Editor's note: Read the schedule preview of UCLA and Cal Poly in Part 1 here, Wyoming and Texas Tech in Part 2 here, and West Virginia and Arizona State in Part 3 here.
SALT LAKE CITY — We'll call this the "rivalry" stretch of the season.
And depending on the season Utah has had to this point of the schedule — predictably a 4-2 start would be a reasonable expectation — this two-game stretch could be a gauntlet or an opportunity at redemption.
Good luck predicting the BYU-Utah game, but at least we know it will provide some drama ... and potentially some title implications, too.
As a reminder, ESPN's Bill Connelly, who recently updated his SP+ rankings after spring, sees Utah as the 31st best team in the country with the 55th hardest schedule.
So let's jump into the back half of Utah's schedule with a road game in Provo and a home game against Colorado. There's a very real possibility Utah could go 2-0, 1-1, or 0-2 in this back-to-back rivalry stretch. The safe bet is at least a split, but don't count anything out.
BYU Cougars
Date: Saturday, Oct. 18 (TBA)
Location: LaVell Edwards Stadium; Provo, UT
2024 record: 11-2 (8-2 Big 12)
Final AP ranking: No. 13
Last meeting: Nov. 9, 2024, Salt Lake City; BYU won 22-21
Preseason win projection: 7.5 wins
Not that anyone can ever predict this hotly-contested rivalry game — even if each fan base believes in their heart their team will come out on top — the unknowns surrounding BYU's quarterback situation remain the largest unanswered storyline going into the season.
The unknowns will certainly be known at this point in the season when the game is played, but predicting the outcome of the Jake Retzlaff civil suit case in June is a fool's errand.
With Retzlaff under center, BYU will have some added consistency from the previous year with its starting quarterback a year after he threw for 2,947 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on a 57.9% completion percentage en route to an 11-2 season. He added 417 rushing yards and six additional touchdowns on the ground.
Behind Retzlaff is the biggest mystery for the Cougars.
Former Utah State quarterback McCae Hillstead, who was on BYU's roster last season after a freshman campaign in Logan throwing for 1,062 yards and 11 touchdowns, and Stanford transfer Bear Bachmeier (a freshman) will be the obvious choice to replace Retzlaff for any reason.
Hillstead has the most Division-I experience of the two but needs to show some improvement, and Bachmeier is expected to have a higher ceiling but is coming into the program new to the collegiate ranks. There will be an obvious difference with the offense if Retzlaff isn't under center, but how it fares remains TBD.
The Cougars return a dynamic rusher in LJ Martin, who finished last season with a team-high 718 yards and seven touchdowns. The veteran back should be a major contributor to the offense and could provide some stability.
In front of him, though, is an offensive line that returns only one starter — Weylin Lapuaho — and will need some early consistency to help the offense. The Cougars, though, got former Michigan lineman Andrew Gentry in the transfer portal, which should help solidify the line.
BYU lost two strong receivers in Darrius Lassiter and Keelan Marion, but return the team's leading receiver in Chase Roberts. The senior wideout amassed 854 yards and four touchdowns last season, and should be primed for another strong season.
Roberts will be joined by returning receiver Jojo Phillips, while adding Stanford transfer Tiger Bachmeier and Utah transfer tight end Carsen Ryan.
Though questions remain for the offense, the defense is BYU's bread and butter, especially ever since Jay Hill took over as the team's defensive coordinator. From his first season at BYU to his second (last year), Hill made major inroads with the program and took a defense that ranked 109th overall to 13th the next year.
And though BYU lost some production from last year's unit — most notably defensive end Tyler Batty and linebacker Harrison Taggart — Hill still has a talented roster to work with for his third season.
BYU returns star linebackers Isaiah Glasker and Jack Kelly — the two combined for three interceptions last year — to help lead the defense and provide some consistency in the middle as "quarterbacks of the defense."
Up front, the Cougars are a bit more exposed after losing some depth in the defensive line. BYU, though, hopes to see Utah transfer Keanu Tanuvasa and Oklahoma State transfer Justin Kirkland bring some immediate experience after successful seasons as their former schools.
