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Palo Alto, CA

USAToday Re-ranks the teams from 1-125

#34 BYU (8-4)
#48 USU (8-4)
#76 Utah (5-7)

Hyrum, UT

Another "moral victory" story for the Utes. How nice.

Also, yet another online moniker for Chris b. This time its Ken. After each new name runs the coarse in credibility and silly statements, he just starts all over again with another one. Any new guarantees that we can take to the bank this week, Chris... ummm, I mean Ken?

Some point blank honesty, Chris... I know of a number of people who have quit being Ute fans because of you. I don't know of any whosoever who have become Ute fans because of you. Obnoxiousness and broken promises have that kind of effect on people.

When BYU comes close to beating the Utes, it doesn't matter. We're told it's all about wins and loses. Period.
But now many Ute fans are apparently taking solace in coming ever so close, but still losing. Interesting. But also hypocritical.

I'm glad Utah beat Colorado to keep from finishing in the very bottom of the conference basement. But in all likelihood, the football players (doesn't include you, Chris... or Ken) would've rather played in a bowl game. Any bowl game beats sitting home on the couch.

Palo Alto, CA


"...not sure where the logic comes from that BYU would be more competitive in the PAC 12..."


Bronco is 9-8(53%) versus PAC 12 teams, including wins over Oregon, Washington, UCLA, Arizona, WSU and OSU.

Kyle is 13-21(38%) versus PAC 12 teams, winless versus Oregon and Washington.

Let's not forget that BYU's two best corners were lost to injury before the 2013 season began - both will be back next season.

Eagle Mountain, UT

I don't see improvement next year. I project a 3-4 (Idaho State, 1-2 pac wins and maybe win over Fresno) win season next year and a new coach for 2015.
Graduating several Key linemen and skill position players without the depth to remain at the same level, along with this recruiting class shaping up to be the lowest rated since joining the pac will result in disappointment for the Utes.

U 90
Corona, CA

@ Steven S Jarvis "Utah played a pretty solid schedule this year"

I think #1 SOS in the country is more than pretty solid. The Utes will need that Idaho State game on the schedule next year since their SOS will be at the top again in 2014. Qualifying for a bowl in 14 will again be a monumental task for the Utes because they don't have 5 built in wins to guarantee bowl inclusion.... playing teams like Savannah State, UNLV, UConn (2-9), Middle Tennessee State, and Virginia who's only other win in 2014 was against The Virginia Military Institute.

Draper, UT

True Blue, would BYU expect to be considered for a BCS bowl if they went undefeated as an independent? In 2001, the Cougs were in the thick of the hunt for a BCS bowl until late losses derailed the effort. How would Cougar nation have reacted despite a less than stellar SOS that year had they won every game and not been invited to the BCS?

SOS in the BYU national championship year has been discussed ad infinitum as being suspect, so who is changing the narrative? BYU fan would have expected nothing less had they gone undefeated and you know it. The argument by BYU fans has always been "we can only beat who is on the schedule and we did that." I guess that argument is a BYU exclusive?

Utah "beat who was on our schedule" and won every game in 2004 & 2008, including a quality win against Alabama who won 2 of the next 3 national titles in the Sugar Bowl.

Apply your logic to your own school.

Granstville, UT

It's rather ironic how people here go on with a lengthy analysis of how long it has taken ASU to make it to the Rose Bowl, or how long it may take the Utes to make it.

But, they completely ignore this question; how long will it take BYU to make it to the Rose Bowl, or any other BCS Bowl, given they have chosen to follow the route of independence?

Salt Lake City, UT

BYU9293 "byu is getting more 4 star recruits"
I think you mean "Kansas is getting BYU's 4 star recruits".

"So just be glad that both BYU and Utah are happy where they are."
That is a good message. The PAC12 money has been good for the whole state. Its not just about football. BYU achieves its goal of spreading the word by being nationally exposed.

"punching bag for a major conference"
A big frustration for Cougar fans is that Utah fans don't feel that way. But to be fair, I view BYU as the "independent punching bag". Cougs didn't really rise up to the challenge of their toughest season ever, eh? As you say, thank goodness BYU didn't join the Big 12 where BYU would be below TCU (i.e. last place).

U 90
Corona, CA


why leave it up to a computer to tell us who is better or a coach who doesn't have time to watch anything other than game film of his next opponent. why not refer to head-to-head results when they're right in front of you?

Utah 30 USU 26
Utah 20 BYU 13

Utah 3 USU 1
Utah 4 BYU 0

Salt Lake City, UT

Utes Win/Loss record 5-7

Utes Moral Victory record 12-0

How awesome! Great to be a Ute!

Hyrum, UT

@ Kimmy P:

How long have been the self-appointed spokesperson for Cougar fans? I dislike having to say this, but you're now starting to sound an awfully lot like the infamous Chris B. And that's a place you really don't want to go. If you are actually a Ute fan, then stick with speaking for them, and forget about trying to put words in the mouths of opponents. It has already cost you in lost credibility.

