A question, a consideration almost nobody in or out of their right mind sniffed at or irresponsibly entertained or saw a scant chance of coming … not on the near Big 12 horizon, not on the far horizon, not on any horizon, not in anybody’s fogged-over imagination, not out the backend of a flying pig:
Can BYU football finish its regular season undefeated?
Yeah, if that question had been asked two months ago, anyone who heard it would have LOL’ed, and anyone who asked it would have been thought to be kooky or delusional or both.
But here we are: Can it?
Even with an 8-0 start and evidence of something extraordinary happening, asking that question beyond the regular season is left, again, to the kooks and the delusional given that a 12-team playoff awaits whoever qualifies, and only one of them — unbeaten or not theretofore — will go unblemished through that haul. And it won’t be BYU.
What would it take, though, for the Cougars to finish what is already booked without tasting bitter defeat?
Beating Utah, Kansas, Arizona State and Houston, on the road, at home, on the road, at home. At present, BYU should be favored to win all of those games. If it does win all of them, and perhaps even if it doesn’t, the Big 12 title game will or might await in Dallas.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) warms up before their game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Provo on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024.
Taking them one by one — which is exactly the way Kalani Sitake wants them taken, but because of the collective form of the question in this column is impossible — the Utes likely will present the biggest challenge, and not even because they have the best team. It’s been said a thousand times that rivalry games, no matter the teams’ records, are difficult to gauge, especially rivalry games played on the road. Rice-Eccles needs no introduction here. It is as hard-edged and steel-hearted as any venue, anywhere. And BYU, as usual, will face its full fury. But it will not face one of its finest teams.
To say Utah (4-4, 1-4) is a disappointment is to say Donald Trump is a liar. Everybody knows it, nobody can deny it. And yet, both the Utes and Trump still have a chance to win. There’s no defensible explanation or reasoning as to why, it just is.
The wheels spun off the Utes’ wagon when Cam Rising attempted to save the day against Arizona State and couldn’t and shouldn’t even have tried. When he was injured again, Utah’s season as we might have otherwise witnessed it ended. The departure of offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig made a ship slipping under the waves slip even faster.
The Utes haven’t been able to effectively run or pass the ball and whoever’s calling the plays hasn’t been able to figure out any other way to advance it, other than to punt it. On defense, Utah is statistically decent, but because of injury or fatigue or inability to force and gain turnovers or stir trouble pressuring opposing quarterbacks or ongoing deteriorating motivation, Ute defenders have been unable to grind into high gear— likely because they know the offense has the firepower of a dead Duracell — and that will be a problem against Jake Retzlaff, a quarterback who has found his arm and his legs and his gifted receivers and his groove as the offensive leader the Cougars had to have. They have him now.
In Utah’s loss to Houston, Kyle Whittingham switched out his leftover quarterbacks, subbing out Isaac Wilson in the third quarter for Brandon Rose. Rose subsequently threw the pick that set up Houston’s game-winning field goal. Yeah, we know, you already are aware of all that. Whittingham said he was “trying to get a spark,” with the QB change. “Trying to create something.”
Now, he’s holding back on which quarterback will play against BYU, as though it would make a huge difference. More on this particular game in the days to come.
BYU wide receiver Chase Roberts (2) celebrates after a touchdown by wide receiver Darius Lassiter, right, in the second quarter against Baylor during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
In a rivalry game last week that was filled with jumbled nerves and mental mistakes, Kansas punched back at K-State with more emphasis than was expected, but, again, that’s the nature of contests where emotions run hot and high. It’s worth noting, however, that the Wildcats have beaten the Jayhawks 16 straight times. And maybe this last time, the Jayhawks beat themselves.
Kansas is 2-6, 1-4 in the Big 12 for a reason. Quarterback Jalon Daniels can spin the ball around, but that includes spinning it to guys in the other colored jerseys. He has 1,521 passing yards thus far, but also has nearly as many interceptions (nine) and he does TD throws (11).
The Jayhawks have suffered some heartbreak by way of committing errors and allowing opponents to score late to finish games. BYU has feasted off teams like that, even sort of OK teams, whatever their records, teams that may not deserve to lose, but that do, anyway.
That’s what Kansas did against Arizona State — an outfit BYU will have to travel to Tempe to play — as the Jayhawks lost to the Sun Devils by four points on a late drive. ASU is 6-2 overall, 3-2 in league, having also defeated Utah, while losing to Texas Tech and Cincinnati. The Devils, on a good night, can run the ball, led by Cam Skattebo, but they’ve had injury and inconsistency at quarterback, and Cincinnati managed to slow ASU’s run game. If BYU can do the same, it will greatly increase its chances for victory.
Houston, 4-5 overall, 3-3 in conference, has hit the skids over periods this season and been all right over others. You saw what happened against Utah, when Houston got that aforementioned pick to set up the game-winning field goal. The Cougars also beat TCU and K-State, but they got smoked by Kansas, and were shut out in consecutive weeks by Cincinnati and Iowa State.
Let’s say it all plain here. A win over Houston, like a lot of other Big 12 teams, can’t be taken simply via lip service and lolly-gagging, by assumption, by whistling while wandering casually up and down the field. But BYU getting the other Cougars at LaVell’s Place, it will have small excuse to let this game, of all the remaining tests, be a spoiler.
Can BYU finish its regular season undefeated?
Maybe it can. And if it does, there will be nothing regular about it.
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