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Rivalry week: Coaches weigh in on game's matchups

This is a bit off the topic, but I don't know how else to find out. If BYU wins, their record will be 11-1 and Utah's record will be 11-1. TCU's record (if they beat Air Force) will be 11-1. That means that they all would be tied for the best record in the conference. BYU would hold the tiebreaker over Utah by virtue of winning the game. But TCU would hold the tiebreaker over BYU and Utah would hold the tiebreaker over TCU. Would there be a 3-way conference champion?

Great article with the other conference coaches weighing in. I think most will give the edge to Utah without bing committed. Anyway, it will be a great game. I give the cougars the edge even though they are the underdogs. They do not have to prove anything, unlike Utah who has everything to lose. Cougars by 3, 24 - 21.

Yes, I don't follow the shared conference title conversation either. Frankly, if they all have the same record at the end, give the title to the person who is ranked highest = UTAH!

Since there is no automatic berth to anything for MWC football teams, there is no need for a tie breaker.

The Las Vegas Bowl has first pick of available MWC bowl eligible teams. They could pick UNLV if the Rebels become bowl eligible. That would be an unwise choice, but it's entirely up to the Las Vegas Bowl to choose whichever team they want.

The Poinsettia Bowl has second choice. The Armed Forces and New Mexico Bowls, and probably Humanitarian Bowl, follow.

If BYU wins, it's a shared conference championship; a 3-way tie.

has better prepare his team better than he did against TCU. BYU has been so inconsistent all year on defense. I like BYU but would like to see a Mountain team be the bowl buster. No chance that BYU will with one loss but with no loses Utah will. So lets hear it for Utah for the sake of the rep for the Mountain.

To answer the questions about the shared conference championship if BYU and TCU win on Saturday: The Mountain West Conference doesn't have a tie-breaker clause in its rule for determining conference champion. There would literally be a three way tie for the conference champion (I don't think it's really the best way to do it, but it is what it is). This is partially the reason that the contract with the Las Vegas both doesn't specify that the "conference champion" be selected, but rather the Las Vegas both simply has first pick of ANY bowl eligible team in the conference (it would make sense that they would pick the champion, if there is a clear cut champion, but they don't have to).

Huh! Give the title to the team ranked the highest? National rankings have nothing to do with conference rankings and who is more deserving.. The nonsense is painful to read on these boards!

I'd like to weigh in on something: put this game on Versus or CBS College Sports so more people can access it! This game is far too big to be broadcast solely on the Mtn.

TCU's record isn't 11-1, it is 9-2 with the possibility of going 10-2 if they beat Air Force. Like BYU and Utah (after this weekend) they have only one conference loss.

To Blah!

Umm...if BYU beats Utah to create a three way tie for the conference championship, then Utah WON'T be the highest ranked team. BYU will move up, Utah will move down. Chances are that BYU will just Utah in the polls. Utah would probably wind up around 14, and BYU will probably jump up to 11 or 12.

Not that it matters.

Some posters have been correct. There is no 'tie-breaker' in the MWC; however, there is a 'tie-breaker' equation that is used in conference play and if the scenario plays out where both TCU and BYU win, there will be a three way tie, but the trump card will be held by BYU. If in any other conference, Cougars would win the conference title.

San Diego Poinsettia Bowl officials have publiclly stated that "it is time for BYU to come back to San Diego". Jeff Call, in his article today, is not correct. If BYU wins, they could still be a BCS buster. A marquis win over Utah would jump computer rankings for them to 10 or 11. The variable is of course BSU. Hard to guess what the computers will do with wins over Nevada and Fresno, but likely will win out over BYU. One mis-step on the part of BSU and BYU would go to a BCS game. The Marquis match-up would be this: Utah goes BCS busting (no, no, no! Go Cougars!!) and BYU goes to San Diego and plays a 12-0 or 11-1 BSU. THAT game SHOULD be sold out. TCU goes to Vegas.

It's a no brainer if BYU beats Utah then they'll be voted higher than Utah, and will receive a huge boost with the computer rankings. The game will be hard fought. Both teams know how to win close games. The only thing is that Utah has everything to lose in this game and BYU has everything to gain. BYU's defense will stun the critics as they always do during this matchup. Cougs take it home.

BYU 31
Utah 27

10-2 if they beat Air Force on Saturday (NOT 11-1). Because of the OOC records, BYU would be listed at the top of the 3 way tie if they defeat UTAH. BYU would also get a BCS birth if Nevada or Fresno State defeat Boysenberry State. BYU would probably rise 2-3 spots in the BCS poll with a victory and UTAH would drop two or three spots.

Several other teams AHEAD of BYU and UTAH must play 2 or more big games before the Bowl season, so one or more MWC teams COULD easily end up in the top 12 even with 1 loss. That would NOT be the case for Boysenberry State. A loss this weekend to Nevada would drop them to around 17-19 in the BCS Standings.

There is NO CHANCE that BALL STATE, a MAC team would move ahead of a MWC team even if undefeated. The MAC is lower than the WAC and the WAC is weak.

if tcu gets beat byu air force and byu beats utah wouldnt byu be the outright MWC champ with the head to head victory over utah and tcu having 2 mwc losses??????

It is obvious that there are 7 MWC teams routing for Utah this weekend. They want the money that comes with being a mediocre (Air Force, CSU) or terrible team (Wyoming SDSU) that plays in the same Conference as a BCS bowl team much like Duke, Baylor, Indiana, Syracuse, Washington St. Mississippi St.

I like the fact that Gary Patterson is honest and says of course he is routing for BYU to create a 3 way tie. I do not mind a tie for the championship. If you have 3 teams with one loss and they all beat each other, how can you give it to one over the others? Utah has the obvious advantage by playing the top 2 contenders at home. While BYU has the disadvantage of playing on the road.

beck scrambles.... scrambling.... he throws touchdown harline!!!! oh and... 4th and 19.... utahs corner.. oh wait.. gotta cover the receiver.. collie open... four plays later.. TD HARVEY. THATS WHATS UP

Utah will throw it long and hard all day long. YOU CAN COUNT ON IT. BYU has no way, ABSOLUTELY NO WAY to stop the long pass. It will be a day of BIG NUMBERS for Brian Johnson. Likely he will pass for over 400 yards!! I feel sorry for anyone dressed in BLUE in the defensive secondary. They will have a long and tiring day. It will be a day of utter embarrassment. BETTER THAN CHRISTMAS DAY. I CANNOT WAIT!!!!

There is no tie-breaker to determine the conference champion there is only a tie-breaker to determine bowl selection.

BYU would NOT hold any trump cards since the bowl selection tie breaker goes like this.

#1. Head to head. There would be three teams tied with each other TCU, BYU and Utah all having gone 1-1 against each of the other teams. Result Tie.

#2. The next highest common opponent is selected, in this case Air Force (assuming TCU wins). Each team will have beaten that opponent. Result Tie.

#3. You continue going down the list (UNLV,CSU, New Mexico, Wyoming, SDSU) Result Tie.

#4. After all the tie breakers are done if there is still a tie then it's a tie and the LV Bowl can chose from any of the eligible teams.

Collie can't hold onto balls in big games. I predict he will drop at least 3.