Bowl Game Projections for BYU Football After 2-0 Start

Casey Lundquist | Sep 11, 2024

Sep 6, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Brigham Young Cougars safety Crew Wakley (7) celebrates a fourth down stop against the Southern Methodist Mustangs to seal the win during the second half at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Coming into the 2024 season, ESPN FPI gave BYU just a 31% chance to win six games and reach bowl eligibility. After a 2-0 start, including a win over SMU as a double-digit underdog, BYU's chances to reach six wins have increased to 76% according to FPI. BYU is now included in most bowl game projections. Today, we're recapping the bowl projections as well as the forecasted opponents.

ESPN - Kyle Bonagura

Bowl: Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Opponent: Army

The Armed Forces Bowl against one of the academies would be a cool experience, but the Armed Forces Bowl is near the very bottom of the Big 12 pecking order. This is the kind of bowl game BYU could expect if they narrowly get to bowl eligibility at 6-6.

ESPN - Mark Schlabach

Bowl: SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Opponent: UTSA

Speaking of bowl games near the bottom of the Big 12 pecking order, the First Responder Bowl against UTSA would be similar to the bowl games BYU participated in during the independence era.

Action Network - Brett McMurphy

Bowl: Gasparilla Bowl
Opponent: Syracuse

A bowl game against an ACC foe. BYU hasn't faced Syracuse in football since 2002 when the Cougars beat the Orange 42-21.

Athlon Sports - Steve Lassan

Bowl: Armed Forces Bowl
Opponent: Washington State

BYU is 4-1 all time against Washington State. The last time Washington State beat BYU was in 1989.

247Sports - Brad Crawford

Bowl: Armed Forces Bowl
Opponent: Air Force

This game would be a renewal of a Mountain West rivalry. BYU is 24-7 all time against Air Force.