My take on the significance of this past weekends games--

[SeattleUte]

A monster win for the Utes, and an absolutely meaningless loss for BYU.

On the one hand, the Utes come into the season minus all their key skill position offensive players from last year, including their quarterback (the top player picked in the NFL draft), and with a thoroughly untested quarterback, and a new coach with no head coaching experience. On the other hand, Utah's fans have been spoiled silly by success, and Whittingham didn't exactly inherit a bare cupboard. The Utes really needed this win against Arizona, a Pac 10 team, with a coach who has a proven record of success, that finished last year drubbing ranked arch rival Arizona State. A Ute loss wouldn't have necessarily told that much about the future, but it sure was nice for Whit to start his carreer with a win in these circumstances. Also, it seems there was a real reality check with Brian Johnson. The eighteen year old showed a lot more than promise. Finally, this was the kind of game McBride would have lost 80% of the time; it had all the elements.

BYU on the other hand, is at the opposite end of the spectrum. Three straight losing seasons, three straight losses to Utah, eleven straight losses to ranked teams, etc. The coach is new, and it takes a long time to turn around a football program in BYU's condition. I could cite a lot of coaches who struggled mightily early on with football programs, only to create greatness three years or so down the road: Lavelle Edwards, Bill McCartny (Colorado), Lou Holtz (Notre Dame), Bill Parcells. There are many other examples. This first game for BM is meaningless. BYU fans should realize they have a long climb if the team is to regain respectability. It seems that those who predict instant success are always the ones who are the first to turn on the coach. These fans are immature and not realistic.

Had BYU won a logical explanation might have been that it was a fluke.

[John Haddow]

BYU played a much stronger team in Boston College. The defense played average but allowed Boston College to complete to many passes. Boston College also went into a two deep cover defense playing their safeties 20 yards off the ball. This took away the deep threat that Watkins poses and forced BYU (Beck) to beat them with 10 completetions and no mistakes. They were unable to make this happen.

Utah did not look overpowering at all against an Arizona team that while better than last year will be lucky to be above 500. Brian Johnson showed some good signs and Gantner was very good. BJ did show a propensity to run with the ball and not wait on the route to develop. Some better passing teams will expose some weaknesses. Without the interception this may have been a different game, but the interception did happen.

Boston College was the best of the four teams in question this weekend, by a wide margin. Their offensive line is experienced and good. Their defense is solid, not spectacular but solid.

Tom O'Brien outcoached Bronco Mendenhall. He kept his defensive players rested and they did not wilt in the fourth quarter. (see Syracuse game) Why Bronco was punting on fourth down on the BC 36 in the fourth quarter and down two scores I have no idea. He must have watched Stoops the night before and not learned anything.

One thing I have to say is that everytime ACC officials come into Provo some of the calls whenever BYU gets in the red zone are very questionable. Remember the Virginia game and BYU scores from the 1 and they call holding. Everytime BYU started to drive the ball close there was a holding call. I live in ACC country and their crews are known for "home cooking" in OCC games. Prior to Virginia Tech moving to the ACC they insisted on neutral officials in the Virginia game after getting to many questionable calls in previous years.

My last comment, we got to watch the Utah game in HD and it is spectacular on a big screen. It makes the other games look a little blurry. Here to hoping everyone moves to HD quickly.