[silverliningsurfer]

I have no idea what Indiana’s NIL budget looks like but I’d imagine their boosters are longing more for basketball resurgence instead of going in on football, especially considering they could dominate B10 basketball. Definitely agree that they are an example of hope that, if nothing else, schools like Utah can still catch lightning in a bottle and make a strong playoff push.

The caveats I’ll add are:
(i.) CFB fans on the whole are going to have to adjust to a new mindset. What I hate about the current setup is that with the old bowl system, you could win a solid bowl and feel good about your season. For 95% of programs, simply making the playoffs, and maybe winning 1 game, should be viewed as a great accomplishment, even though the team will have nothing to show for it. As much as CFB is morphing into NFL-lite, where a fanbase wouldn’t celebrate losing in the wild card or divisional round, we need to acknowledge that only a handful of programs are REALLY going to be competing for championships.

(ii.) I think most Utah fans are hoping for sustained competitiveness and (relative) success versus being a flash in the pan. It remains to be seen if schools like CU and ASU are building something or having a lucky year (like BYU and IU are, imo). Most IU fans will probably take the season regardless, but if they fade back into mediocrity, it sucks that they don’t have a bowl game they can go and compete in.

Even though Utah lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, we can still at least celebrate that it was probably a Top-5 all time game in the most storied game in CFB. Losing to Ohio State on a walk off FG in a playoff game just doesn’t mean as much. Even winning a playoff game isn’t as impactful if you get steamrolled the next week. This is something CFB needs to figure out imo

[silverliningsurfer]

The defense has played with heart all year and kept us in every game. I hope that’s a good sign moving forward into next season.

The offense, outside of Bernard, has been pretty uninspired and gutless all year and I expect that to continue.

That said, for this game, this is probably the worst outcome going in. If CO sucked and dropped a few games their fans wouldn’t care, but with them being hot, they’ll actually have a home field advantage so their players will showboat and get the crowd in on big plays. I expect a relatively non-competitive game even if the score is closer.

[silverliningsurfer]

Appreciate this post and agree with a lot of the sentiment. A few thoughts —

2.) I am sick of the BYU rivalry. Speaking as someone from the NE region where I grew up with RedSox-Yankees, Bruins-Maple Leafs/Canadiens, Patriots/Jets and some Pats/Ravens games… The BYU thing is something else and I can’t stand it. I think a lot of it comes from the “Church vs. State” undertones that come with the rivalry, but it’s infuriating. If Utah loses, we never hear the end of it. If we win, we also never hear the end of it. They project this holier-than-thou attitude while coming in here to troll, cheer for our player’s injuries, and try to act like the program is god’s gift to the world. I didn’t like it when Utah won 9 straight, and I don’t like it now. It’s especially rich that BYU tried to push the whole “let’s be friends!!” ad with the ADs I saw all over TV.

3.) Is there some contact? Maybe. But I think when you had BYU defenders maiming Singer all game, taking dirty shots after plays, and none of that gets called, it’s a joke to call a soft call like that in the 4th quarter. It should be the most egregious penalty in history to get called AWAY from the play in that scenario. You see this s**t happen in CFB and NFL all the time and it’s absurd. If it doesn’t impact the play, don’t call it. I had a feeling things were going to go south when they got so obviously bailed out like that. If crowd noise affects a coach’s ability to call a time out, that’s tough s**t too.

4.) I agree, I think BYU is insanely fraudulent and is getting the benefit of lucky bounces and to their credit they are playing smart and with confidence, but this is how the B12 goes. One team gets hot, goes on a run, and then falls back to the pack. I don’t think they are doing anything special, but it just seems like it’s their year. That said, I will cherish watching them get eviserated against Ohio State/Texas/whoever they play.

5.) I think KW has earned the right to leave on his terms but with the way this season has played out, I trust he has the awareness to realize that the program will need a fresh start next year. My hope is that Scalley just has a different perspective on how to run an offense. I think a lot of old school guys have trouble adjusting to the new NFL where QB is the most important position and offense > defense. You see the same thing with Belichick in the NFL. Saban seems to be the only old school “smash mouth” coach who realized that you need to play with an explosive offense in today’s game.

6.) I hated this move the second it was announced but unfortunately I don’t think it’s going anywhere. The irony is I wonder if every school not named Oregon is questioning the decision right now, but it doesn’t matter how the schools feel because it was always about money. The B12 is already starting to fall behind the P2 conferences in terms of dollars. Utah will not sacrifice the money we’re getting in the B12 to do a regional thing, especially considering we don’t have big-pocket donors like blue blood programs do.

[silverliningsurfer]

Defense needs to do what they’ve been unable to all season and generate pressure. If they let the BYU offense operate with the same level of confidence they’ve had all year I think things could get ugly.

I’m already mentally preparing for their stupid read-option bulls**t to gash us but hopefully they can bait Retzlaff into some stupid decisions.

[silverliningsurfer]

Shaping up to be a tough game. Hard to say we could beat anyone with how we’ve played the last few weeks, but given CU’s rise this year, their fans will actually be invested and it’ll be a hostile environment.

[silverliningsurfer]

You aren’t wrong. I think most fans who are rational are trying to be patient with Isaac, but he also hasn’t shown much other than a few flashes here and there. A lot of frustration and disappointment comes from the fact that if he had played average, the team would probably be something like 6-2 or 5-3, and if he’s supposed to be the next guy, shouldn’t he be able to show enough to win the TCU/Houston games?

Ultimately, Rising’s injury put the team in a really tough spot having to juggle the present and future of the program at the same time, and I think we’re seeing the results. Who knows if Rose has been outplaying Wilson for most of the season, but it definitely feels like the team gave Wilson the keys regardless of if he “deserved” it or not, probably because they are concerned about him transferring out. Hindsight is 20/20 but it feels like they’ve really mismanaged the QB position the last few years, which is close to unforgivable given that it is the most important individual position in sports.

[silverliningsurfer]

Solid game, but it’s hard to really consider that PSU will actually win any of these games until they actually do. Ohio State -3 was free money

[silverliningsurfer]

Certainly not very exciting but our slate is pretty disgusting. The best home game is Kansas State. After that? I couldn’t tell you.

Hopefully the program can reload next year instead of spiraling because that schedule looks really, really easy.

[silverliningsurfer]

I think anyone who sells tickets to a BYU fan (or frankly, someone who isn’t a confirmed Utah fan) is a disgrace. Could you imagine a Michigan fan selling their ticket to an OSU fan during a season they’re undefeated and have playoff aspirations? You should lose your fan card.

The only snowball’s chance in hell they have of pulling a miracle upset is having the fans on their side. If the team sees a sea of red when they come out of the tunnel, they’ll at least be jazzed up. If they see a ton of blue, it’ll reaffirm for them that the fans also quit on the season. This is the ONE game you should never blindly sell your tickets to (i.e. letting whomever buy them).

[silverliningsurfer]

I don’t think they have a choice at this point. Unfortunately, things really can’t get worse from here, other than the footnote of starting 4-0 and losing out. I’d play him if it helps secure him coming back.

Allegedly Isaac has some attitude problems. I’m not sure if he could get buy in from people for the last few games. I’d imagine he would need to come back from the offseason with a new attitude and improvement to win people over, but who knows.

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