Is it me or is this BYU-Utah State rivalry game getting crazy already?
To be fair, I wasn’t here for the season opener against Utah. And while Boise State is considered a rival — the Broncos have become a fixture in the Cougars’ schedule — there just wasn’t the feel of a big rival coming to town when the team made the trip to LaVell Edwards Stadium from Idaho. So, I don’t know if this is the way it usually goes.
But this in-state match-up has all the fixing for a Hollywood-esque game. If the game were to be played in Provo instead of Logan this year, I'd almost expect to see some Aggies to come down to pull off some high jinks. However, the Cougars will have to make the trip up to Maverik Stadium.
Utah State fans have already gotten all up in arms for a comment from a BYU player during the Monday press conference, where he said he saw a Twitter user post that Utah State is going to come out playing like they're protecting their dairy farms.
And they may be doing that after the way they lost to Air Force last week, 31-7, but won’t admit it.
As someone who's not a Utah native and had no prior connection to any of the universities in the Beehive State, why are Aggie fans so upset about that comment? I think they should embrace it.
After all, Utah State is known for it’s engineering and agricultural programs. One of the other local media guys told me students there like to brag about how they grow their own hops for beer.
Holmoe’s Halloween tradition
It’s Halloween, so BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe dressed up as Will Smith’s Genie from the live-action Aladdin — top knot and all — on Thursday and rocked it; here’s a look at some of the Holmoe’s costumes over the last few years.
He may have this category — Best Halloween Costume/AD Division — locked up.
More BYU football coverage
BYU had a bye week to prepare for Utah State, but are 1-3 following a bye in the Kalani Sitake era.
The Cougars seemed to put all the pieces together in their upset 28-25 win against then-No. 14 Boise, but will they stay consistent moving forward?
It may not give BYU much of an advantage, but coaches won’t make a decision on who will start at quarterback at Utah State Saturday.
Other voices
The Daily Herald wrote about the passing of long-time BYU head athletic trainer George Curtis.
Jay Drew and Dirk Facer of The Deseret News got reactions from players, coaches and administrators on the NCAA likeness ruling.
There’s no more excuses for BYU football — they should be able to beat Utah State, Patrick Kinahan, KSL sports columnist, wrote.
The Cougars are coming into the Utah State game a 6-point underdog, wrote Vanquish the Foe’s Robby McCombs.
Around campus
• The No. 2 men’s and No. 4 women’s cross country teams are set to compete in the West Coast Conference Championships in Van Nuys, Calif., at Woodley Lakes Golf Course. The women’s 6K starts at 11 a.m. PDT and the men’s 8K starts at 12 p.m. The men’s cross country team will be competing for their fifth-straight conference title and seventh in nine years. The women’s team is looking to defend their title for the second year in a row.
• The BYU men’s volleyball 2020 schedule was released Tuesday. The schedule, which opens the first week of January with two road matches in Illinois, will include four 2019 NCAA Tournament teams. The Cougars will hope to have their 24th consecutive winning season. The team only graduated libero Taylor Richards and returns key players All-American Gabi Garcia Fernandez and 2019 MPSF Freshman of the Year Davide Gardini.
• The women’s basketball team came from behind to beat Westminster in their first exhibition game of the upcoming season. Three different Cougars scored in double figures — Shalae Salmon had 16, Paisley Johnson scored 15 and Maria Albeiro recorded 13. The Cougars will host their second exhibition game Saturday at 2 p.m. against Antelope Valley at the Marriott Center.
