Coming off a horrendous year in which BYU went 4-9 and missed a bowl game for the first time since 2004 — when the team went 5-6 — the football program is looking to get back to its winning ways and start a new bowl streak.
The Cougars are looking to reestablish themselves as a consistent winner under head coach Kalani Sitake, and they’ll have no shortage of opportunities to show they’ve righted the ship. A retooled offense, more stability at quarterback, and a renewed focus on physical play could be the difference in turning the tide back in Provo.
The schedule, once again, is a gauntlet, especially early on. BYU opens the year on the road against Arizona, a team with a dynamic quarterback in Khalil Tate. A win in Tucson would do wonders for momentum. That’s followed by home games against Cal and McNeese State, sandwiched around a daunting road trip to Madison to take on Wisconsin, a team with College Football Playoff aspirations. The Cougars also travel to Seattle to take on a powerful Washington squad, making September a critical stretch that could shape the tone for the rest of the season.
October looks a bit more manageable, with matchups against in-state rival Utah State and a rising Hawaii program, both at home. Northern Illinois also visits LaVell Edwards Stadium in what could be a sneaky-tough defensive battle. November brings trips to Boise State and UMass, as well as home games against New Mexico State and a season finale in Salt Lake City against Utah. That final game, of course, looms large: BYU hasn’t beaten the Utes since 2009, and breaking that streak would be a fitting capstone to a bounce-back year.
Overall, there’s cautious optimism in Provo. A return to bowl eligibility is within reach if the Cougars can split their toss-up games and stay healthy. The offense will need to be more consistent than it was last year, and the defense must find a way to hold up against some of the most physical teams in the country. If they can do that, don’t be surprised to see BYU back in the postseason come December.
Below are my predictions for BYU, who I believe will finish the regular season at 7-5.
BYU 2018 Season Predictions
BYU @ Arizona: Win
BYU vs. Cal: Loss
BYU @ Wisconsin: Loss
BYU vs. McNeese: Win
BYU @ Washington: Loss
BYU vs. Utah State: Win
BYU vs. Hawaii: Win
BYU vs. Northern Illinois: Win
BYU @ Boise State: Loss
BYU @ UMass: Win
BYU vs. New Mexico State: Win
BYU @ Utah: Loss (I can’t pick BYU until they break the curse)
