time.

We'll play 7 P5s this year. I believe that's the most we've ever played in a single season. That means two things:

- We're going to lose games. We aren't Alabama (not even Alabama is going undefeated this year). We're going to lose games--particularly when we have lower recruiting rankings than the vast majority of those teams. The fanbase has to come to terms with that. The season is not over when we lose, like it was in the WAC or MWC or especially as an Indy. Instead, as a P5, there's a lot to play for.

Let me say this clearly: most seasons we're going to be closer to K-State in terms of results than we are to Ok State or even Baylor--especially in the next 3-5 years. Get used to 7-4 being a VERY GOOD season.

I said this before the Boise State game: going 2-2 over the next 4 games is a HUGE VICTORY. I believed 1-3 and even 0-4 were on the table. The schedule was just too tough to think otherwise.

Look at what Purdue did to #2 Iowa at Iowa. If they're playing UNLV, they win that game. But Purdue is a P5 team with P5 talent. They can win ANY week.

- Injuries matter - For some reason it feels like BYU fans are ignorant of the impact of injuries on results. When your best defensive player and captain goes down, your defense isn't going to be as good--especially when you play good teams. The defense has not been the same since the ASU game. Pili is the reason why. .And you can say 'how does one player have that impact?' and that's fair, BUT if Fred Warner went down the 49ers D would suck. If TJ Watt went down, the Pitt D would fall off, etc. When you play good competition EVERY WEEK, injuries matter.

BYU has work to do--from a coaching, but mostly a recruiting standpoint--before we will see consistent success in the Big 12 (and btw, I define Big 12 success at 7-5 or 8-4).

BYU fans have to change our mentality on what success looks like as a P5. We will lose A LOT of games when we play P5s every week. Go look at Kansas State's record in the last 2 decades. I think that's a good analogy. Fans flipping out over a couple of losses, or losing all faith in the team is stupid. When you play good teams EVERY week, you will lose somewhat often.

Get used to it.

This ain't the WAC where we had 3 games per year on the schedule that were more talented than us, or the MWC where it was all garbage other than Utah/TCU and occasionally SDSU.

In most years we will be the LESS talented team on the field with 3-4 exceptions.

Let the reality of better competition wash over you.