Additionally, Texas defensive end transfer Tausili Akana looks to factor into the game plan in some capacity.
In the secondary, Evan Johnson returns as the second-highest graded defender, according to Pro Football Focus, giving the Cougars another great and proven defender to bring some holdover from last season's successful defense.
Expect fireworks again as BYU and Utah resume the rivalry theatrics — this time in Provo. The Cougars won't come as a surprise to anyone this season, and they have a defense that can counter any program in the Big 12.
But will it be enough to have another Big 12 title contending season or will the Cougars fall back a bit, especially with the uncertainty surrounding the QB position?
Colorado Buffaloes
Date: Saturday, Oct. 25 (TBA)
Location: Rice-Eccles Stadium; Salt Lake City
2024 record: 9-4 (7-3 Big 12)
Final AP ranking: No. 25
Last meeting: Nov. 16, 2024, Boulder, CO; Colorado won 49-24
Preseason win projection: 6.5 wins
Replacing a Heisman Award winner in Travis Hunter and one of the best college quarterbacks in Shedeur Sanders is no small task for Colorado in Deion Sanders' third season in Boulder. This season will be the true test of Coach Prime's legacy in the coaching world.
And much like every season of Sanders' tenure at Colorado, the football program will be undergoing significant turnover on both sides of the ball again. This year isn't as drastic as the two years prior, but the moves will have an impact on the season.
For all the progress the Buffaloes made last season, this year's squad is expected to take a step back, especially as it adjusts to life with a new quarterback under center. Could it be four-star true freshman Julian Lewis — a highly sought after talent — or former Liberty starter Kaidon Salter?
Coach Prime will have to weigh whether a true freshman is the better option to a proven starter at a lower level and has reportedly had some accuracy troubles on deeper throws. Either way, neither are Shedeur Sanders.
Add to it that Colorado lost its top four receivers for a team that finished sixth in the country in passing offense (318.0 yards per game) and will be replacing at least four of its five starters of the offensive line (Granted, the past offensive line allowed 43 sacks and left Sanders under duress nearly every snap).
Colorado went to the portal and added to its receiving corps with Tulsa's second-leading receiver in Joseph Williams, who finished with 588 yards and five touchdown, while adding Florida State's Hykeem Williams. They'll pair with returners Drelon Miller and Omarion Miller, who combined for nearly 500 yards and four touchdowns.
The offensive line also gets an upgrade with former Memphis guard Xavier Hill, a standout lineman who graded out with an 83.2, according to Pro Football Focus, as the team's second-best player on offense. He'll be joined by center Zarian McGill (Louisiana Tech), Aki Ogunbiyi (Texas A&M) and Zylon Crisler (Illinois).
That rebuilt offensive line — which may be Colorado's best in Sanders' tenure — should help a run game that finished dead last in the FBS with just 65.2 yards per game. The Buffs lose leading rusher Isaiah Augustave to South Carolina, but second-leading rusher Micah Welch returns and will get some help from Incarnate Word transfer DeKalon Taylor.
Don't expect the same Colorado offense from last season, but they'll have enough talent to do some damage. But it remains what it will look like with uncertainty at quarterback.
On the defensive side of the ball, there's a handful of returners to a mostly solid — and improving — unit, but there will be an influx of transfer portal players needed to raise the talent level.
The defensive line returns veteran edge rushers in Samuel Okunlola and Arden Walker, but will look to new additions Jahiem Oatis (Alabama) and Tavion Coleman (Texas State) to fill out the line.
At linebacker, Colorado is expected to start transfer players Martavius French (UTSA) and Reggie Hughes (Jacksonville State), who both could use some improvement to be considered full-time impact players.
The defense should remain a tough unit, but the fall back to reality of not having Travis Hunter will be noticeable.
If this defense can gel early with all the new pieces, it should afford the offense some more leeway to take some risks; but a disjointed defense could force the Buffaloes back to obscurity — even with Coach Prime roaming the sidelines.
The biggest risk to Utah is that this game comes the week after BYU. The emotional letdown — win or lose in Provo — will be a tough balancing act that will prove Utah's mettle down the stretch of the season.
