Is BYU becoming the new Boise State?
By Josh Davis
The BYU Cougars put a beat-down on the Boise State Broncos last night, 37-20. The game wasn’t quite as close as the final score indicates, I hate when that term is used because the score is indicative of exactly how close the game was. But it just seemed like the Broncos were never all that close in the football game.
After the Cougars went to 6-2 on the season and the Broncos fell to 5-3, it’s obvious the two programs are heading in different directions after the past several seasons of West Coast dominance at the middle tier for BSU. So the question begs to be asked; is BYU becoming the new Boise State?
As I stated, it sure looks like these two are headed in opposite directions, even if it’s not that bad for BSU and not that great for BYU. Or is it?
Boise State is clearly not the once dominant program that strutted around in the WAC for the past decade. They’re a disappointing 1-3 on the road this season and got blown out twice, at Washington and now at BYU. Still a good football program, they should end the season winning their final four and in a decent bowl, but clearly they hold no monopoly on the West.
BYU lost close games to Virginia and Utah (arguably games they should have won) to begin the season, but have since rattled off five in a row and have convincing victories over Texas, Georgia Tech, Utah State and now Boise State.
With Taysom Hill returning in 2014 and a mature team that is beyond well-versed in the Bronco Mendenhall system, the BYU Cougars are primed for a run at an undefeated season. With an independent schedule they could make a run at a BCS game much easier than Boise did next year.
I guess we’ll find out just how close BYU is to what Boise was in the coming weeks. Sandwiched around an easy home contest to end the season are three of the tougher road games to end the season with Wisconsin next week, Notre Dame in three weeks and Nevada after that.