Notes and Predictions

1. BYU beat Washington fair and square. I'm trying not to be a homer on this, but the penalty at the end of the game was a penalty. The ref tossed the flag, and according to the rules it was a penalty and the refs called it correctly.

2. It was a tougher-than-expected game for the cougars against the same Husky team who got demolished by Oregon the previous week. Hey, I don't care. A win is a win on the road. I'll always say that.

3. BYU will play differently in Provo this week against UCLA. The secondary is under pressure and they will perform admirably. BYU will move the ball on offense just as easily as they did these first two games. My prediction: BYU 42, UCLA 12.

4. I was worried for Utah for a while there, tied with UNLV 14-14 at the half. But Utah took over after the break. Right now, Utah as a whole are looking pretty strong. They get another cakewalk this weekend up in Logan. My prediction: Utah 38, Utah State 3.

5. You'll notice on the left that Utah is ranked #1 by The Joe Rankings through two weeks of action. A couple of notes regarding this: A) this proves that my rankings are about as unbiased as they could possibly be. I do not EVER want to hear about how my rankings are set up to favor BYU and whatever else. B) Utah and BYU fans need not get too excited about this. Through two games, Utah has proven the most on the field of play, but it doesn't mean that they are the best team. Utah is ranked higher than most teams because everyone else has played a lower-division team. Utah gets their shot at Weber State later, and suredly their ranking will slip.

6. As impressive as Utah and BYU have been so far with two victories apiece, let us not overlook their MWC comrades TCU and Air Force. The Horned Frogs followed their monster win at New Mexico with a 67-7 hammering of Stephen F. Austin. Meanwhile, Air Force beat rivals Wyoming 23-3 in Laramie, which was preceded by a blowout of Southern Utah.

7. Switching gears for a moment, you'll notice that my World Cup map on the bottom of my blog has been updated. I have a few notes regarding soccer right now: A) Props to New Zealand for clinching the Oceania Region over the weekend. For years they have played second fiddle to Australia in that qualifying region, but the Socceroos switched to the Asian region for tougher competition. The Kiwis will play the fifth-placed team from Asia for a spot in the World Cup in South Africa. B) The United States defeated Cuba in Havana. They are on pace to qualify with six points earned through two road games (both 1-0 victories at Guatemala and at Cuba). Next up for the U.S. is a home game against Trinidad & Tobago. C) My cousins in Switzerland played to a 2-2 draw at Israel in European qualifying. Their next game is this week at home against Luxembourg.