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Sep 8, 2023
1:26:16pm
krindorr Starter
What Games to Watch in Week 2 (from a BYU/Big 12 perspective)

So this will be my recommendations for best games to watch in each time slot.  This won't necessarily always be the top game since I'm looking at this as a BYU fan, meaning that BYU games, future BYU opponents, and conference play will get a slight bonus.

Friday Night

Only two games here...but Illinois @ Kansas (3:30 Mountain, ESPN2) is actually worth watching. This is not only a chance to support the Big 12 against a power conference opponent, but is one of our best/only chances to see Kansas play before we face them in Week 4. This will be the first time Jalon Daniels plays and probably their best opponent before the BYU game. Kansas is favored by 3.5, so it also has the possibility to be a good game.

Saturday Morning (Pre-Noon Mountain)

Top game here is probably going to be Nebraska @ #22 Colorado (FOX).  There's a few other Big 12 teams playing, but none that are on the BYU schedule and ther's definitely some fascination to see how real Colorado is. If nothing else, it may tell us something about TCU.  And with Colorado favored by only 2, it will hopefully be an interesting game.

If this game does get out of hand though, there are several other options including:

  • #10 Notre Dame @ NC State (10:00, ABC) - There's 4 Top 10 teams in this window, but Notre Dame is the only one playing a quality opponent. Notre Dame is favored by 7.5, but at least NC State is coming off a win, making this the only matchup in this time slot of 1-0 P5 (or P5-equivalent) schools.  Depedning on your Colorado curiosity, this may well be the top game
  • #12 Utah @ Baylor (10:00, ESPN) - Baylor's loss takes some luster off of this game, but it's hard to imagine they'll be that bad again and this is one of the few P5 v P5 games in this slot and clearly better than the only one not yet mentioned (Vanderblt vs Wake Forest, 9 ET ACCN). Utah is favored by 7.5, so worth keeping an eye on to see if Baylor surprises...but may get ugly if they're not better than last week

Saturday Afternoon (Noon-3 Mountain)

As always, the easiest choice of the day is to watch BYU play.  This one is SUU @ BYU (1 PM Mountain, ESPN+) and is a good chance for the BYU offense to regroup. BYU wsan't quite up to expectations in Week 1 against Sam Houston St and SUU put a scare into Arizona...but BYU is obviously still HEAVILY favored.  This game is less about getting the win and more about ironing out some issues we had in Week 1   

Other games of interest include

  • Kent St @ Arkansas (2:00, SECN) - On the one hand, it would be nice to see what Arkansas looks like, since BYU plays them the next weekend.  Unfortunately, a game against Kent St probably isn't going to tell us anything.  Arkansas is favored by 38.  You probably can't watch this one anyway (given that it's on the SEC Network)...but if you want an advance look at BYU's next opponent, this is your chance
  • Iowa @ Iowa St (1:30, FOX) - given the channel and the line (Iowa favored by 3.5) this likely gets more attention than the others on my list, but it'll be interesting to see Iowa St (a future opponent) against a quality team (one with a good defense and questionable offense...).  It's below the Arkansas game since there's a lot more time to scout Iowa St, but it'll probably be a better game to watch
  • #20 Ole Miss @ #24 Tulane (1:30, ESPN2) - One of only two ranked v ranked matchups this week.  Is it relevant to BYU? Not really, but still one of the better non-BYU options in this timeslot.  Not a lot of great, compelling matchups here. Ole Miss is favored by a touchdown.  Also honorable mention to Texas A&M @ Miami (1:30, ABC) which is on a OTA spotlight based on two brandname teams and projected to be close (A&M favored by 3.5)

Saturday Prime (3-5:30 Mountain)

And finally we get to the great games for the week. There's a lot of solid games, including some with Big 12 implications...but the game to watch is clearly #11 Texas @ #3 Alabama (5:00, ESPN). This is the biggest game of the week and one of the bigger games of the season. It's barely related to BYU (BYU plays @ Texas at the end of Ocotber and Sarkisian is the Texas coach)...but it'll be the one being discussed on the board. Alabama is favored by a touchdown, and if it gets ugly, there's some other great options

Other games of note include:

  • #13 Oregon @ Texas Tech (5:00, FOX) - Is Texas Tech really as bad as they looked against Wyoming?  Texas Tech was considered a conference darkhorse at the start of the season and Oregon is only favored by 6, so this is a chance for the Red Raiders to show that Week 1 was one of those anomalies that just happen sometimes.  We don't play Tech until late in the season...but this could have a big impact on where their psyche goes.
  • Cincy @ Pitt (4:30, CW) - BYU plays Cincinnati in Week 5 and this is the only game before then where Cincy plays an opponent that isn't terrible (Eastern Kentucky, Miami OH) or great (Oklahoma), so a nice chance to scout them... And to see a game on the CW. Pitt is favored by 7
  • SMU @ #18 Oklahoma (4:00, ESPN+) - Speaking of Oklahoma...are they actually great?  In all seriousness, this is a decent chance to take a look at Oklahoma. They disappointed greatly last year and SMU has an argument (along with Cincy) as their toughest opponent in the first 5 weeks.  We'll know what we have in Oklahoma by our game, but this could be an early warning sign if they disappoint again. Okahoma is favored by 14.5
  • Other interesting Big 12 games include UCF @ Boise St (5:00, FS1) which would rank higher if we played UCF, but the rest are against terrible opponents (Duquesne, Rice, etc)

Saturday Evening (6-8:30 Mountain)

This is generally the weakest time-slot and that holds true here.  Some good teams (Florida St, USC, Oregon St) are playing, but the opponents (Southern Miss, Stanford, UC Davis) are so bad that it doesn't tell you anything. Luckily there's two games with some BYU impact and given the difference in start times, you can likely folow both of them. Never imagined I'd recommend it...but Air Force @ Sam Houston St (6:00, CBSSN) is a good opportunity to see if Sam Houston is really as capable as we're hoping they are.  Air Force is favored by 13.5

  • Oklahoma St @ Arizona St (8:30, FS1) - Oklahoma St is a future opponent (not until the last game of the season though). Arizona St is a future conference mate (not until next season though).  Both looked bad in beating teams they should have destroyed.  Oklahoma St is only favored by 3, so it could be decent.
  • Auburn @ Cal (8:30, ESPN) - If you're looking for a game on a channel you actually get, this is the best of a bad bunch.  Neither team is exciting or relevant to BYU, but it's at least 2 P5 teams in a competitive game (Auburn is favored by 6).  The aforementioned USC, Florida St and Oregon St games all have lines of about 30+ 
krindorr
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krindorr
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