b-y-who?

BYU cracked our radar with its climb in the rankings this week. The No. 8 Cougars must be considered among the favorites to play in South Florida with the coming of the new year, and I'm not just talking about ...

[CaliCoug]

They'll show you "who" - just keep watching.

[derek]

I am a BYU fan, and they are a very good team, but they aren't as good as their ranking indicates. Coach Mendenhall has said as much.

Seeing as how Utah just beat Oregon State, though, I think the strength of the MWC this season is undisputed. If BYU and Utah play undefeated until their meeting, the winner of their game should get consideration for a chance at the championship.

[manaen]

Thanks for the good article. As a BYU grad and a long-time fan, it seems to me that Coach Mendenhall's and the players' comments don't reflect unease so much as one of the sponsoring institution's Christian principles: humility. Coach Mendenhall has the team focused on doing the best they can and letting things out of their control, like pollsters' voting or opposing teams' execution, be what they will.
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Having said that, this fan is pleased both with our team's high level of execution and with the polls' recognition of it.

[Richard]

You don't mention the fact that Mountain West Teams are 6-1 against the PAC-10 a BCS conference including Utah beating Oregon State who just knocked off USC.

[Steve H]

It is nice to know someone on the east coast even knows BYU plays football. It is nice out west to be able to see all the east coast games and still get to bed on time. But we know that when we play out here football fans are deep asleep or dead drunk (smile) so you seldom get to see us play.

[Dan]

It's kind of refreshing to hear someone talk about needing to earn more respect instead of the cockiness so rampant in college football these days. I'll be rooting for them to throw a wrench in the stupid BCS so we can finally have a playoff and see who really is best.

[Bret]

Amen to that Dan! I want a true National Champion in college football. The "Beauty Contest System" currently does not give me that. We need a BYU or Utah to go undefeated and be ranked in the top 5 (or even higher?) at the end of the season so that a one loss SEC or Big 12 team gets left out of a big bowl. Once the big boys start crying then maybe, just maybe we will see a change to the current system. Every year I root for all the small conferences to bust the BCS so a true champion can be found with a playoff system.

[East Coast MWC Fan]

I've been pulling for the MWC since they were the "Breakaway Eight" from the WAC. While I don't fully believe that BYU has earned the #8 ranking (they got there by doing nothing more than sitting at home watching other teams lose), they do deserve respect and admiration for the way they have handled their opponents. Many may say their strength of schedule isn't enough to warrant the ranking, but all a weak schedule goes to show is that the team is as of yet untested. BYU's major tests will be in November and January.

[Jae]

Nice to read that BYU is getting some press coverage on the East Coast! BYU and Utah could both be in the top 10 when they play in November, which would be an exciting rivalry game.

[Pago Pago Trojan]

Jae wrote:

Nice to read that BYU is getting some press coverage on the East Coast! BYU and Utah could both be in the top 10 when they play in November, which would be an exciting rivalry game.

Well for sure, the gaytors don't want to play those Mormon/Samoans. They won't know what hit them! Ha.

[Cougarfan]

Make that 6-1 against PAC 10 and 8-4 against BCS! BYU deserves a spot in the NC discussion as USC.

[From an Alumni]

Maybe now when I wear my "Y" cap in the east and mid-west people wont ask if I went to Yale.

[CaliFan]

No, they'll still think it looks like Yale. BYU's not there yet.

Unfortunately the toughest teams BYU will play this year in regular season will be in their own Mountain West Conference. The TCU and Utah games will be legitimate tests with very solid teams, but they won't do enough for critics that refuse to acknowledge the quality of the MWC. Wins over Washington and UCLA don't hold too much water this year.

[Mark in Seattle]

BYU deserves every bit of its current ranking. It's offense is virtually unstoppable, and the defense has two consecutive shutouts. But mark my words. If BYU ends up being the only undefeated team, there will be a 2-loss conference champ that leapfrogs BYU in the rankings in the last week of the season, and BYU will end up playing either South Florida or a 3-loss ACC champ in a BCS game. It's exactly what happened to Utah in 2004, who beat every team on their schedule by more than 2 touchdowns and still ended up playing (and blowing out) a very mediocre Pittsburgh team.

