Phil Steele Projects Three Of BYU’s First Four Games As Toss-ups
Jun 22, 2019, 4:23 PM
BYU running back Lopini Katoa runs in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018. (Jeff Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeff Allred, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The 2019 BYU football season is filled with difficult matchups once again. The Cougars are the only team in college football to open up against four Power Five programs.
College Football insider Phil Steele sized up those four games and is optimistic about BYU’s chances against Power Five competition.
Steele said on Cougar Sports Saturday that BYU’s games against Tennessee, USC, and Washington will all be toss-ups.
Last year, BYU was crushed by Washington in Seattle, 35-7. This year, Steele noted that the Huskies are young on defense and BYU has Zach Wilson who Steele believes NFL scouts are starting to take notice of him.
BYU is considered a three-point underdog against Tennessee by Steele and with the USC game, Steele has questions about the Trojans defense. He likes the Trojans playmakers at wide receiver and sophomore quarterback J.T. Daniels.
With the season opener against Utah on Thursday, August 29th in Provo, Steele has the Utes favored. Steele has Utah No. 8 nationally in his preseason top 40, and BYU is at No. 38. Steele did note, “anything can happen in rivalry games,” he said. The Utes are projected to go to the Rose Bowl in 2019 according to Steele who has his magazine hitting newsstands nationally on Tuesday.
Only 68 more days till the projections go out the door and we see the games played.
Listen to the entire Phil Steele interview from Cougar Sports Saturday below:
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
