Boise State Football: Game preview, prediction, live stream vs. BYU

Boise State football survived BYU by a single point last year at home. Will the Broncos get by the Cougars again when they play in Provo on Friday night?

On Friday night, Boise State takes on BYU for the sixth straight season. It is the eighth meeting all-time between the two teams going back to 2003. The Broncos have won six of the eight showdowns, and three of the eight have been decided by a single point.

That includes last year’s edition, won by Bryan Harsin‘s team on the Smurf Turf in Boise by a 28-27 score. BYU also fell 28-27 in 2004, and when they met again in 2012 the Broncos prevailed 7-6. The Cougars, though, have won two of the past four meetings by wide margins. Now back on fairly even footing, the series features two of the historically relevant mid-major powerhouses in the west.

Both, though, have fallen on hard times. BYU enters this contest on a four-game losing streak after falling at Utah State last weekend. Boise State, meanwhile, lost a heartbreaker in overtime at Washington State and then fell out of the Group of Five race with a blowout defeat at home to Virginia.

Will the Broncos continue their dominance in the series? Can BYU finally stop its losing streak and get its first victory of the season against an FBS team? Keep reading for our preview of the Friday-night showdown in Provo between the Broncos and the Cougars.

Here’s how to watch Friday’s game between Boise State and BYU:

Date: Friday, Oct. 6
Time: 10:15 p.m. ET
Location: Provo, Utah
Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

For Boise State to win in Provo on Friday night, they need a strong performance from the offensive line. The Broncos have given up more sacks and more tackles behind the line of scrimmage than all but a handful of FBS teams. BYU has not been great at getting push at the point of attack, but they could look formidable if the Broncos feature another Swiss-cheese effort from their offensive line.

As long as he has time to throw the ball, Brett Rypien will need to spread the ball around. Cedrick Wilson has been the most prolific of Broncos receivers, and BYU will surely key in on the veteran. That will force Rypien and/or Montell Cozart to look toward other targets. Tight end Jake Roh, especially, will need to have a strong performance against the Cougars.

For BYU, pulling off the upset at home will require possession. The Cougars are ranked 124th nationally in time of possession, and they will have to reverse that trend to keep the contest close. Ula Tolutau and Squally Canada are the keys to keeping drives alive, and one or both will need a big game running the ball. The Cougars must also exploit the Broncos’ tendency to take costly penalties to have any chance of ending their current losing streak.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of Sportsbook Review

Point Spread: Boise State -7.5
Over/Under: 44

Prediction

Boise State still technically has an outside shot at winning the Mountain West this year and reaching a New Year’s Six bowl game. After all, they reached the Fiesta Bowl in 2014 after sustaining two losses. But the margin of error is nonexistent at this point, and they will need to pull off victories that cannot be ignored by pollsters.

Bryan Harsin’s team is going to snap out of its stupor on Friday night. Relieved of the pressure that comes with playing at home, the Broncos will play loose and take advantage of BYU mistakes to roll up a big score.

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No team in the country throws more interceptions than BYU, and that trend will continue as the Broncos pick off at least two passes in a late-night mismatch. Brett Rypien will take advantage of good field position to throw three touchdown passes, and Alexander Mattison and Ryan Wolpin will each add another score on the ground. By halftime, the rout will be on as Boise State runs away with victory.

Final Score: Boise State 41, BYU 21

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