is the best team we'll face. I'm simply saying that the game against them will be more difficult because we're playing them on the road in a very difficult environment (what with the cowbells and all). I think Wisconsin is a better team than Mississippi State, and I think the difficulty of each will be pretty similar and I think both could likely be losses. I simply rated Mississippi State as the more difficult matchup because we at least get Wisconsin in Provo, at altitude (not that I think that will make much difference. They're a very good team). I think LSU will be our most difficult game of the season.
Last season we lost by 1 point to Utah on the road in a difficult environment and the same for Boise State. If we would have played Mississippi State on the road last season, I think we would have lost by a TD or more. It took everything we had to eke out a victory at home. I think Utah has enough talent gone from last season that they won't be as good as they were, plus they'll be breaking in another OC and we're facing them early in the season. We lost some great talent too, obviously. But I think they had more losses at significant positions and that favors the Cougars.
I feel that Boise State is trending down and aren't the power they once were. Granted, I don't follow them at all. That's just my perception of them.