BYU Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2019 season

By Zach Bigalke | Aug 16, 2019

STARKVILLE, MS - OCTOBER 14: Tanner Mangum #12 of the Brigham Young Cougars hands the ball to Ula Tolutau #5 during the first half of a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

While BYU is projected to come into their Sept. 21 showdown at home against Washington with the confidence of two straight victories against Power Five opponents, the Huskies are a different beast. Chris Petersen’s team enters 2019 as an undisputed contender in the Pac-12 North after winning the conference last season, and this could be where the winning streak ends for the Cougars.

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Washington does have to deal with transition at several key positions on both sides of the ball. But four-year starting quarterback Jake Browning will be replaced by former blue-chip recruit and Georgia transfer Jacob Eason, who lost his job in Athens due to injury rather than any inability to play the game.

That will mitigate the other losses on offense, while the Huskies have managed to keep improving year over year on defense despite turning over NFL talent each season.

What that means for the faithful turning out to LaVell Edwards Stadium is that they probably won’t be happy with the final result. But BYU will acquit themselves against the Pac-12 contenders by keeping this one close, and the final result will probably fall within a one-score margin of victory.

Prediction: Washington 34, BYU 26 (2-2)

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