clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

9 Line Prediction: BYU v. Washington State

By Zach Bloxham
Getty Images

The season is upon us. (See my reaction here) I introduce to you the 9-Line series. Prior to every BYU kickoff, I will list nine true/totally made-up Las Vegas-style lines for the upcoming game. Feel free to wager your skittles over a nice bottle of Caffeine-Free Diet Dr. Pepper.

Here we go!

  1. Washington State point total: 24 -- Mike Leach is an offensive guru but it will take some time before the Coug offense to start rolling like a well-oiled machine. The BYU Defense will be one of the best in the country. Bronco Mendenhall prides himself on Blue Zone defense and that will be on display Thursday. UNDER

  2. Awkward Crowd Shot of Zoob: 6 -- We all know they exist. We all know they are the bane of our existence. We have all been witness to their awkwardness during live shots on ESPN. The moments during a broadcast where one questions fandom. Thankfully, with 40,000 white pom pom's being distributed to aid the "whiteout," the face of Zoob may just be veiled. Or more plausibly, we will see quite a few Zoobs doing awkward things with their pom pom's. OVER

  3. The term 'mission trip': 0.5 -- Nothing like an ignorant comment from a commentator. A two-year, full-time mission for the LDS Church is anything but a 'trip.' Joe Tessitore is polished enough to not make the mistake. His new color guy is none other than Matt Millen. So, yeah. OVER

  4. BYU total rushing yards: 250 -- Brandon Doman is very happy with the stable of running backs at his disposal. Michael Alisa, David Foote, and Iona Pritchard will certainly get carries on Thursday. With the increased athleticism of the BYU offensive line, the running ability of Riley Nelson, and a subpar Washington State front-seven, the Cougars will have a tremendous day on the ground. OVER

  5. Pass Attempts for a BYU player not named Riley Nelson: 1 -- BYU has been more prone to using alternative offensive formations in the past few years... PUSH

  6. Washington State Pass Attempts: 50 -- An defense is required to defend around 70 plays during an average college football game. The BYU rush defense will bottle up any and all rushing ability from Wazzu. And with guys like Jeff Tuel and Marquess Wilson, throwing the ball is going to be WSU's best chance. OVER

  7. Times a BYU player will lose helmet during live action: 4 -- Dennis Pitta endowed the university with the I Refuse To Strap My Helmet on Tight scholarship. It has been an epidemic in Provo ever since. OVER

  8. Total Points Scored: 62 -- As mentioned above, the Washington State offense is going to struggle generating points in Provo. The BYU offense has not been sharp in the early portion of the season as of late. UNDER

  9. BYU (-12.5) -- BYU is going to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The rushing attack from the Provo Cougars will be too much for the Washington State front to handle. The Pullman Cougs will move the ball between the 20's, but have difficulty scoring in the Blue Zone. COVER
    Score Prediction: BYU 37 Washington State 20.

More From Vanquish The Foe