The 9 Line Prediction: BYU v. Idaho

1. IT'S NOT IN THE AFTERNOON'S ANYMORE! - No, this is not a line and I do not care. I watched this video about thirty times and my man Brother Blue Hair must be heard. PREACH.

2. Paul Lasike carries - Line: 6 - #KiwiSwag, y'all. The Hawai'i game was memorable in that, deep in the fourth quarter, it turned in to an Australian Rules Football contest as Lasike, who played for the Cougar rugby squad last season, steamrolled his way though the secondary. As a 5'7 man myself, I wonder the type of injury Lasike could deliver upon my body were I to allow him to run me over. And, after watching Pitt-UConn last night, I am seriously contemplating giving him the chance. OVER

3. Idaho Rushing Yards - LINE: 55.5 - The Vandals have just three rushing touchdowns this season and average 80 yards per game on the ground. Bronco Mendenhall has had two weeks to prepare for such a vaunted attack...

via i724.photobucket.com UNDER

4. Attendance: LINE - 57,770 - This was the announced attendance for last year's game against Idaho, a game played a under similar time and weather conditions. Every BYU football contest is manna from heaven, even if the heaven dreamt of tonight will look more an Arctic wonderland. My heaven will consist of tropical weather and Honor Code appropriate dress standards. Honor Code dress standards won't be a problem tonight as the temperature dips lower and lower. This might scare away some of those who are less valiant in their BYU fanhood. Ya heard, Bronco! UNDER

5. BYU First Half Points: LINE - 28.5 - One year ago, a man by the name of Jacob Lamar Heaps threw a touchdown pass late in the second quarter to give the Cougars a four-touchdown first half lead. Is it just me or does that seem impossible. Jake Heaps played for BYU 7 years ago. I am getting old. Or, BYU football is taking a toll on my sanity. UNDER

6. Cody Hoffman Receiving Yards - LINE: 73.5 - Hoffman has caught a pass in 28 straight games. Barack Obama had a better chance at winning Utah County than Hoff has at not scoring at least one catch against an inferior WAC opponent. Numero 2 will need a consistent final three games to break the 1,000-yard receiving mark during the regular season. OVER

7. Jamaal Williams Total Rush Yards -- LINE: 70.5 -- JSwagDaddy received a scholarship offer from the University of Idaho. It is going to be disheartening for the Vandal coaching staff to have to scheme against the Boy Wonder. Having a defense that gives up over 200 yards per game on the ground doesn't help either. (PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Jamaal Williams is 17. Just throwing it out there. It is one of the lesser-known facts that television analysts often overlook) OVER

8. Total Points Scored: 49 - Idaho is just too terrible for BYU's offense not to have success. And Bronco is too nice in the second half to keep up the defensive pressure and prevent a few cheap drives. Not that it matters to anyone other than those with a gambling addiction. And, seeing how the Dow Jones has been doing in the last few days, The Wynn Casino may just give you a better return. OVER

9. Line: BYU by 39.5 - Independence has spoiled BYU. In the days of the WAC and MWC, the Cougs would have three or four of these sleeper games during the final half of the season. In 2012, we will endure just two. Cue the nostalgia... Last year, I remarked that Idaho was the fiercest hitting FCS team I had ever seen. (UI knocked out Riley Nelson) (Yes, I know they are not FCS, but as a proponent of the Big Sky, they should be. Again.) I know a few Vandal alums and I feel for the state of their program. These are proud people with a proud university and they deserve better. Saturday's American Football contest against BYU is not going to be a balm of Gilead. BYU finally put together a full 60 minutes against Georgia Tech two weeks ago in Atlanta. The real question is not whether BYU will win, but whether the Cougars can escape injury-free. Knowing how snake-bitten this team has been this season in nearly all aspects, I am not holding my breath. As for the line? COVER BYU 48 Idaho 6