i took wash state with the points

I was liking BYU because of the age factor & expierence in the first game, plus Washington State is learning Leach's system.....Razorback likes BYU & nobody knows the Moormans like him, but TonyG does have a free play Wash St. + the points........

Toofdoc,

I really liked BYU here. Notice i said LIKED. The TOTAL rising so strongly is ultimately what kept me away, along with the dreaded MIKE LEACH factor.

In the end, Washington St. is going to be trailing the vast majority of this game. It's just a matter if there is a backdoor cover or not. BYU is legit this year.

I passed ultimately, with a lean to BYU. Either way, the Cougars win.

I kinda like Washington St. Leach will get them to score some points and I am not to high on the BYU offense this year. Wash. St isnt going to win but I think they have a good chance to cover.

I'll take a stab...

WASHINGTON STATE

Incoming 1st Year WZU HC Mike Leach
Inherited a nice set of tools for installation of 'Air-Raid' Offense
The OFFICIAL WSU Reports,
WSU QB Tuel is prospering & highly responsive to Leach’s scheme, as is WSU 1ST Team All-Conf WR Marques Wilson

Many ‘inside sources’ are telling a little different story...

Leach was (is) troubled by overall poor strength & conditioning inherited
We’d be inclined to trust it isn’t just ‘coach-speak’

It all makes logical sense Cougs were vulnerable,
& lacking in terms of competitive edge in strength & conditioning
WZU ranked DEAD LAST & 5TH from last
‘Starts lost to Injury’ past 2 years
Rare to land on the lowest or HIGHEST end of these lists BTB years

Leach also openly contemplating ‘QB rotation’ &/or even
BENCHING Tuel in favor of Holliday

WZU QB Conner Holliday is a bony 6-4 | 174 Sophomore
Yet, possibly even more well-designed to run Air-Raid

The mere fact the QB situation apparently wasn’t as solid as we’d all been told?

Probably leads in to the next logical conclusion:
Leach is aware he has a FEW rounds in the clip,
Yet, painfully realistic
That it’ll take more than a year or two in Pullman to field a well rounded team

WZU O-Line is Rated Dead-Last in PAC-12
Cougs then lost 2 of their Ten 2-Deep OL in Fall Camp
Lastly, the Tuel to Wilson hookup
Is truly about the best & only thing WZU has to bank on

WZU simply could not run football in 2011 (83 YPG)
WZU is not projected to have a good rush attack in 2011

MOREOVER,
Wazzu’s paltry D-Front-7
Rated among weakest rated in FBS

Then, Cougs lost Defensive Co-Captain,
Nosetackle Sr Anthony Laurenzo (Dismissed)

Wazzu had little ability to get to QB (Last in Conf 2011 sacks, 1/gm)
Wazzu had just 6 Total Defensive Picks Last Season

I know many are high on Washington State
Good QB, GREAT WR, High Octane, Popular New Head Coach…
I get it….

The reality of the REST of this roster
Leftovers from a 4 Year, 9-40 chronic program deterioration….
Sobering

BRIGHAM YOUNG

10-3 Team last year

BYU really lurked under Nat'l Consciousness from Game 5 onward last season
After a inauspicious 1-2 Start,
Especially as wheels feel off late vs. Rival UU (54-10)
In a CLASSIC Homecoming Scenario

BYU had a brutal 2-Game Stretch to begin 2011
Playing two 1-Point Road Games in DEEP SOUTH
      1.  BYU at Mississippi (BYU Won, 14-13)
      2.  BYU at Texas (BYU Lost, 16-17)

Not only was BYU forced to play BTB Games in Southern US Steambath Stadiums
BYU had BTB, one-point grinder games,
Only to come HOME to face arch-rival Utah?

Nevertheless, BYU Rolled to 9-1 finish thereafter
(aided by 4-1 Overall Record in close games)

Yet, BYU Team is one of the more complete teams that no one is talking at ALL about

Quoting Phil Steele:
BYU LOOKS EVEN STRONGER THAN 2011

OFFENSIVELY
BYU Sr QB Nelson (19 TD – 7 INT)
Awfully good Game Mgt Guy

Quite impressed w/BYU QB Nelson when BYU came to Corvallis last yr;
Nelson was elusive; maddening how resourceful he was
Nelson created so many Drive-Saving 3RD Down Audibles,
SEVERAL Times Nelson simply weaved for 1 ST Downs on his own
When OSU was in Nickel Pass-Coverage’s

BYU was on the Ropes vs Beavers, also

Nelson stayed course after throwing a Pick-6, & led a BIG Road Comeback for Cougs

BYU found their resurgent RUNNING GAME
w/1-2 Start, BYU Ran for 91, 43 & 11 Yds
BYU then rushed for 195 YPG during the 9-1 Run

The Calling card for BYU? DEFENSE

VERY GOOD inn 2011 (#14 Nationally vs. #7 Toughest Schedule)
w/TOP 5 Tacklers Returning from #14 Defense (2011 | 313 YPGA)

BYU was 10-3, playing 7TH Toughest FBS Schedule?!
BYU is #2 in the FBS, 2ND Most SR’s on 2-Deep (17)

The MATCHUP:

BYU DB’s UNIT Ranked in Top-15 Preseason
(Two Biggest DE’s Bookends we may find outside the SEC)
BOTH BYU DE’s are 6-2 | 300 Lbs
(OLDER-THAN-AVERAGE Sr’s, also)

BYU Front 7 is just as good as they are underrated
BYU’s Front DL Anchored by 2 Multi-Season Sr’s

BYU should be able to pressure Tuel ceaselessly
Cover 2 on WR Wilson
Force Wazzu to try & run draws & counters

Wazzu might be ill equipped to get a lot of quick stops

BYU was a pretty large play on this end…
TILL BYU’s Groza-Caliber Kicker Left Team
At this Point, BYU is a nice play w/Teaser $
Still taking measured look at a bigger play w/BYU -13

Hope this helps

Needless to say,
CANNOT fathom how BYU didn’t crack Top 25

Hope this helps

Everyone above me posted some great information about the game.  Griff makes a good point about RZ, never bet against the Mormans :)

I like the hype of Washington State and Leach is bringing much excitement.  But, if I was to bet this game, I would lay the points with BYU.  Good luck.  

This game has been on my radar for a couple weeks. I mainly play dogs, but I am playing BYU, only game tonight. They've impressed me very much so last year, and I don't have any problem laying the pts.  Once I saw the line movement, its just confirmation that I feel like BYU is the right side tonight. Good luck either side you play!

Thanks for the time and effort guys. I'm coming off WS and getting a little BYU just because Griff said RZR knows the mormons and Steve spent the time to submit a thesis on the game.  I thought about just passing on the game but since I've been too scared to bet on any other game today, I can't let opening day get by without a wager. If you ask for help and then don't take it, why the hell did you ask for it?     "Let's GET MONEY"

No offense to the WS backers and I also appreciate your input.  

BYU for me .. Goodluck