BYU Football: Cougars look to shock the nation in 2019
By Zach Bigalke
2019 BYU Schedule and Predictions
| WEEK | DATE | SCHOOL | OPPONENT |
| 1 | Aug. 29, 2019 (THU) | BYU | vs. Utah |
| 2 | Sep. 7, 2019 | BYU | @ Tennessee |
| 3 | Sep. 14, 2019 | BYU | vs. USC |
| 4 | Sep. 21, 2019 | BYU | vs. Washington |
| 5 | Sep. 28, 2019 | BYU | @ Toledo |
| 6 | Oct. 5, 2019 | BYE | WEEK |
| 7 | Oct. 12, 2019 | BYU | @ South Florida |
| 8 | Oct. 19, 2019 | BYU | vs. Boise State |
| 9 | Oct. 26, 2019 | BYE | WEEK |
| 10 | Nov. 2, 2019 | BYU | @ Utah State |
| 11 | Nov. 9, 2019 | BYU | vs. Liberty |
| 12 | Nov. 16, 2019 | BYU | vs. FCS Idaho State |
| 13 | Nov. 23, 2019 | BYU | @ Massachusetts |
| 14 | Nov. 30, 2019 | BYU | @ San Diego State |
September is stacked with four Power Five opponents right out of the gate. Utah, USC, and Washington all come to Provo in the first month of the season, while the Cougars travel to Knoxville for a Sept. 7 showdown against Tennessee at Neyland Stadium.
If they can navigate that tough quartet of contests, an always-tough visit to the Glass Bowl to face Toledo awaits before the first bye week. Out of the break, BYU travels to Tampa for a showdown against South Florida before returning home to host Boise State. A second bye completes the month of October, before the final stretch.
Showdowns on the road against Mountain West foes Utah State and San Diego State bookend the month of November. In between, Liberty and FCS Idaho State come to Provo before BYU’s Nov. 23 trip to face fellow independent UMass.
What’s next for BYU?
BYU is on an eight-year streak of futility in the Holy War against Utah. As the favorite in the Pac-12 South this season, the Utes will be looking to build momentum toward a potential College Football Playoff bid right away with a ninth straight win against their state rivals. The Cougars will put all their focus on getting their first win against Utah since they were both in the Mountain West back in 2009.
Prediction: 8-4
The Cougars will likely steal at least one game this year that they have no business winning. Utah and Washington are going to be tough outs, but USC and Tennessee provide possible Power Five wins. Boise State and either Utah State or San Diego State will probably take down BYU, but the rest of their non-power competition should provide little trouble.
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As long as the Cougars win the games they should win, they have a real shot at landing at least eight wins. They could go as low as six, and could climb into double digits in the win column if they win a bowl game. It won’t be the breakthrough that marked 1984, 1996 and 2001, but it will be a solid campaign culminating in a postseason berth.