Game-by-Game Predictions For 2024 BYU Football Season

Aug 25, 2024, 6:44 PM

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PROVO, Utah – When toe meets leather on Saturday evening inside picturesque LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, it will bring a long 280-day drought of no BYU football games to a close.

The offseason was longer than usual for BYU.

There was no bowl game last season, as BYU closed out 2023 on a five-game losing streak. You have to go back before the LaVell Edwards era to find the last time BYU closed out a season like that. It was 1955, to be exact.

It’s been a long offseason with little fanfare.

BYU enters the 2024 season picked 13th in the preseason Big 12 poll. Despite having 14 returning starters, BYU has one of the toughest schedules in the Big 12 Conference.

Many wonder if BYU’s second year as a Big 12 team will result in a bowl game.

Can they get to six?

Here are my game-by-game predictions for BYU football during the 2024 season.

August 31: Southern Illinois Salukis

The annual FCS matchup for BYU is no pushover. Southern Illinois is ranked No. 11 in the FCS preseason Top 25. The prognostications for BYU/Southern Illinois favor the Cougars by 16 points. That’s the lowest point projection against an FCS foe for BYU dating back to 1998.

Southern Illinois and BYU have similar traits. Like BYU, the Salukis have questions at quarterback and boast a strong linebacker unit.

BYU has had a couple of underwhelming season openers in the Kalani Sitake, ultimately resulting in losing seasons (2017, 2023).

This is a game where style points would go a long way toward giving the fans “a proof of concept,” showing this BYU team has turned a corner from last year.

Score prediction: BYU 38, SIU 17

September 6: at SMU Mustangs

*Friday game

SMU was underwhelming in their 29-24 week zero win over Nevada in Reno. The talent of SMU ultimately woke up and won out over Reno. Tight end RJ Maryland was the star of that win for the Mustangs.

SMU’s two-quarterback situation with Preston Stone and Kevin Jennings played out in the first half against Nevada as both took snaps. However, Stone ended up playing the entire second half.

SMU appeared undisciplined against Nevada, and their offensive line, particularly the tackles, struggled. This is a matchup in which BYU’s defensive line, led by preseason All-Big 12 pick Tyler Batty, has to show up in a big way.

I’ll still give SMU a slight edge. But that Nevada game made me reconsider my thoughts on BYU’s chances in Dallas.

Score prediction: SMU 24, BYU 20

September 14: at Wyoming Cowboys

I never thought I’d see the day when BYU would travel to Laramie again, but here we are.

After 15 years away, BYU makes its return to Wyoming to rekindle an old-school rivalry that dates back to BYU’s first season in 1922.

Wyoming hasn’t lost a game in Laramie since 2022, when they had a three-point setback against Boise State.

The trip to Laramie is going to be a challenging football game. Wyoming won nine games last year and has an intriguing new starting quarterback, Evan Svoboda, from Snow College.

BYU wins, but expect this one to be close in the fourth quarter.

Score prediction: BYU 33, Wyoming 28

September 21: Kansas State Wildcats

There are certain trends to acknowledge with Kalani Sitake-coached BYU teams.

One is that they always start a season strong. BYU has won at least four games in the previous four seasons before reaching October.

Two, Kalani’s teams usually have one big upset up their sleeves. Last year, it was at Arkansas. In 2022, BYU took down a Top-10 Baylor team; the year before, BYU knocked off a pair of Top 25 teams (Utah and Arizona State).

What’s the big upset win going to be in 2024? How about knocking off one of the preseason Big 12 favorites, the Kansas State Wildcats?

K-State is loaded. The Wildcats were my pick to win the Big 12 on my media poll this year. But maybe BYU can create some HAVOC against K-State QB Avery Johnson to spring the upset.

I’ll go bold and call the upset.

Score Prediction: BYU 27, Kansas State 26

September 28: at Baylor Bears

What I learned quickly covering Big 12 football for the first time last year is that what happened in the previous week doesn’t necessarily carry over to future games. So, in this prediction, I’m saying that BYU will go into Waco riding high after a win over Kansas State.

