before finally playing a P5 team. They had 3 tune-up games, 2 P5 teams, and then a schedule full of G5 opponents. Their depth isn’t going to be tested in nearly the same way as BYU, who started with 3 games against the PAC12, an AAC, regional rival USU, Boise, and Baylor.

No G5 teams, and frankly no P5 teams either, play anywhere close to as difficult an early schedule as BYU as an Independent. In 2019, it was four straight P5’s to open up. In 2018, four of the first five against P5. 2017 was three of the first four games.

I’m sure you can see the pattern, and there’s a reason why our depth is tested and beaten more than a team like Cincinnati.