After 11 years, the Bronco Mendenhall era is over in Provo. In comes first-time head coach Kalani Sitake to take over at his alma mater. He wasn’t a flashy hire to folks that cover college football nationally, but within the walls of BYU, the Cougars feel like they have their man. And he inherits a program that isn’t broken. BYU has won eight games or more in nine of the last 10 seasons, but the new coach will be tested with one of the tougher schedules the school has ever faced.
BYU Cougars Regular Season Win Total Odds at BookMaker.eu
Cougars Over 8 Wins +105
Cougars Under 8 Wins -125
2015 BYU COUGARS SEASON REVIEW
For the sixth time in Mendenhall’s 11-year tenure, BYU won at least nine games. The Cougars had a story book start to last season. After winning their opener at Nebraska on a Hail Mary, they knocked of Boise State in the final seconds in Week 2. After a couple losses at Michigan and UCLA, they went 7-1 over their last eight before losing to Utah in their bowl game.
BYU mostly dominated lesser opponents and showed resilience after a disastrous start against Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. Down 35-0 after 10 minutes and a deluge of turnovers, they got to within 35-28. BYU seemed to hit a ceiling under Mendenhall, but it was a pretty good ceiling; one that nobody besides LaVell Edwards has managed to reach.
The Cougars were their own worst enemy at times, making the one error they absolutely couldn’t and sometimes wasting their best performances in games that didn’t matter. Last season, the Cougars played three of their four worst games against the three best teams on the schedule.
WHAT CHANGED
Sitake was a fullback in college and spent two years as an offensive assistant for Southern Utah. Still, one assumes he’ll play more of a day-to-day role on defense. And he’s handed over the offense to somebody who knows a thing or two about running the BYU offense.
Ty Detmer, who threw for over 15,000 yards and 121 touchdowns in his BYU career, makes the huge leap from a small private school in Texas to the coaches’ box at LaVell Edwards Stadium as BYU’s new offensive coordinator.
2016 BYU COUGARS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
Sep. 3: vs. Arizona
Sep. 10: at Utah
Sep. 17: vs. UCLA
Sep. 24: vs. West Virginia
Sep. 30: vs. Toledo
Oct. 8: at Michigan State
Oct. 14: vs. Mississippi State
Oct. 20: at Boise State
Nov. 5: at Cincinnati
Nov. 12: vs. Southern Utah
Nov. 19: vs. Massachusetts
Nov. 26: vs. Utah State
2016 BYU COUGARS SEASON PREVIEW
Detmer has one of the nation’s most interesting quarterback derbies to play around with thanks to the return of Taysom Hill for another season. Hill is on the Timmy Chang program for NCAA quarterbacks and will participate in another season of football on the Provo campus.
Hill is the all-around baller, while Tanner Mangum, who orchestrated a couple of dramatic comeback wins last year, is the passer. They will both see their share of time, but are there receivers in place to take advantage of the situation?
BYU returns a lot of experience and has arguably the most talented quarterback unit in college football. The Utah game in Week 2 looms large, as the Cougars have lost five in a row to their rival. If they knock off Arizona in a neutral-site game then beat the Utes, the Cougs could top their projected total.
But the schedule is no cupcake, with the toughest tasks coming away from home. They play Arizona, Utah, West Virginia, Michigan State, Boise State and Cincinnati all on the road. They also host UCLA, Toledo, Mississippi State and Utah State. The only for sure wins are home games against Southern Utah and UMass. With this slate, even if BYU is terrific, just getting through with a winning season will be an accomplishment.
College Football Odds: BYU Cougars Under 8 Wins
Bookmaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling line action at Bookmaker sportsbook!