Despite the good vibes that would be around the BYU team after a big win over K-State, I’ll call for Baylor to come away with a win at McLane Stadium.

DeQuan Finn at quarterback for Baylor will make the Bears much more competitive than they were last season.

Score Prediction: Baylor 31, BYU 20

 

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October 12: Arizona Wildcats

The best quarterback BYU will face in 2024 is Arizona signal-caller Noah Fifita. His presence alone gives Arizona hope that they could reach Arlington this season. Getting cornerback Tacario Davis back from the portal was also a big addition for first-year head coach Brent Brennan.

The talent the Wildcats have on their offensive front doesn’t get talked about enough. Based on what we know right now about these teams, I’d give Arizona the edge in the trenches.

Score Prediction: Arizona 35, BYU 27

October 18: Oklahoma State Cowboys

*Friday game

Another tidbit to consider when projecting Kalani Sitake-coached BYU teams is that the Cougars typically get a “revenge” win.

Arkansas, Wisconsin, Baylor, USF, and Boise State are some recent examples of this. BYU only has two revenge opportunities in 2024, one of which is against Oklahoma State.

BYU lost to the Cowboys in Stillwater in double overtime to close out the regular season.

Oklahoma State will be coming into this game off a bye week and they boast the nation’s best running back in Ollie Gordon.

This game feels like a spot where cornerback Jakob Robinson gets an easy pick six off Alan Bowman to help BYU pull another upset.

Score Prediction: BYU 30, Oklahoma State 21

October 26: at UCF Knights

BYU’s first trip to the Bounce House since 2014 caps off a difficult three-game stretch in October.

This matchup also marks the third consecutive year BYU will face quarterback KJ Jefferson. The former Arkansas Razorback is getting set for his final collegiate season with Gus Malzahn and the Knights.

Among the programs who joined the Big 12 last year, UCF had the personnel that appeared best equipped to compete in the league.

I’ll give KJ Jefferson the victory in the rubber match against BYU.

Score Prediction: UCF 42, BYU 28

November 9: at Utah Utes

The BYU/Utah returns as a conference game. It’s the first time these heated rivals are squaring off in the same league since 2010.

BYU won the last meeting in 2021. However, that was in Provo.

Kalani Sitake’s BYU teams have been close with Utah in all but one meeting since he became the head coach. I expect this to be another thrilling BYU-Utah matchup.

Going into the season, I give the edge to the Big 12’s preseason favorite.

Score Prediction: Utah 27, BYU 21

November 16: Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas is another revenge opportunity game. The Jayhawks traveling to Provo marks another return for offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes.

Grimes inherits a Kansas offense with talent led by running back Devin Neal and oft-injured quarterback Jalon Daniels.

Kansas is good enough to win the Big 12 if Daniels is healthy.

Score Prediction: Kansas 38, BYU 31

November 23: at Arizona State Sun Devils

If my predictions are correct, BYU will go to Tempe needing two more wins in their final two regular-season games to reach a bowl game.

Sam Leavitt is Arizona State’s newly named starting quarterback. He’s a prospect with whom BYU coaches are familiar as they pursued him out of the portal in this past cycle.

ASU is one of the few teams entering the 2024 season where I believe BYU has a better roster.

If these predictions hold up, BYU’s win at ASU would be its first Big 12 road victory.

November 30: Houston Cougars

Just like last season, another win-or-go-home spot in the regular season finale.

This time, it’s in Provo, and it’s against a Houston team projected to be near the bottom of the league in 2024.

New head coach Willie Fritz had to overhaul the roster through the transfer portal. He did retain Donovan Smith at quarterback, but with how difficult Houston’s schedule is in 2024, it’s hard to picture the Coogs having much on the line against BYU.

BYU extends its season with a win over Houston to reach six wins.

Score Prediction: BYU 45, Houston 24

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.

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Game-by-Game Predictions For 2024 BYU Football Season