Forece or BYU for any of their future homecomings!

This is why the big bad BCS schools pad their nonconferenc schedules with teams that they believe they can not only beat, but embarass. It is fun to watch how they devour their own when the embarassment is an exposure that no conference best teams are necessaryly better than another conferences best team or worst against worst.

Comments continue below

Dick | 6:34 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Congratulations, Harmon. You went a week without mentioning Michigan in your weekly column. I think that's the first time this year!

Thoughts on this week's column. I wonder how TCU and Utah can be 11-2 in their last 14 games against BCS schools. That's some creative math.

Also, if Tim Jefferson's pass efficiency rating is better than the top three in the MWC, I wonder if it is better than the fourth best in the MWC.

Is Dick getting old ? | 6:44 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Oregon State is ranked 23rd in AP, 25th in USA Today (ie coaches' poll, correct?).
How can Utah and TCU be impressive 11-2 the last 14 gamges against BCS conference teams?

At least, he got one right in the quote "...BYU might be the most overrated No. 17 team in American football history..."

Anonymous | 7:02 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

"Utah and TCU are an impressive 11-2 in their last 14 games against that genre" I might not be so good at math, but something about this statement just doesn't add up.

No question abou it | 7:41 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

BYU is overrated. Hall said it all when he said. "I guess we are not as good as we thought we were."

But it is better to be lucky than good. That should be the Ute theme.

Re: Yeah but | 7:45 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Utah was killing weber st and 14 of webers 21 points came in the 4th quarter. Air Force is 8-2 this year and better than anyone Boise State has played this year. TCU is also better than anyone BSU has played. In fact according to power rankings the WAC is second to worst conference this year just ahead of the sun belt. Those are all reasons that Boise State is two spots behind Utah in the BCS

TED | 7:47 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

YOU CAN ONLY PLAY WHO YOU SCHEDULE, AND YOU CAN ONLY SCHEDULE WHO WILL PLAY YOU. SO, YOU LOSSERS STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT THESE WINNERS! I GUESS 10-1, 9-2 AND 8-2 RECORDS WOULD BE CONSIDERED A WINNER???

overrated? | 8:00 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

No matter how much you hate BYU and hate the Mormon people, you are quite the arogant sports writer to say that "...BYU might be the most overrated No. 17 team in American football history..." And to all those who take that satement and run with it; stop and think about it for two seconds.

OU v Texas?? | 8:11 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Dick,

I live in Texas and I normally love your columns and agree with many of your opinions, but it surprises me that you rank Oklahoma ahead of Texas in your Top 5. Texas beat OU on a neutral field and the two teams have an identical record with Texas' only loss coming on the road on the last play of the game against what many think is the best team in the country right now. If OU can beat Texas Tech handily in a couple weeks then I could see taking that position. It's hard to believe that right now anyone would put OU ahead of Texas.

And to Boise fan who thinks this year's team could compete in the Mtn. West or would beat Utah...I just laugh. You have 1 good win, the rest are like Hawaii's wins last year...lame. Utah has 4 good wins that are as good or better than your win at Oregon. (At Michigan, At Air Force, Oregon State, TCU)

Sorry, but beating Idaho State doesn't compare.

Florida!! | 8:14 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

TTech is a fun team to watch. They remind of BYU's offense, but they do it better.

That said, and I am not an Urban Meyer fan, I think Florida's strong defense and speeeedy offense will put them in the so-called 'BCS Championship' game.

Come on! | 8:22 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

It's hard to call a team like Penn State overrated. Try looking in our own backyard. I'd say that TCU and Utah would probably be middle of the road in the Big 12 and BYU might make it to the middle of the Big 10. But to say that Penn State is overrated is fine, only if you include us in the mix.

BYU's defense is terrible, Utah's offense is mediocre, and TCU is inconsistent.

Maybe | 8:25 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Maybe Tulsa is better than Ball St. Maybe UTEP is better than Texas. We don't know unless they play. Ball St has done all they can do and hasn't dropped a game. Lay off.

Hey Ewetes | 8:46 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

We are coming for you!!!! Lookout!!!! Check your closets, under your beds, in the back seat of your cars, in your safe places, everywhere, because we are lurking and waiting and coming for you!!!!!!
We are the COUGARS of BYU!!!!!

Anonymous | 8:55 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Boise State
Really

BYU, Utah or TCU would have gone undefeated in the WAC.

