To me the season has three categories:

Games I’ll Always Expect BYU to Win
USU
Hawaii
NIU
NMSU
McNeese
UMASS

Understand we dropped several of those types of games last year but over the past 40 years I have to believe that’s the exception more than the rule.

Winnable Games That Require BYU To Play Their Best and/or Punch Slightly Above Their Weight
Arizona
Cal
Utah*
BSU*

Don’t Expect to Win. Just Plan a Fun Road Trip and Don’t Let Outcome of Game Ruin It
Washington
Wisconsin

To me, I base the success of the season on those middle four, with extra points for the *rivalry games.

Assume 6-0 in first tier; 0-2 in third. Losing a first tier game is as unacceptable as winning a third tier game is unexpected.

It all comes down to the middle 4.
0-4 means 6-6 overall. To me that season held serve. No real excitement generated. The program isn’t better for it but also isn’t worse off.

1-3 means 7-5 overal. Certainly better than 0-4 but the game we win matters. If it’s Utah that’s a lot more exciting version of 7-5 than if it’s Arizona, for example.

2-2 means 8-4 overall. This has the feel of a good, right on the cusp of great season. If the two wins are BSU and Utah that makes it great in my opinion. At this point we’re 1-1 so still hope for so combo of 2-2.

3-1 means 9-3 overall. A great season. Probably finish Top 25. Only disappointment this year if this happens would be knowing what if with the Cal game. If BYU does go 3-1 it’ll mean they figured some stuff out that would have probably got the job done v. Cal.

4-0 is a special season to me.

To me BYU fans were done with Bronco because despite some early seasons where we beat Utah and finished in that great season range he seemed to have stalled in that hold serve, nothing special, win the games you should and not much else zone. That and he couldn’t beat Utah anymore.

I liked Bronco and recognized the value of a good floor. Maybe every season doesn’t get to the ceiling but it’s nice to have a high floor.

The hope with Kalani is that he would have that extra umph to take Bronco’s floor, mix in better recruiting so that we’re just *that* much better/deeper at a few positions, and turn 8-5 into 10-3/11-2.

Unfortunately last year it was proven that the bottom can drop out at BYU. But this season is not lost. We haven’t dropped a game we shouldn’t have yet. We still have Utah and BSU. Utah State and Hawaii could be good wins for us. I for one still feel optimistic. And I will until there’s no reason to be anymore.