What BYU's Statement Win over No. 21 Boise State Means for the Future
No. 9 BYU broke the Smurf Turf curse on Friday night with a 51-17 statement win over No. 21 Boise State. The now 8-0 Cougars – who are on their best start since 2001 - have solidified their place in the AP Top 10. Will BYU make the CFB Playoff? A new year’s six bowl game? Will Zach Wilson win the Heisman? Here's what BYU’s blowout in Boise could mean for the Cougars entering the new week:
CFB Playoff
It is too early in the season for anyone to decide which four teams will book their place in the CFB Playoff, but BYU certainly can’t be counted out. ESPN’s College Gameday crew dedicated a large portion of their Saturday morning show to the Cougar's path to the Playoff. “They’re winning games by an average of 45-13.” Colle Gameday’s Kirk Herbstreit said. “What else can you ask them to do? I don’t care what the schedule says. It’s about what you’re doing on the field, and they do everything.”
COVID-19 has brought unique challenges to college football, including the way in which teams will be judged ahead of Playoff contention. The College Gameday crew discussed that teams will be judged on a number of different criteria including categories such as strength of schedule, number of (non-conference) games played, and overall record. Chris “Bear” Fallica added his two cents on BYU during the Playoff discussion: "Other than Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State, if BYU were to play anybody in the country, would you absolutely 100% pick any other team in the country to beat BYU? Look, I give BYU a chance against anyone else in the country."
New Year’s Six Bowl Game
The New Year’s Six (NY6) is an unofficial term used to describe the six most coveted bowl games in college football: the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl. If the Cougars do not make the CFB Playoff, they will more than likely book a ticket to one of college football’s hottest bowl games. ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura projects that Zach Wilson and the Cougars will play Pac-12 powerhouse Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.
BYU have certainly demonstrated that they can compete with just about anybody in 2020. “We’ve always had big dreams and big ideas about what we want to do as a team and where we want to be,” senior defensive lineman Bracken El-Bakri said. “I don’t think that’s any different from this season than it has been in other seasons. We want to succeed. We want to play well as a team. We want to go places together as a brotherhood. But the way to do that is to take it week by week.”
BYU cannot be counted out of any conversations at the current moment. "(BYU is) a tough team all-around,” ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit said. “As teams keep losing, do not forget about BYU. They're legit."
Zach Wilson’s Heisman Candidacy
Wilson’s last appearance on the Smurf Turf came when the young BYU prodigy threw a perfect 18 for 18 in the 2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Then teammate Dylan Collie had bold predictions for the young star that seem to ring true today: “To see an 18-year-old, 19-year-old kid in Zach Wilson and what’s going to happen in the next three years. He set the bar for himself, but he’ll set it even higher. This kid will be one of the, if not the greatest, quarterback in BYU history.” While some may disagree that Wilson will be the best quarterback in BYU history, the junior standout has unquestionably made a name for himself on the national stage.
After Friday night’s performance, Wilson claimed his place as the nation’s highest-graded quarterback (94.3). The Heisman contender also leads the nation in rushing touchdowns (8) among FBS quarterbacks in 2020. When Wilson was asked about being a contender for the Heisman, he said “It is a dream…But, I always tell the guys on the team this when they bring it up: It is really a team award. No one is winning the Heisman if you are losing games.” The Cougars perfect record certainly bodes well Wilson’s Heisman candidacy, but the season isn’t over quite yet.
Trevor Lawrence, Mac Jones, Justin Fields, and Kyle Trask are all still in the running to book a room in the Heisman House, but Zach Wilson is surely rising through the ranks.
BYU currently has two games remaining on its schedule: Northern Alabama and San Diego State. While the Cougars have a BYE this week, BYU Director of Athletics Tom Holmoe hinted that BYU may not be done scheduling games. “Coug Nation, we’ve played 7 games in a row,” Homloe said. “With a game scheduled in 2 weeks, if we add a game this week that would make 9 in a row. Kalani will use the BYE this weekend wisely to strengthen the boys – in every way – for whatever lies ahead. Love your passion!”
While 2020 has been an upsetting year in many regards, Zach Wilson and the Cougars certainly have not disappointed anyone in Cougar Nation. Read here for a more in depth analysis about potential bowl game matchups.