NEW 2020 schedule

I'd like to see Army back on the schedule for one of those open weekends in November.

https://twitter.com/SportyMcSports/status/1313847929673641985



In the comment the Ute has Utah at 6. Who would that be?

scott715 wrote:

https://www.si.com/college/byu/news/a-look-at-byu-footballs-scheduling-options-in-november

This article pretty much revealed what I was afraid of--adding a P5 to the schedule for one of these two November weeks is pretty unlikely.



There are currently 3 holes in the schedule:

November 14

November 28

December 5



BYU would only be able to add a game on two of these weeks as they would hit the 12 game limit.



11/14: UMass is available (seriously though?), Charlotte (C-USA) is as well although this is their first bye after 9 weeks of games.



I'm a little intrigued by Nevada potentially looking for a game as they are scheduled to play @ New Mexico in the MWC schedule this week. And unless things make a big change for the better in Albuquerque, Nevada may be cancelled this week. It's not a GREAT game, but I'd rather play Nevada than UMass.



11/28: #19 Marshall (5-0) has an opening this week. So does Army (6-1) if they are interested in rescheduling the cancelled September game.



Another option would be to dip back into the MWC for New Mexico's opponent this week--who happens to be......drumroll......Utah State in Logan. Honestly I'd be good with any of the 3 options discussed for this week. Even a win against one of these other G5s isn't likely to impress poll voters that much--it is another G5 game anyhow. But I think for general football interest this week has potential late in the season.



12/5: If we look at the "who's playing New Mexico" option this week, they are scheduled to host Wyoming. :gross: If any AAC teams lose any games, they could pick up one here with the exception of Cincinnati/Memphis/Houston/Tulsa who have a game scheduled. Independent Liberty already has a game scheduled here



12/12: I guess technically BYU could add a 12th game here if they can't pick up 2 in the previous 3 openings--usually this is reserved for Army-Navy while teams are prepping for their bowl games--but there are many conferences wrapping up their seasons on this date. I imagine it would be super risky holding out for a game this week.

Could we play an independent championship game with ranked Liberty Dec 19?

Hard choices here. We don't want to lose a NY6 game but we want a shot at the playoff. On Dec 19 there might be a P5 team looking to move up to the playoff. Could we play some one like Florida or Texas A&M? Should we do it? Would a loss knock us out of the top 10?

scott715 wrote:
Would a lost knock us out of the top 1o?

Absolutely. No doubt about it.

scott715 wrote:

Hard choices here. We don't want to lose a NY6 game but we want a shot at the playoff. On Dec 19 there might be a P5 team looking to move up to the playoff. Could we play some one like Florida or Texas A&M? Should we do it? Would a lost knock us out of the top 1o?

I know people have a hard to believing this, but there is no way that BYU, nor Cincinnati will ever be allowed into the CFP championship series. This isn't a democracy. Just not going to happen.



I do remember though Steve Young being interviewed in I believe early season 1984 and saying that he believed that BYU would never be allowed to earn the National Championship. At the time, I agreed with him. But now, the P5's have aligned protections so that such an event never happens again.



The only way it could ever happen is if, like a season BYU was supposed to have before COVID, they beat every P5 on their schedule and one of Minnesota/Michigan St, one of Utah/ASU and Missouri all three won their P5 conference championships and BYU was undefeated. There is no way the CFP could get by that scenario.

A BYU-Florida game would get a lot of eyeballs and probably on national tv.

I think ESPN would probably try to get any additional BYU game on national TV because any game with Zach Wilson will get a lot of eyeballs right now.

Rumblings on other sites that a Thanksgiving week game is coming? No hint on who yet though...

https://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=24920451&tab=potd



. . . caught about 4 minutes of sports talk where the local host was talking to some kind of national pundit about the CFB playoffs. I wish I knew who the pundit was, but I couldn't catch his name and I didn't have time to wait around and listen very long. The host asked about BYU's chances for the playoffs and NY6. The conversation went something like this (paraphrasing):



Host: Let's talk about BYU. Do you think they have a legitimate shot at the playoffs?

Pundit: Not really. Maybe a slim, slim chance, if the stars align.



Host: They've thumped everybody in their path. Why no respect?

Pundit: I think they're getting lots of respect. They're ranked #8, which is quite amazing considering they've played almost nobody. But the formula to make the playoffs is pretty clear - you need the resume' that BYU just doesn't have.



Host: What does BYU need to do to qualify for the playoffs? How can they help their resume'?

Pundit: Play Alabama or Notre Dame or Clemson or Georgia... that's the resume' of the 4 teams who will make it. Look... realistically, nothing is within their control. They need a miracle - for every team ahead of them to lose 2 games. Their SOS just practically disqualifies them.



Host: But assuming BYU can manage to climb to #4 in the polls. Does that get them in?

Pundit: No. The AP poll means nothing. Secondly, I don't see a realistic path for them to get any higher than 6 or 7 in the AP poll.



Host: Is BYU a lock for a NY6 bowl?

Pundit: Close. I wouldn't say they're a lock, but they are definitely in a very strong position.



Host: What can BYU do to secure a NY6 bowl?

Pundit: Not much. The only thing that would really move the needle is to beat a team who will finish in the top-25.



Host: Does the Boise State win help them?

Pundit: Of course. But the weight of that win is still in question. Let's see how BSU's season progresses. It would really help if BSU runs the table and ends up ranked in the teens.



Host: Would a win over Marshall or Liberty move the needle?

Pundit: Not much. Both of those teams are viewed by the committee as top-25 "fill-ins" during a COVID year. From the people I talk to, nobody really believes they are that good. So let's assume BYU beats Liberty in a close game... most people will say 'Wow, BYU barely beat Liberty - are they really as good as we thought?' Or conversely, let's say BYU blows out Liberty - then people will say, "Yeah, that's what we thought... Liberty isn't really much better than LaTech or Houston or the other teams BYU has played.'



Host: You don't think BYU beating a Marshall would help them?

Pundit: Really, not much. Maybe it keeps them in the highlights on Sunday morning, but it doesn't add much meaningful weight to their resume'. To me, there's way more risk than reward in playing that kind of game.



Host: So to secure a NY6 bowl game, you think BYU needs a top-25 win?

Pundit: To make them a lock - yes, they need a win over a team who FINISHES in the top 25. So assuming BYU beats Liberty, I'm guessing they would plummet in the polls. Same for a number of teams. But again - I still think BYU is probably in a NY6 game, regardless.



Host: If you were advising BYU, what would you suggest they do as far as scheduling.

Pundit: I don't know what their options are. Is Army still a possibility? If so, I'd suggest they play that game, because I think a win over Army helps them just about as much as any other game they could realistically schedule. Ideally they could get a P5 team to play them, but that's just not happening So I would just suggest they play their schedule and let the chips fall.

https://www.si.com/college/byu/news/pro-football-focus-outlines-byus-path-to-the-college-football-playoff



Thinks we have a shot at play off.