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PROVO — A season unlike any other begins Aug. 31 at LaVell Edwards Stadium, whren the Cougars will open their second season in the Big 12 with a very different conference makeup.
A year ago, BYU was one of four newcomers to the conference alongside Cincinnati, Houston and UCF, and made their first appearance in the Power Five conference structure.
One year later, the Cougars welcome former Mountain West rival Utah, former WAC foes Arizona and Arizona State and one-time Skyline Conference opponent Colorado to a Big 12 that has swelled to 16 teams after the departures of Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC.
Now on board what many are calling the reduced Power Four structure, can the Cougars build off a 5-2 start to the 2023 season — or will it be more of the same for a team that won just 2-of-9 conference games including five consecutive losses to end the year and an offense that knows it has a lot to prove?
Let's take a look at BYU's 2024 season in quarters, starting with nonconference play.
Southern Illinois Salukis
Date: Aug. 31
Location: LaVell Edwards Stadium; Provo, Utah
2023 record: 8-5 (4-4 Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Final AP ranking: N/A
Last meeting: First meeting
Preseason win projection: 7.5, per FanDuel Sportsbook
The Salukis — arguably the best mascot on BYU's 2024 schedule — are coming off FCS playoff appearances in four of the past five seasons, including a 20-17 overtime loss to then-No. 4 Idaho a year ago.
The Cougars aren't the only ones in this game with a pre-fall camp quarterback competition. Southern Illinois' own competition between veteran Hunter Simmons, who missed spring football with a hamstring injury and Murray State transfer DJ Williams, with true freshman and Edwardsville native Jake Curry also in the mix.
Former SIU quarterback Michael Lindauer, an Evansville, Indiana, native who transferred from Cincinnati, sat out the 2023 season with a shoulder injury. He was also involved in the competition before retiring from football in June and to become a graduate assistant with the program.
Lindauer will work mostly under defensive coordinator Antonio James, whose Saluki defense ranked in the top 10 in the Football Championship Subdivision in most major statistical categories a year ago.
SMU Mustangs
Date: Sept. 6
Location: Gerald J. Ford Stadium; Dallas, Texas
2023 record: 11-3 (8-0 AAC)
Final AP ranking: N/A
All-time series: BYU leads 4-0
Last meeting:BYU won 24-23
Preseason win projection: 8.5, per FanDuel Sportsbook
These two schools were briefly conference mates in the old Western Athletic Conference from 1996-98, but plenty has changed since those days.
For starters, the Mustangs are making a similar move to a power conference, reportedly giving up nine years' worth of television revenue to join the ACC. A number of deep-pocketed donors and investors have stepped in to cover the costs, which include a lofty NIL fund to attract and retain talent.
That includes starting quarterback Preston Stone, who completed 60% of his passes for 3,197 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions before a season-ending injury in the regular-season finale against Navy. The Mustangs went on to a 26-14 win over Tulane in the American title game before a 23-14 loss to Boston College in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl to end the season at 11-3.
With head coach Rhett Lashlee guiding the offense, the Mustangs have put up as many as 490 yards and 41.8 points per game in 2019 and have barely dipped since then, with 38.7 points per game and 454 yards.
The defense added eight transfers to eight returning starters a year ago, and still allowed just 304 yards and 17.8 points per game. With seven of its 15 returning starters on defense, SMU could be primed for an even better year, and could send a statement to the Big 12 with a Friday night win just before the Mustangs' first of three bye weeks.
Wyoming Cowboys
Date: Sept. 14
Location: War Memorial Stadium; Laramie, Wyoming
2023 record: 9-4 (5-3 MWC)
Final AP ranking: N/A
All-time series: BYU leads 46-30-3
Last meeting: BYU won 38-24 on Sept. 24, 2022
Preseason win projection: 6.5, per FanDuel Sportsbook
The Cowboys will be breaking in a new coach in 2024, but Craig Bohl didn't leave the cupboards bare as Jay Swavel takes the top job in Laramie after three years as defensive coordinator.
As many as 15 players were named to all-Mountain West preseason honors by Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and the Mountain West media. That includes first-team selections like sixth-year senior defensive tackle Jordan Bertagnole, equally veteran linebacker Shae Suiaunoa and safety Wyett Ekeler, who started 12 of 13 games for the Pokes last year.
On offense, 6-foot-5, 245-pound Snow College transfer Evan Svoboda will take over at quarterback for a Wyoming squad expected to lean heavily on running back Harrison Waylee, the former Northern Illinois transfer who rushed for 947 yards and five touchdowns en route to all-Mountain West honorable mention honors.
The Cowboys have been to a bowl game in six of the past seven seasons, and continuing that trajectory should be the expectation.
Wyoming has recent experience knocking off a Big 12 team at home — remember Texas Tech, anyone? — but the return of a former WAC and Mountain West foe will bring even more juice before a conference slate that includes home tilts with San Diego State, Utah State and Boise State.
