Our LV bowl opponent
 

I've had a few arguments on the other board about the need for a quality opponent in our bowl game. I maintain that it is more important for our recruiting that we face what people perceive to be a good team than it is for us to win. I think we gain more from losing to a Pac-10 team than we do do from beating a Nevada or Toledo. In addition, both Nevada and Toledo are capable of beating us. That could be bad for recruiting.

Why do I think it could be better to lose to a BCS opponent vs beating a mid-major opponent? Let's look at our Bowl history since 1974 which I believe was our first bowl in the Lavell era. I believe our bowl record is 7-15-1. Our wins coming in the following years (80,81,83,84,88,94,96) and a tie with Penn State in '91. Folks we have 3 bowl victories in the 21 years since our National Championship. Yet, BYU was a very well respected program who spent time in the top 25 nearly every season since 1980. The media and the fans feel that BYU was a quality team until 2002, in spite of the fact that we were losing bowl games. I believe we were perceived as successful by recruits because we won regular season games and because they knew they'd have the opportunity to face a good opponent in a bowl game just about every year. If the reward of hard work all season is a game vs. Nevada, well then better recruits might be looking elsewhere.

We NEED to face Cal in our bowl game. Nevada and LaTech and the like are nearly worthless to us. FWIW, I really think we could beat Cal.

In a bowl game against a PAC 10 4,5 or 6 seed, we ARE the Nevada, La Tech or Toledo - nothing to lose but everything to gain. Much like our old "rivalry" with Ut State - fun for the fans on conference weekend, but just a disaster waiting to happen if the team doesn't show up.

Case in point, look at Wyoming last year. Weasles their way into a bowl by winning a couple of a conference games and beating some crappy OOC teams. "Surprises" an overrated UCLA team, from a BCS conference, who is just pissed off that they are playing such a crappy team in the bowl. What does WYo get from it? Immediate national "respect" and a bid at the top 25 to start the next season.

Conversely, was UCLA hurt too much by their loss to a mediocre mid-major school last year? Not a bit. most people outside of the MWC hardly remember their game from last year.

My vote, hope for the worst bowl-eligible team from the best conference. Even against a decent team from the PAC 10, BYU doesn't get embarassed and have much to gain on the national scene by a good performance.

Re: Our LV bowl opponent
 

The tie was with Iowa(13-13), BTW. BYU lost to PS in the '89 Holiday Bowl, 50-39.

In fact, one of the arguments I heard against Notre Dame going to the BCS is that they only one games against three teams with winning records "two of which are Navy and BYU."

Ouch. Now we are such dogs, that pundits use us when they want to emphasize a pathetic schedule.

Re: Our LV bowl opponent
 

You are correct sir. I don't know how I messed that one up.