– Last Updated on July 25, 2018 10:36 am
2018 Football Preview – Independent – Cougars
Looking for 2018 BYU Cougars predictions? The Cougars have a proud football history, but in 2017 it was disappointing, They finished with a 4-9 record, and now they need to figure out how to turn it back around. With such a proud history, this could be a make or break year for the coaching staff and their jobs.
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2018-18 College Football Preview – BYU Cougars
Head Coach: Kalani Sitake
2017 Record: 4-9
BYU Cougars Odds to win the 2018 FBS Championship: +18000
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Will the Cougars be able forward again? Or is the new Cougars history going to be about missing bowl games.
2018 BYU Cougars Predictions: Team Strengths
Studs out wide: The good news for the Cougars is this year they have that go to reciever again, something they didn’t last year.
Tight end Matt Bushman is a go-to target who will probably have another big year. He had 49 receptions for 520 yards and three touchdowns.
He won’t be the star this year, that goes to a Hawaii transfer. Dylan Collie, was one of Hawaii’s top receivers last season and is a grad transfer to the Cougars.
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These two combined are going to give the Cougars a lot of options out wide, and should help the offense be more explosive.
Lower Expectations: Last year the expectations were high for the Cougars and when they struggled there was a lot of grumbling in Utah.
This year though although there are still expectations this is BYU, this team isn’t expected to win ten or 11 games, rather six or seven.
With less pressure, the players will be able to grow into their roles without having all the pressure of going undefeated.
2018 BYU Cougars Predictions: Team Weaknesses
Who’s at Quarterback: Every good team needs a good quarterback and for the Cougars they have no idea who will be the starter.
Tanner Mangum is the veteran but he really struggled last year, and he might not get his starting role back this year.
They also have quarterback Zach Wilson Jr, who looks like he has all the makings of a quarterback who could start four years for this team.
One of these guys is going to have to grab the starter role and grab it by the horns. If Mangum does win the job and struggles early, there is going to be a lot of talk about letting Wilson Jr. have a chance.
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Trouble getting to the quarterback: The Cougars defense was decent last year, but they would have been a lot better if they would have been able to get to the quarterback.
They had all kinds of issues putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and if they want to take a step forward this year they need to hit the quarterback a bit more.
BYU Cougars Prediction: 7-5
The BYU Cougars once again loaded up in the early part of the schedule, but late in the season, it eases up a lot. I don’t think they will struggle like they did last year, and the offense will be a lot better this year.
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They are going to get better quarterback play, but this schedule is brutal. I think they end the regular season with a 7-5 record and will make it to a bowl game this year.
2018 BYU Cougars Schedule
- 1 Sat. Sept. 1 at Arizona
- 2 Sat. Sept. 8 California
- 3 Sat. Sept. 15 at Wisconsin
- 4 Sat. Sept. 22 McNeese State
- 5 Sat. Sept. 29 at Washington
- 6 Fri. Oct. 5 Utah State
- 7 Sat. Oct. 13 Hawaii
- 8 Sat. Oct. 20 Bye
- 9 Sat. Oct. 27 Northern Illinois
- 10 Sat. Nov. 3 at Boise State
- 11 Sat. Nov. 10 at UMass
- 12 Sat. Nov. 17 New Mexico
- 13 Sat. Nov. 24 at Utah
What do you think about our 2018 BYU Cougars predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in 2018!
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