BYU-Portland State: 3 Bold Predictions
By Phil Poling
The Cougars Squeak Out a Win
Every team wants to start the season with a victory. And come Saturday, the more prepared team will. It won’t come down to style of play or to home-field advantage. It might not even come down to individual players, although their impact will be felt.
Coaching matters. And that’s what the outcome will come down to in this early season bout. Whichever team can commit the fewest penalties, whichever team wins the field position battle – that’s who will walk away victorious.
Kilani Sitake is in his second season as the head football coach at Brigham Young. He’s compiled a 9-4 record, including a 24-21 Poinsetta Bowl victory to kick things off at his alma mater. A 2000 BYU graduate, Sitake played fullback for the legendary LaVell Edwards who passed away in December of 2016.
Expect Sitake to have his team focused and ready for battle come opening weekend. After all, he knows what BYU football is all about. Sitake was named BYU’s Football Scholar Athlete of the Year in 1998, earned BYU’s Impact Player of the Year award in 1999 and was named team captain in 2000.
Next: 2017 BYU football projected 2-deep depth chart
So while things may start slow due to new skill-position players on offense, once Mangum calms down his guys the offensive line will take over the game. Portland State will stay competitive for much of the contest, but the Cougars experience up front will be too much to handle late in the game. Other than his lone interception, Mangum steers clear of tragedy and leads the Cougars to a 27-16 victory to open the 2017 season.