Your conference record (without Boise State) - 14 wins and 18 losses.
MWC (without Utah) 20 and 12

Big Difference

sob | 9:13 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

to max hall
the kids at air force are just like the ones at byu
except their smart.

Utah at TCU | 9:14 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

If you think the outcome of the Utah TCU game would have been similar had it been played in Texas, Mr & Ms Utah fan you are out of your mind. TCU at Ft Worth would have torn Utah to pieces much like it did BYU. Utah is very lucky this year to have had TCU at home this year.

Anonymous | 9:18 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

re: Florida!! | 8:14 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

>>TTech is a fun team to watch. They remind of BYU's offense, but they do it better.<<

(BYU OC Robert) Anae was the OL coach in Lubbock. When hired to run BYU's Offense, he brought the same watered down run & shoot the Red Raiders use.

re:Dick | 9:19 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Harmon may not have mentioned Michigan, but he still can't stop talking about the Pac-10 and misinforming his readers. Oregon State must beat Cal, Arizona at Arizona and Oregon to win the Pac-10. USC still has Stanford and UCLA on their schedule (and Notre Dame). Any informed reader (who gets information from somewhere other than these types of articles) would see that USC has the inside track for the Pac-10 championship. Thank heavens we have the internet!

vaase | 9:23 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Now is the good time to bring all your speculations on who is better then the Byu[football team] you can blabber all you want for now will see who gets the last laugh come game time:

air force 13 - Byu 37

euts 14 Byu 45

HAPPY THANKS GIVING DAY !!!!!!

re: to hey ewetes | 9:37 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

wow, what a threat, and a little creepy at that, i am sure utah is scared, its not like they just played their hardest game against tcu or anything. Do you realize that byu has yet to beat a team with a winning record this whole season, kind of puts the one loss (to a winning team by the way) in perspective with just two games left in the season!!! Mind boggling, isn't it. Check it out if you don't believe me. Northern Iowa doesn't count. Make your assumptions and threats when your kewgs have finally beaten a division 1 winning team.

C'mon Dick | 9:47 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

How can you have Oklahoma #3 and Texas #5. Did you not see Texas dismantle the Sooners? There's no rationale for this!!

Hey Poogars | 9:50 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Why are you hiding under the bed and in our closets? Are you scared? You should be. You have been exposed, and should be worrying about Air Force before you start looking to playing the class of the MWC.

Re: Hey Ewetes | 9:55 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Are you a USU grad (ewe reference)?

Thanks for the description of a type and shadow of the Stay Puffed Marshmellow Man. You know...the soft and gooey monster that gets toasted, and melts away at the end of Ghost Busters.

Just like a Cuber Fan....hiding in a closet, under a bed, and especially in the back seat of the car.
The back seat of the car is the only place they will let you put a car seat.

I'm not sure if I should laugh or call the police.

You are the Cubers of BY...Who?

Hey Cuber Fanz, I don't spend much time in the closet, or under the bed, but the UTES will meet you toe to toe in our SAFE place (RE), and we WILL nail your CUBER TAIL to the barn.

Then we'll all be able to sing: CRY and POUT the Cubers are...........OUT!

Name three things that define the term one dimensional: Hall, Collie , Pitta.

Name one thing that will offset any success a one dimensional offense will have: Slow Defensive Speed.

Utes (in our safe place) 34
Cubers(under the bed) 24

Ross | 10:00 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

MY IRRELEVANT TOP FIVE: 1. Alabama, 2. Texas Tech, 3. Oklahoma, 4. Florida, 5. Texas

At this time of year only sports writers are dumb enough to try to make the this relevant. The only ranking that really matters is at the end of the season.

St. George Aggie | 10:03 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Re: Yeah but | 7:45 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

I have got to call you out on your WAC "facts". Obviously you don't know what you are talking about. So let me clarify some things for you.
The WAC is not the 2nd worst conference. They are listed below the PAC-10 and above the MAC, 1A Ind, Conf. USA, and then the Sun Belt.

The WAC is 7-0 against Division 2 schools, while the MWC is 6-1.

Honestly, I think the MWC is stronger than the WAC but you need to get some facts straight.

RE: Maybe @ 8:25 | 10:03 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

I get your point, but FYI UTEP did play Texas this year. UTEP held it close (even winning in the 3rd qtr.) but ended up losing something like 42-28.

