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<\/a><\/p>\nFor any Utah fans reading, I promise, there was no interfering with this one. This was all the computer. Utah was up 14-7 at the half. The Cougars defense got stout in the second half and provided some juice with a pick six by Mo Bamba to tie the game. It was a slugfest to the very end. Like last year in Salt Lake, Will Ferrin nailed the game-winning kick, this time to the delight of the frenzied crowd in Provo. There doesn\u2019t appear to be a feature where it shows the crowd storming the field after, but this seems like a scenario where they would given this ending.<\/p>\n
@ Iowa State (L, 33-30, 2OT)<\/p>\n
This is likely BYU\u2019s toughest game on paper. Iowa State is BYU\u2019s highest ranked opponent via the preseason AP poll at No. 22. It\u2019s impossible to know what the two teams will look like in late October. In this simulation, the Cougars gave the Cyclones all they could handle. Ferrin nailed a late field goal to force overtime in Ames. Then the teams traded touchdowns in the first OT period before a costly turnover by BYU set up a chip-shot, game-winning field goal for Iowa State.<\/p>\n
Playing back-to-back road games against preseason ranked opponents is brutal. The wear and tear showed, even with a bye week in between. The Red Raiders are very talented and, in this simulation, looked like they were poised to win the Big 12 Conference. The Cougar offense sputtered and the Red Raiders feasted on a fatigued BYU defense that was on the field too long.<\/p>\n
TCU has been such a bugaboo for BYU historically. This time, TCU comes in with a proven quarterback in Josh Hoover. Yes, that Josh Hoover who threw for 439 yards and four touchdowns against BYU in his first ever start back in 2023. Now, he\u2019s a proven commodity and he gets his against a talented BYU defense here. There is just something about TCU that BYU can\u2019t figure out and it continues.<\/p>\n
Honestly, this game shouldn\u2019t have been this close. BYU was up 20-3 in the second half but the offense stalled out. That allowed Cincy to gain some momentum and make the game interesting late. They cut it to a seven point deficit with two minutes left but BYU recovered the onside kick and LJ Martin ran for the game-sealing first down. This game was another marker of the computer feeling like BYU\u2019s offense will sputter at times this season, which may be an accurate depiction.<\/p>\n
After so many close games, BYU finally gets a two-score win with the offense humming. This was Bachmeier\u2019s best game in Big 12 play. Perhaps the cold November air at altitude wore the Knights down. The score was 30-10 before UCF got a late score. This was the most comfortable conference win of the simulation.<\/p>\n
That leaves BYU at 7-5 for the regular season, becoming bowl eligible for the second season in a row and seven of the last eight seasons.<\/p>\n
Given BYU\u2019s record and distance from the top of the Big 12, they won\u2019t get a primetime bowl slot at 7-5. Still, it\u2019s a bowl game and a chance to finish with eight wins.<\/p>\n