Reasons for concern

[Archaea]

Overall, BYU's had perhaps a better season, as BYU hasn't experienced two conference losses, yet.

Utah appears to be peaking right now.

And Kyle does a good job peaking his team for key games, to wit, UCLA this year, Louisville and last year's rivalry game which should NOT have been close, but came down to a miracle.

Utah has the fastest defense we will have faced all year. And Utah's healthy while BYU is banged up.

One little kept secret is injuries. Utah gets a lot of sympathy for its injuries which were indeed costly but BYU has had several times the season ending injuries that Utah has had with nary a mention. In other words we're far deeper into our depth chart than Utah but nobody is pitying us our losses.

And Bronco isn't consistent in preparing his teams well for key games. They tend to play level or flat in some, not all of these games.

What reasons in terms of trends in an examination of their play do you see to believe BYU will not lose this one, or that Utah won't steal another in Provo.

How long has it been since we've won it, 2001?

[TheSizzle36]

Originally Posted by Archaea

And Bronco isn't consistent in preparing his teams well for key games. They tend to play level or flat in some, not all of these games.

What games have they not been prepared for this year? Most of the mistakes that they have made offensively have just been mistakes that you would expect from a young QB and young offense in general. In about every game I would say our team had a clear gameplan to win, and in just about every case, they have done so. The only real exception this season was Tulsa, which it is something that Bronco will need to fix in the upcoming seasons. Games like that turn seasons from BCS to borderline Top 25 years real quickly.

Originally Posted by Archaea

What reasons in terms of trends in an examination of their play do you see to believe BYU will not lose this one, or that Utah won't steal another in Provo.

BYU has been consistent all year long. Utah has up and down. BYU has learned to play in close games, and has learned how to win those. Has Utah? (I honestly ask, because I don't know). Can Utah respond if they get knocked around a bit and get down two scores? I'm not sure if they can.

Originally Posted by Archaea

How long has it been since we've won it, 2001?

Well, it's only 6 days until we win it again... which is fine with me.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by TheSizzle36

BYU has been consistent all year long. Utah has up and down. BYU has learned to play in close games, and has learned how to win those. Has Utah? (I honestly ask, because I don't know). Can Utah respond if they get knocked around a bit and get down two scores? I'm not sure if they can.

Utah was up and down the first 4 games of the season. Now they've been playing consistently well. A 7 game win streak spells consistent in my book, no matter the team.

You make a good point about whether Utah can respond if they get down two scores, but this is the rivalry game. BYU was up 2 scores last year and we know how that turned out.

IMO, BYU is the best offense that Utah will face this year and Utah is the best defense that BYU will face this year. In this game, it all boils down to who wants it more.

[JohnnyLingo]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

In this game, it all boils down to who wants it more.

I concur. Utah could be 1-9 and they'd still bring their A+ game to Provo this Saturday. Past records and performances mean nothing in this game, and that's part of what makes it so good. Outside of 2004, the rivalry game has been down-to-the-wire intense every year for the past decade.

And that's fun football to watch, even if it will give me a heart attack one of these years.