Re: Ya But (potato zoob) | 10:31 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Boise State?? Are you serious?? While you are a good team, you would not stack up in the MWC. The MWC has 3 teams in the top 20. If you played in the MWC you would have three losses at the end of the season!! You have fun beating up on all those pathetic WAC teams. Boy, it is going to hurt when you are undefeated and get stiffed (again). Utah again, will go to a BCS game and win. I dislike BSU fans as much as BYU fans, pathetic, dilusional, high and mighty!!!! Go play on that ugly, laughable, blue turf you guys play on.

GO UTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope Fresno beats BSU.

Blue Chelan 56 | 10:37 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Byu's Defense is struggling in a rebuilding year,but hanging in there even with injury losses. The enigma of a stuggling but veteran offense team, with the exception of Matt. Reynolds,is seen when you break down the line play. They do ok with pass protection unless they face lines like TCU( MOBILE, AGILE,AND HOSTILE Who are passed our guys before their first step is taken) But forget it when it comes to run block. Harvey is getting beat up trying to get something from nothing up front. Nowonder he has lossed his drive and explosivness .The size advantage is lost when it comes to run blocking.The line is either too big, too slow, or lack the hostility that Paul Bear Bryant speaks about in his famous book on Defense.Byu is winning on the strength of exceptional Recievers and QB play. But it cannot last for long.

Ruscular | 10:43 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Kudos to the Cowboys for beating Tennessee on the road! That was an impressive display by their defense. I hope they win out and get bowl eligible. But then someone has to invite them.
Now about that offense...

The MWC should invite BSU to join so we can see which is best year after year. They have to fix their blue field first, though, since that is annoying. And we need a better TV deal, since the Mtn is a step down for the Broncos. It is likely that BYU/Utah/TCU/BSU will beat up on each other which would hurt their chance to go undefeated but it would add more credibility to the eventual conference champion. It is hard to be credible when you play in the WAC.

Re: Utah at TCU | 10:46 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

You can say that if TCU would've been at home when they played Utah, they would've DESTROYED them. But the simple problem with that is..
They weren't.
So unless you have a crystal ball, no one knows what WOULD'VE happened.
I don't want to hear anymore IF's.
All you can do is play the games on your schedule, where you're scheduled to play them. That's it.
And that's what we have to go off, the teams record.
Which in Utah's case is 10-0(perfect) and TCU's case 9-2.

Go Utah!!
Go Ute's!!

re: sob | 10:46 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Look up the difference between their and they're.

Jerry from Boise | 10:55 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

I am a Boise fan and I agree that the MWC is much
better than the WAC this year! You have four teams that would be competitive in any conference. The WAC has some soft spots, but remember the WAC was organized from left over teams no-one wanted. The WAC is doing the best it can from what it has. Boise State plays who is on the schedule and would like to play more quality teams. They have a difficult time getting the big boys to agree to a home and home series. They don't like the blue carpet! A sidenote, BYU will pick up an extra million fans from Southern Idaho when they play Utah, but only a few of them will actually be
able to pick up the telecast.

Tarheel Ute | 11:18 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

I suspect that Utah, BYU, TCU - take your pick - would in fact have a difficult time if they played in the BIG 12, BIG 10, SEC... for the first year or so. I suspect that if Florida, Ohio State, UCS would have and easy time in the MWC... for the first year or so.

But then they would be accommodated by their environment. Florida would not have the advantages of BSC money year after year etc. Travel, coaching costs, facilities all would be affected.

BSC league advantage is a blatantly unfair business practice and one day will be resolved, by congress or the courts. But put Utah or BYU into one of those leagues and they would catch up pretty quick. Put one of the BSC teams in the MWC and they quickly become marginalized as well.

Matt | 11:57 a.m. Nov. 11, 2008

@ re:Dick 9:19 am

You tried to make a fool out of Dick, but you only made a fool out of yourself. Your argument was a mediocre one at best. I'm assuming you're insinuating the reason USC has the inside track is because Oregon St. has a tougher remaining schedule in conference.

Really, that's irrelevant to Dick's point. He implied that if both teams (USC, Oregon St.) win out then Oregon St. would take the conference championship by way of tie-breaker (Oregon St. won the head-to-head), hence, the reason he stated Oregon St. has the inside track. Your argument is based off speculation, Dick's is based off fact.

anonymous | 12:14 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

To sob

"o max hall
the kids at air force are just like the ones at byu
except their smart."

