10:25 pm
September 10

#9 Baylor @ #21 Brigham Young

Who will WIN this matchup?

#9 Baylor Bears (1-0)

@ #21 Brigham Young Cougars (1-0)

 

Current odds:

Baylor Bears: (+113)

Brigham Young Cougars: (-139)

 

• The line for this game is BYU by 2.5 points.

• No. 9 Baylor and No. 21 BYU are once again getting a head start on their future Big 12 rivalry when they square off Saturday night at Provo, Utah. The Cougars will be joining the Big 12 in 2023, but their immediate order of business is trying to avenge last season’s 38-24 road loss to Baylor. The Bears totaled 534 yards in that contest and dominated in the trenches while rushing for 303 yards.

• But Baylor (1-0) expects the task of winning to be much tougher when it tussles with BYU (1-0) in LaVell Edwards Stadium at 4,649-feet elevation.

• Baylor, which won a school-record 12 games last season, wasn’t pressed in its opener as it rolled to a 69-10 home victory over FCS Albany. Quarterback Blake Shapen made his third career start and was 17-for-20 passing for 214 yards and two touchdowns before calling it a day early in the third quarter.

• The Cougars also feature a solid quarterback in Jaren Hall, who completed 25 of 32 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns as BYU recorded a 50-21 opening win on the road against South Florida. Hall passed for 20 touchdowns and five interceptions last year in his first season as a starter, topping 300 yards four times, including in the loss against Baylor when he was 22 of 31 for 342 yards and one touchdown.

• One blow for Hall is that he reportedly won’t have the services of top receivers Puka Nacua (ankle) and Gunner Romney (undisclosed). Nacua was injured against South Florida after rushing for two touchdowns — including a 75-yarder on the first play from scrimmage — while Romney missed the game.

• Cougars coach Kalani Sitake acknowledges that his squad struggled with Baylor’s toughness last season. He’s hoping to see a different level of intensity from his team Saturday.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
#21 Brigham Young Cougars
Previous Pick
Next Pick