BYU The Hurdle Before Boise State’s Stretch Run

Boise State at BYU, it's not a conference game but it has that conference game feel.

Every time the Broncos and the Cougar lineup on a football field anything can and usually does happen. Yeas, Boise State leads the overall series 7-2 but there have been a one point win, a blocked field goal for the Boise State win and a four play goal line stand for a Boise State win.

Any of those three games could have gone the other way and the series could well be 5-4 in BYU's favor. Plus, factor in that both Boise State losses have come in Provo, the site for tomorrows showdown and you can see why these games are so hard to predict.

Both teams have quarterback issues. Boise State will most likely start Chase Cord after last weeks injury to hank Bachmeier and BYU will go with either backup Jaren Hall or a third team quarterback if Hall doesn't clear concussion protocol.

To hear both coaches, who starts at quarterback doesn't matter because they can all run their respective offenses. Cord certainly can, throwing for 3 td's against Hawaii after Bachmeier left with a hip bruise.

The reality is the BYU game catches Boise State as they eyeball a bye week next week before playing 5 games in November including what could be a division deciding title game at Utah State.

Fortunately this isn't exactly a trap game because Boise State has seen BYU beat USC and Tennessee and take pretty much every team they've played this year right to the wire.

Plus, this has become a true rivalry maybe even more so than any conference game has become. Kickopff Saturday is 8:15 in LaVell Edwards Stadium with 60,000 expected to try and make it a long night for the Broncos.

By the way, the Mountain West weekend of football begins tonight with UNLV at Fresno State. The Bulldogs are favored by 16 despite UNLV's win at Vanderbilt of the SEC last week,

Saturday Air Force at is Hawaii, the Falcons favored by 3. San Diego State is at San Jose State, the Aztecs favored by a touchdown. New Mexico travels to Wyoming where the Cowboys are favored by 19 and Utah State will host Nevada with the Aggies a 20 point favorite.