Oh the irony. I think you meant "they're smart."

Your quote says it all.

Holy Cow! | 12:22 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Everybody lay off Dick. Please. He's a total BYU Cougar boswell, we all know that. But at least he can type. Most of you guys need to run your posts through the spell checker.

BSU won't get invited to join the MWC for the same reason BYU and Utah don't get invited to join the PAC 10: the conferences don't want to upset the power base.

Meanwhile Aunt Ruth, having taken a tramp through the woods, is lying in a ditch at the edge of town.

Anonymous | 12:57 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

"Utah has 4 good wins that are as good or better than your win at Oregon. (At Michigan, At Air Force, Oregon State, TCU)"

I hardly call combined 3 point wins AT HOME "good wins"

As for beating Michigan and Air force, who couldn't? 3-7 & 4-6 hardly "good wins" either.

At least Boise State Kicks A$$ over teams it should.

I hope Utah gets the BCS birth this year, they can't hang with the top 6, and for the record, I don't think BSU can either, so I want to see Utah get embarrassed like Hawaii did last year.

I still can't believe WEBER STATE put up 21 on Utah Haaaaahaaahaaahaa.

Memo to: All | 1:15 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Read Doug Robinson's column in today's paper.

That is all.

TOP 5??? | 1:21 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

How is Oklahoma ranked above Texas? Longhorns beat them on a neutral field by 10 points. Their only loss was a last second miracle on the road.

RE: Ruscular | 1:23 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

So what if there was an agreement to play the WAC champ and the MWC champ in a mini-playoff.

We could call it the best of the west, others would think of derogatory names for it, but just maybe, like conferences with a championship game, we could get a BCS gimme with that.

Whaddayathink?

Boise Smoise | 1:25 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

All you BSU fans get off our boards! To say that you deserve to be ahead of Utah you are dreaming! Who have you played? Thats right, nobody! You beat a mediocre Oregon team and that is it. Your schedule is softer that BYU's (not BYU's fault, who would have thought Washington and UCLA would be so bad). Go back to the powder puff league (WAC), and continue flapping your gums saying you belong. Play some real competition, and then maybe you can talk. Until then zip it!

Anonymous | 1:26 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

I want a college playoff to shut everybody up!

TCU/Utah/BYU | 1:36 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Look at the stats for the BYU/TCU and Utah/TCU game. They are very similar except for one category: Turnovers. BYU had 4 and TCU had 1 in their game. TCU had 2 and Utah had 0 in their game. BYU had more offensive yards against TCU (not by much) while Utah showed a better defense (not by much). Just interesting.....

BYU-84 | 1:44 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

to "sob"

"to max hall
the kids at air force are just like the ones at byu
except their smart."

So smart you don't know the difference between "their" and they're".

Go Cougars!!!

If TCU was playing at home? | 2:12 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

But didn't Utah beat TCU last year at TCU also?
(I know...different year, different team...)
Just seems like Utah has "TCU" numbers ---we own TCU.
What is it -- Utah is 3-1 against TCU the last 4 times and 3 straight wins?

SoCalUtahFan

re: sob | 2:40 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Way to put that Utah education to use with those fine analytical skills, clear-cut knowledge with your facts, and exceptional grammar and punctuation skills. You should post more often because those comments are dynamite!

re: Ou vs Texas | 2:48 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Also, remember that Hawai'i last year played BSU, so that would qualify as another "lame" win. BSU can't even beat a team in their own conference that is good one year. Boise would be crying to return to the WAC with even one MWC schedule. I'd love to see how they'd do with CSU's schedule, for example. Boise constantly schedules cupcakes like the SEC, with an occasional one good opponent. I think fans of all Utah schools would agree that Boise fans are so obnoxious...I feel for USU fans who have to live near them.

If only Troy could join the WAC, then BSU wouldn't be so high and mighty all the time.

Boise Buckos | 2:58 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008

Why don't Boise fans just read their own newspaper if they're looking for someone to love them. No one around here does. They play in a weak, weak conference and no one around here is impressed. And with your 11-0 mark against MWC teams, how many games have you won this year against Utah or BYU? I don't care that you haven't played any...we don't like you. Go away.

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