BYU enters the 2015 campaign riding a wave of enthusiasm not seen in Provo this century. After an injury-plagued 2014, the Cougars and their fans have reason to be excited.
First, standout quarterback Taysom Hill is back at full strength, and he’ll be operating behind a veteran offensive line that returns all five starters. Hill will have no shortage of targets with veteran receivers Mitch Mathews, Devon Blackmon, Terenn Houk and Mitchell Juergens, who combined for 132 catches, 1,717 yards and 15 TDs in 2014. Add talented junior Nick Kurtz, who sat out last year with a foot injury, to the mix and it’s no wonder Cougars coach Bronco Mendenhall believes this could be the best offense in school history. Finally, BYU returns seven defensive starters from a unit that played exceptionally well last season.
The only thing that could ruin the Cougars season is a brutal schedule. BYU opens tomorrow at Nebraska, hosts Mountain West power Boise State next week and ends the month with road games at UCLA and Michigan.
BYU is a 7-point underdog at Nebraska, but should be able to keep the score close vs. a Cornhuskers team that may need a game or two to get the hang of new coach Mike Riley’s system. Take the points.
In other games:
TONIGHT
Baylor (-351⁄2) over SMU — Baylor, after being snubbed by the NCAA playoff selection committee last season, will take no prisoners here. An SMU team that was punchless (scoring 11.1 ppg) and defenseless (allowing 41.3 ppg) last season won’t slow the Bears down.
BOISE STATE (-13) over Washington — Tough spot for the Huskies, who are starting true freshman QB Jake Browning on Boise’s notorious blue carpet. Browning won’t get much support from an inexperienced team that was hard hit by graduation. Lay the points.
TOMORROW
FLORIDA (-37) over New Mexico State — Gators fans, depressed by their team’s dismal point production the past few years, have to be ecstatic over the hiring of offensive guru Jim McElwain. The heat, humidity and UF’s huge edge in depth turns the Aggies’ visit to the Swamp into a rout.
Arizona State (+31⁄2) over Texas A&M (in Houston) — One of the better games this weekend gives fans a matchup of power conferences SEC and Pac-12. Take the points with the Sun Devils, who bring the better defense to the fray.
N.C. STATE (-26) over Troy — There is an air of optimism in Raleigh, where coach Dave Doeren seems to be making progress in his two-year tenure as leader of the Wolfpack. They’ll roll over the Trojans, who’ll be fortunate to finish at .500 in the lowly Sun Belt Conference.
GEORGIA (-35) over La.-Monroe — This is a David vs. Goliath matchup that figures to get out of hand early. Power teams like the Bulldogs have to lay the lumber to outclassed foes or suffer the consequences when the national rankings come out.
KENTUCKY (-17) over La.-Lafayette — Third-year coach Mark Stoops has done a solid job of recruiting at UK, and the Wildcats are slowly becoming competitive in the powerful SEC. Kentucky has a great shot to go bowling this season but, given its brutal conference schedule, can’t afford a slip up here.
NOTRE DAME (-91⁄2) over Texas — After a 6-7 debut season, Texas coach Charlie Strong starts Year 2 with a roster loaded with freshmen and sophomores. That’s not the ideal scenario for opening in South Bend, where the veteran Irish are eager to prove they’re a contender in the national title chase.
Alabama (-12) over Wisconsin — The Badgers have a new head coach in Paul Chryst, a shaky quarterback and issues along the offensive line. They may not be ready to start the season vs. a ’Bama team eager to atone for last year’s loss in the national championship game.
Mississippi State (-21) over SO. MISSISSIPPI — The Bulldogs pounded Southern Miss 49-0 in last season’s opener, and they’ll have little trouble pulling away from the Golden Eagles, who have been defenseless against the quality opponents they’ve faced the past few seasons.
USC (-27) over Arkansas State — Trojans coach Steve Sarkisian embarrassed himself with a drunken appearance at a pep rally, and a big opening-game win is just the ticket to get him off the hook. The talented Red Wolves will keep it close for a while, but USC’s superior depth prevails in the second half.
Last season: 100-112-2.
