Partly because it's a reflection on how the previous season went and partly because (while not 100%) preseason predictions are a decent indicator of the upcoming season.

None of us are over here saying "Man, Utah basketball is so lucky and I wish we were them and had no expectations or excitement. It really sucks to be a fan of BYU basketball"

So when we try to pretend we're somehow excited that our football team is viewed similarly...it just comes off as a coping mechanism to me