Kirry: This Year’s BYU Football Team Is Better Than Last Year’s

SALT LAKE CITY – Even the biggest BYU fans couldn’t have predicted how the 2021 season has gone so far.

The Cougars ended the streak against Utah, have five wins over Power Five programs, and are No. 15 in the latest College Football Playoff poll. All signs point to a 10-win season being very likely and if things happen to fall their way, just maybe, a New Year’s Six bowl game appearance.

Coming into the year, the Cougars not only lost quarterback Zach Wilson to the NFL Draft as the No. 2 overall pick to the New York Jets, but the team was also dead last in returning production, and there was a quarterback battle through fall camp.

The schedule in ’21 was much more difficult than the duct tape version that stripped the Cougars of all of their Power 5 opportunities from the pandemic year. With a tougher schedule ahead and a lot of new faces on this team, it seemed logical that this team would take a step back.

When looking at the numbers on both sides of the ball, one would assume that the 2020 team would be far superior. Yet, the more difficult schedule has come into play and there is no real apples-to-apples comparison with who the Cougars played in 2020 compared to 2021. While the numbers dipped, the wins against a P5-heavy schedule were happening.

However, KSL Sports Alex Kirry said confidently that this Cougar team is better than the Wilson-led 2020 squad.

“This BYU team at 7-2 is better than this team last year was 9-0 after nine games, and it is not close. Last year’s schedule was garbage. If there is something that I know is right it is that this team is better than last year,” Kirry said. “We won’t be able to test this… but last year’s team did something amazing for this program.

“They get the played during COVID merit badge, but the thing is that this team has done so much more with so much more of a schedule. I know losing two games versus being 9-0, and I know what that looks like. When you see the teams they beat and the way they are winning these games.”

How this team is able to play so well starts with running back Tyler Allgeier who is one of the nation’s best rushers and is top three in the country in touchdowns, yards, and yards per game. Wide receivers Neil Pau’u, Puka Nacua, and Gunner Romney (when healthy) have all contributed to the BYU offense to keep it sort of close to last year’s unit which was top 10 in most major categories.

Been a big night for Tyler Allgeier and now he's carrying exhausted defenders in what's been a track meet tonight. pic.twitter.com/adCzSrdSBl

— Jake Schyvinck (@JakeNFLDraft) October 31, 2021

The defense is helping out by forcing turnovers with 15 takeaways and for the year are plus-eight which goes a long way in helping the offense have more chances to put points on the board. It is an amazing year for BYU so far.

Things are going well for the Cougars and while the numbers are not there compared to last year and there is not going to be a top-five NFL Draft pick. Yet, this is a real team effort from the coaching all the way down to the entire football roster. This team is scoring points when needed like they did by putting up 66 in the Virginia win and they are getting the job done on defense when a key stop is needed in a low-scoring game.

However, Cougar fans have to be liking this season even more than last year. There are not only five wins against Power 5 teams but two of those wins have come against rival Utah which ended the nine-game losing streak and against Virginia which featured their former coach in Bronco Mendenhall.

Back-to-back double-digit win seasons look to be a real possibility and it would be the first time since the 2008 and 2009 years this feat was achieved.

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