Those teams consist of Notre Dame (USC, Stanford), Hawaii (OSU, UCLA), Fresno condition (Oregon, UCLA), and BYU (Illinois, Utah, ASU, WSU, USC).

The play-by-play radio broadcaster for Fresno State in our three other installments, we spoke with Notre Dame beat writer Bryan Driskell of SI/FanNation, Hawaii beat writer Stephen Tsai of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and Paul Loeffler.

You determine with Jackson Payne, exactly who discusses BYU when it comes to Daily Universe. He or she addresses questions regarding the 2021 puma football time, as well as BYU’s game titles with Illinois, Utah, ASU, WSU and USC.

The Wildcats lead the all-time line with BYU 12-11-1, nevertheless the Cougars have acquired the previous two. Utah keeps an advantage that is 51-39-4 BYU, getting earned the last nine.

ASU enjoys a strong 20-7 lead that is all-time BYU, and WSU trails its quick series aided by the various other Cougars 3-1, having fallen the past two.

Utah and BYU carry on their particular longstanding competition. | Jeff Swinger/USA CORRECT Sports

This holiday season, Arizona takes on BYU on September 4th in Las vegas, nevada; Utah vacations to Provo on Sep 11th; ASU visits the Cougars on Sep 18th; WSU embraces BYU on October 23rd; and USC hosts the Cougars on November 27th.

Nick Bartlett : First of all, thank you for taking the right time reveal your thinking regarding the BYU Cougars in addition to their Pac-12 competitors this coming year.

Jackson Payne : I’m happy to simply help.

Bartlett : how does one think BYU will carry out this season? Do a run is expected by you like previous year? If not more of the type year that is middle-of-the-road?

Payne : This really is a transition annum for BYU. The Cougars tend to be replacing a bunch of talent on both corners for the ball and face potentially their particular many hard schedule in the independence era.

They have got a great amount of range at each expertise position, specially working back and firm conclusion, and every for the three main candidates during the quarterback fight have actually good upside it does not matter who they connect.

Zach Wilson | Jeff Swinger/AP

The security happens to be young and fresh, they weren’t dominant on the move rush season that is last and also have some query marks into the alternate, nonetheless they should boost due to the fact period goes on.

They may not the Zach Wilson/Dax Milne giant system of 2020, but I would claim that this staff comes with the potential to score lots of factors once again.

Overall health will be the x-factor that is ultimate as incidents have actually ravaged the lineup just about any time since 2014.

In the event the Cougars can adhere to one starting quarterback all year long, remain healthy, acquire the most from their particular level and “gimme” video game titles, they need to gain eight or nine video games and also make their particular biggest matchups interesting.

Bartlett : Which Pac-12 staff to the Cougars timetable do you similar to most traditionally, and ways in which would you imagine they’ll fare in 2010?

Payne : I have for ages been high on USC, they have a program that is historically strong while having got plenty of remarkable matchups up against the Cougars throughout the years.

Taking part in at a Coliseum is undoubtedly a added bonus. We see this yr being a step-up when it comes to Trojans, and feel they might develop a run in the meeting title video game.

BYU going down here to try out all of them in December happens to be a appealing matchup that frightens me personally a bit in the event that Cougars battle to stay beforehand that is healthy.

Bartlett : through which matchup do you believe BYU props up the advantage that is biggest? The Reasons Why?

Payne : I might say that BYU has the advantage that is biggest over Illinois in the opener. Illinois has a manufacturer new staff members and providesn’t fared well against BYU over the years matchups.

In addition to that, BYU offensive supervisor Aaron Roderick has said until we see him take the field against the Wildcats, so Arizona may struggle to gameplan accordingly that it’s possible that the staff won’t announce their starting quarterback.

The Cougars will definitely overflow the arena with admirers in Las Vegas, so they can even like a true residence subject positive aspect at the same time.

Bartlett : who’d you love to discover begin at quarterback when it comes down to Cougs?

Payne : I like Jaren Hall at quarterback for BYU. He’s an athlete that is incredibly special large upside and compelling playmaking abilities. His injuries background is actually about, but when he’s been recently regarding the area he’s been recently very difficult to cease.

If they can continue to be healthy and acquire the best from his or her legs, he’ll be a reservoir. Swapping Zach Wilson won’t be simple, but he has got the chance to end up being another particular skill at BYU.

Jacob Conover could be the highest-profile recruit BYU has actually found, turning off supplies from Alabama and other giant applications to visit Provo.

They have an enormous supply and probably the very best ceiling of every of this lads in their quarterback room, but i might think that Hall starts for all the season and Conover redshirts as being the back-up him to be the future of the program while they groom.

Bartlett : How can BYU’s offending line look after shedding three critical parts from last year’s unit? Have they got enough degree to retool this community?

Payne : BYU’s offending range sent three guys to your NFL from previous time, nevertheless they still need James Empey, who’s going to be a top three facility in the united states and additionally be a single man wrecking team.

Clark Barrington and Harris LaChance are two various other linemen that received good quality reps year that is last are Pearland escort prepared to complete the emptiness forward motion.

Hence even though they probably won’t are the exact same unit that absolutely ruled in 2020, they’ll be very strong and offer their unique managing back tandem of Tyler Allgeier and Lopini Katoa plenty of big pockets to plow through.

Bartlett : exactly how do you believe the Cougars record shall end up being against Pac-12 rivals? Which matchup excites you by far the most?

Payne : I say the Cougars get 3-2 against the Pac-12 in 2010.

In my opinion the Utah online game will become turn off, but essentially falls and only the Utes. And the Cougars will likely shed the a while back against USC.

I’m enthusiastic about Arizona to find the brand new crime in motion, and I feel Arizona condition at home will be a joy for the supporters.

With all the talk of summit realignment, BYU needs to take full benefit of his or her creature schedule—especially the marquee energy 5 matchups—in order to get a serious case for national significance in the term that is long.

Bartlett : Maybe you have just about any thoughts? Everything else you’d like to say about BYU this season?

Payne : BYU’s operating straight back tandem of Tyler Allgeier and Lopini Katoa is amongst the best in the nation, specially behind this kind of powerful line that is offensive.

Both players have “home operated” skills and may mix for upwards of 2,000 total meters on the season.