A 2-0 start is as good as you could ask for if you're BYU. It wasn't pretty, but the Cougars find themselves in a prime spot to be undefeated going in conference play if they can take care of business in Laramie. Which they should.
Why is BYU traveling for the second week in a row out of conference play, against a an opponent who historically hates its guts and treats it as their biggest game of the year? I have no idea.
If this year's BYU team had to travel to Laramie to play last year's Wyoming team, it would be a serious problem. The Cowboys of '23 finished the season 9-4 with wins over Texas Tech and Appalachian State.
This year's Wyoming team isn't last year's to say the least. The Cowboys are without their starting quarterback and running back and are bringing back hardly any offensive production. Let's put it this way: Wyoming last to Idaho last week in front of a sold-out home crowd (its first sellout since 2011 by the way).
With that being said, there is still the fact that the Cowboys would like nothing more than to knock off BYU at home. Former longtime conference rivals, these two teams have a long history together and they don't want to lose this game. Wyoming hasn't beat BYU since 2003 and it would surely love to end the drought.
The Cougars have the right to come into this game with confidence but should continue to be wary of their offense. In its first real game of the season, BYU put up just 18 points, 336 yards and three turnovers. The first and second-string running backs are sidelined due to injury, and the quarterback play is still questionable at best.
Despite all that, the Cougars face such an inferior opponent that all that shouldn't matter. The reason why it shouldn't, of course, is the defense.
On the complete flipside, BYU held its opponent to just 261 total yards. The defense recorded eight TFL's, three sacks and forced three turnovers of its own. The Cougars should have a field day Saturday night against the Cowboys.
And with all that, the moment you have either waited for or skipped everything I just wrote for...
Karter Baughan — BYU 24, Wyoming 21
BYU is currently a 10-point favorite on the road against Wyoming, which sits at 0-2 after losses to Arizona State and FCS opponent Idaho. Wyoming is one of the weakest FBS teams this season, but that might not matter. Everyone knows how tough it is for BYU to play in Laramie — this game is Wyoming’s Super Bowl. If the Cowboys can pull off an upset on Saturday, it would make their season. That's why I believe the game will be closer than most expect. BYU’s offense was painfully slow last week against SMU, raising legitimate concerns. With multiple running backs sidelined, the game will likely be decided through the air and on the legs of Retzlaff. I predict BYU wins a close one, 24-21.
Me — BYU 31, Wyoming 6
The defense will once again shine bright this week. Just two field goals will be all Wyoming will be able to muster with its lack of firepower. I expect the Cowboys to cough up the football at least two times. On the offensive side of the ball, I still don't trust Jake Retzlaff to be able to dominate a defense he should. Thirty-one points may look good to some, but it will still be a disappointing output against an inferior opponent. If Retzlaff can push the ball downfield, I could see the Cougars breaking the 40-point mark. Ball security continues to be an issue for BYU and I wouldn't be surprised if we see yet again an unforced error in the backfield. At the end of the day, it will be a comfortable win for the Cougars and they will escape non-conference play 3-0.
Kevin Humpherys — BYU 35, Wyoming 10
Last week, BYU proved me wrong and grinded out an 18-15 win against SMU. This week, BYU should have a much easier task against Wyoming. Wyoming has started this season 0-2 with a 48-7 loss to Arizona State and a 17-13 loss to Idaho. Wyoming may be worse than Southern Illinois, which is not a hot take. The Cougar defense has thoroughly impressed this season and has made life difficult for opposing quarterbacks. I expect BYU’s defense to hold Wyoming below 10 points, 225 yards of total offense and create three turnovers in a win. Wyoming’s starting quarterback, Evan Svoboda, will have a rough day.
As for BYU’s offense, look for it to have a bounce-back game despite the injuries at running back and rush for over 150 yards. Miles Davis’ career-high came against Wyoming in 2022 and I expect him to have a big day on the ground for BYU. After last week, concerns over Jake Retzlaff’s ability to take care of the football have resurfaced. However, against Wyoming, I expect Retzlaff and BYU to be efficient, finishing the game with 35 points before the backups come in.