@ Ute 95:

The reason some people feel BYU might've done better in the PAC is because literally every national poll and ranking service have them listed as the better team... without exception. The Sagarin rankings use every conceivable, measurable analysis tool (including strength of schedule). Football pundents (who don't try to measure their entire season based on the results of only one game) pay attention to it. And the latest, updated Sagarin rankings have BYU 5 places better than Utah... 28th versus 33rd.

If you can be even semi-honest, you'd have to admit that playing teams like Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Boise State and Texas in front of national ESPN audiences is NOT being in a small pond.

Ed Grady
Idaho Falls, ID

We're almost there - blah - blah - blah. A couple of plays and we're in the Rose Bowl - blah - blah - blah. Seriously, You're almost as bad as Colorado and Cal. You finished 10/12 in the Pac-12. When will this blather end?

U 90
Corona, CA

@TrueBlue "2008 - Utah played the 56th SOS, only 1 regular season win versus an opponent from a decent conference with a winning record"

In 2008 Utah beat the following ranked teams; Oregon State, BYU, TCU, Alabama.... two of which were top 10 teams. Don't try to make 2008 something less than it was. BYU has never even come close to beating so many ranked teams in one season. Honest question for you. Has BYU ever beaten two teams in the same season that finished the year in the top 25?

Granstville, UT

Wow, true blue, talk about looking through blue colored glasses. You cite the SOS schedule from when Utah was a member of MWC, like it was their choice to play those teams. That is what being a member of an actual conference does, it gives a team set games to play each year. They only have room for 3 other games.

Unlike BYU, who can actually choose to fill up on 4 cupcakes each year, then play 4 "upper" teams from non-BCS conferences, like Boise State and/or San Jose State, and 4 mid to lower teams from BCS conferences. Then at the end of the year, hold up the 8-4 record as proof the cougars have accomplished something.

BTW, take a look at the SOS this year for both teams. That's what I thought.

Draper, UT

Skywalker, "simple" is right. You oversimplified the comparisons. The Oregon win was the Mike Bellotti years when Oregon was nowhere near where it is several years later. Utah beat Oregon then as well when they came to SLC in 2004. UCLA was suffering through the Rick Neuheisel years (now PAC 12 Rick and former UCLA coach). Some of the other games were nonconference games or wins in the LV bowl when they played the sixth best team in the PAC 12. Not exactly an apples to apples comparison.

If your claim is that Bronco would win more than 38% against the PAC 12 every week in CONFERENCE GAMES based on his record of 9-8 under the circumstances outlined, I don't share your enthusiastic analysis.

U 90
Corona, CA

Ed Grady,

I don't see Utah fans claiming to be 8 plays away from the national championship game like Y fans were last year. BYU fans have cornered the market for that type of rhetoric.

Utah may be as bad a Colorado but certainly much better than BYU. Use 0-4 and 3-9 as evidence.

Salt Lake City, UT

"Take off those crimson-colored, BYU-hating goggles already. BYU played the 32nd toughest schedule in 2013, tougher by almost 10 places than Utah's toughest schedule EVER, 41st, prior to 2013."

That's a stupid comparison. So the bottom line of your post is that Utah's schedule is light years ahead of byu's schedule...this year. Yeah, we know that already. We knew it before the season started and are well aware of it now. The problem for the Utes is...it doesn't matter because byu is not Utah's competition.

You people are sounding more frustrated and desperate all the time.

Salt Lake City, UT


National Championship trumps also-ran BCS bowl, ANYDAY!

A dozen teams play in BCS bowls every year, including mediocre teams like Pittsburgh, Hawaii, and Northern Illinois, but there is only ONE (or TWO, if split) National Champion.

AP #1
Coaches #1

BYU finished #1 in both.

btw, It's laughable that a Utah fan doesn't know that it's Arizona, NOT ASU, that hasn't played in the Rose Bowl.


U 90

"why leave it up to a computer to tell us who is better"

Because one game does not a season make - see Utah and Stanford.

It's funny how Utah fans that were once so enamored with the BCS computers, so casually dismiss the computer rankings when they don't support the latest Ute fan narrative.

Latest BCS Standings

#39 BYU
#57 Utah

Hyrum, UT

@ U 90:

We all admit Kyle has lately had Bronco's number. That's old news. Unfortunately for Ute fans like you, that's the only remaining nail to hang your hat on. But don't read too much into it. Before this latest mini-streak, BYU beat Utah 3 of the previous 4 games. This ongoing rivalry goes back and forth. It always has and it always will... until they quit playing each other.

Just because Utah has recently done well against the Cougars, other BCS teams... not as well. In fact, Bronco has an overall better record against BCS conference teams than Kyle has. But it hurts your argument to look at that bigger picture.

Per your analysis, we should consider Utah better than Stanford. Sorry. That doesn't work.

You forgot to mention in your little analysis that Utah also lost to a team (OSU) who themselves lost to a division II college team. As much as you would NOT like to admit it, that's all part of the ups and downs of every season for most teams. That's why the bigger picture is always used by objective, unbiased fans (yourself excluded).

Salt Lake City, UT

Let's change the subject matter just a bit...

The University of Utah gave byu $2M from our inclusion in the BCS. The BCS era has come and gone. Are byu fans pleased that byu never had the opportunity to play on the big stage?

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