BYU's Bowl Hopes Hinge on Protecting Lavell Edwards Stadium

Casey Lundquist | Jul 6, 2024

Oct 21, 2023; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Chase Roberts (2) scores a touchdown against Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive back Malik Dunlap (24) in the first quarter at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

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BYU Cougars

On Tuesday, the Big 12 preseason media poll was released. BYU was voted to finish 13th out of 16 Big 12 teams. The Cougars will face one of the toughest schedules in the conference. BYU is scheduled to play all five teams that are at the top of the Big 12 preseason poll: Utah, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Kansas, and Arizona.

BYU's challenging schedule is a major reason why oddsmakers aren't high on BYU's chances to go to a bowl game in 2024. Most sportsbooks set the over/under for BYU's 2024 win total at 4.5. If BYU is going to exceed expectations (at least those expectations set by oddsmakers) and get back to a bowl game, they need to protect Lavell Edwards Stadium.

On the bright side, BYU has a favorable home-away split in 2024. Of the five teams at the top of the preseason poll, BYU will get Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Kansas, and Arizona at home. The Cougars also host Houston at home who was picked to finish 15th in the Big 12. A 4-2 record at home would probably be enough to get back to bowl eligibility.

BYU hosts Southern Illinois to start the season, so a 1-0 start is very likely. After a pair of road games, BYU returns home to host Kansas State in the Big 12 opener. That game against Kansas State kicks off the most difficult seven-game stretch of the season. BYU will play Kansas State, Baylor, Arizona, Oklahoma State, UCF, Utah, and Kansas. Going at least 2-2 in the home games against Kansas State, Arizona, Oklahoma State, and Kansas could determine BYU's bowl eligibility.

The opposite was true in 2023. Excluding Oklahoma, BYU's most challenging games were on the road in the inaugural Big 12 campaign. BYU had to travel to Texas, Kansas, West Virginia, Arkansas, TCU and Oklahoma State. BYU went 1-5 in those six games.

Published Jul 6, 2024

CASEY LUNDQUIST

Casey Lundquist is the publisher and lead editor of Cougs Daily. He has covered BYU athletics for the last four years. During that time, he has published over 2,000 stories that have reached more than three million people.