The 2006 Conference champs would like to repeat, but I do not see that happening this year. The Cougars lost too much in John Beck who was a second round draft in NFL, losing Curtis Brown, Johnny Harline, Dan Coats, and also freshman wide receiver star McKay Jacboson who left for a church mission. However the Cougars do get all-freshman wide out Austin Collie who just returned from his religious duties and suits up for the first time since 2004. BYU does have Arizona State transfer Max Hall to play QB, Hall is also the nephew of former Dallas Cowboy QB Danny White. The first few games for the Cougars will be difficult with Arizona coming into to and then traveling to the Rose Bowl to play UCLA and then traveling to Tulsa. The Cougars do have a very good defense which will help out Max Hall and the offense early on, and I am pretty confident to say that by seasons end BYU will be top 3 offensively in conference at worst.
Here is the schedule
September 1 Arizona 3:30 PM MT TV: Versus
September 8 at UCLA 3:30 PM PT TV: Versus
September 15 at Tulsa 8:00 PM CT TV: CSTV
September 22 Air Force 1:00 PM MT TV: The Mtn.
September 29 at New Mexico 6:30 PM MT TV: CSTV
October 13 at UNLV 6:30 PM MT TV: The Mtn.
October 20 Eastern Washington 3:35 PM MT TV: The Mtn.
October 27 at San Diego State 6:30 PM PT TV: The Mtn.
November 3 Colorado State 12:00 PM MT TV: The Mtn.
November 8 TCU 7:00 PM MT TV: Versus
November 17 at Wyoming 12:00 PM MT TV: The Mtn.
November 24 Utah 12:00 PM MT TV: CSTV/The Mtn.
Lock it up... Air Force, @ New Mexico, UNLV, Eastern Washington, @ San Diego State
Maybe... Arizona, @ Tulsa, Colorado State, TCU, @ Wyoming, Utah
No Way...@UCLA
My prediction for the Cougars is that they will finish third in the conference and have a conference record 5-3, for some reason I feel that Wyoming will beat the Cougars in Laramie and their overall record will be 8-4 and have the Cougs bowling again for the third year in a row. The Cougars I think could finish 2nd in the conference, but I don't think the offense will be up to par to do so.
Best Case Scenario... The Cougars start 8-1 and only losing to on the road and the Cougars are ranked in the top 25 heading into the huge home game against TCU. I could see the Cougars finish 10-2 if everything clicks and probably head to the Vegas bowl or the Poinsetta bowl in San Diego.
Worst Case Scenario... The Cougas offense sputters and they start out 0-3 losing to Arizona, UCLA, and Tulsa and then getting their first win against Air Force and turn their record to 6-3. I could see them finish 6-6 or 7-5 and in this scenario it depends on that Wyoming game.