NCAA football is the only sport that has teams, which, no matter how good they are, have absolutely ZERO chance of winning a national championship -- and it's predetermined before the season starts. This is why there is no NCAA champion in college football -- it's the BCS champion.

[Bart]

After watching the Bulls of TV Thursday night, people in the west were wondering why on earth they were rated in the top 10. Bad game I guess, but Pitt outplayed you in every way shape and form.

[Edward]

I'll never understand how the Big East, The ACC, and The PAC 10 get automatic births in the BCS regardless of performance or lack of it, but The Mountain West and the WAC have to "earn" the right to play in the BCS. I like the idea of earning a spot, but hate the idea of automatic births. Consider these facts...
The only time a Mountain West team (University of Utah) was invited to play in the BCS, they destroyed the Big East champ (Pitt). Boise State beat a very good Oklahoma team. Non BCS teams are 2 and 1 against BCS teams in the BCS bowl games. The Mountain West is 8 and 4 against "BCS Teams" this year. The Mountain West is 6 and 1 against the PAC 10 this year. Living in Nevada, I have had the opportunity to go to the Las Vegas Bowl several times over the past few years. Over the past 5 or 6 Las Vegas Bowl games, I have seen Utah beat USC, Wyoming beat UCLA, BYU beat UCLA, and BYU destroy Oregon. When talking heads discuss a playoff system, they talk about an 8 team playoff in which the BCS Conference Champs would get automatic births to fill the first 6 spots. Notre Dame or a second place BCS school would get the 7th spot and all of the non-BCS conferences could fight for the 8th spot. I just don't get it. Look at the facts above and please help me understand why the ACC, the PAC 10, The Big East, or even the Big 10 are entitled to an automatic anything? It is so unamerican, not to mention stupid and moronic. I would like to see a 16 team playoff in which all 11 conference champs have an automatic birth. I realize the competition would leave something to be desired initially, but I think after 3-5 years it would be fantastic. If every team in every conference in America could sit down with recruits and tell them they had a shot to play for a conference championship and a playoff birth, the "BCS" conferences would lose some of their luster and the other conferences could compete for some of the same talent. After a few years, the competition would be fantastic. If you don't believe me, I present exhibit A - The Big Dance, the NCAA basketball championship. Only 1 time in its history have all 4 number one seeds made it to the final four. Everyone has a shot and everyone watches it because the "BCS" conferences don't always have the best teams, there are upsets and great competition in the first round, the second round, the third round, and so on and so forth. Its American and it makes sense!

[Colorado Cougar Fan]

East Coast MWC Fan: Yes the Cougars were on a bye week and still moved up, so do you believe they should have went backwards or watched others jump them in the rankings? What got the cougars where they are is their winning history. Longest winning streak in the nation and undefeated in their conference two seasons straight got them a favorable start in the rankings. Gravity and being 5-0 got them the 8th place ranking they DESERVE.

[Mark Jones]

BYU has shown to have a dominate offense and a defense that can score just as many points. Max Hall should be a serious contender for the heisman trohpy, with 7 touchdonw passes in one game! Give the guy a chance, just because its the MWC doesnt meen that that doesnt take skill. This is the best BYU team ive seen since Ty Detmer in 1990 and i think they deserve there shot at the title. Sure they dont have the hardest schedule but 58-0 is still impressive no matter who you are playing. 15 passing touchdowns this year, and no sacks, thats another impressive stat no matter who you are playing. BYU has a solid team and desvers its recognition.

[Ryan Smith]

That was a very intriguing article. How amazing would that be to have a david verse goliath in the National Championship. I'm all for it and I'm a die hard Alabama fan. After watching the fiesta bowl a few years ago you never know what will happen. The playing field has evened up. Thanks for writing something that could help make it happen.