Hitler Reacts to BYU's 26-23 Win Over Utah; And Max Hall's Comments After the Game

Hitler Reacts to BYU's win, and Apologizes to Max Hall.

(These videos are satires and responses to the video from last season,"Hitler Reacts to BYU Loss." )



Hitler Reacts to Max Hall's Comments.

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The Big Podcast Episodes 31 and 32 - Talking About the Holy War and the Jazz

Utah Jazz Podcast - Unselfish Play Helps the Jazz Back into Contention in the Western Conference.

• The Jazz finally beat San Antonio, in San Antonio, for first time since 1999.
• A recap of a very successful week for the Jazz.
• Should the Jazz move Okur to the bench?
• Which Jazz rookie has been more impressive this season Maynor or Matthews?
• With Korver and Miles coming back from injury who should the Jazz play at the two-guard position?
• Andrei Kirilenko has been shooting the ball quite a bit from the outside this season. Is that a good thing for the Jazz?
• Is Boozer playing well enough for the Jazz to keep him, or should the Jazz wait until his trade-value is up and move him?
• Predictions for the coming week of Jazz basketball.

Download here (Right click and save as) or listen with the player below.

BYU Football Podcast Holy War Edition - What Makes The Holy War One of the Best College Football Rivalries in the Country?

• Excitement over "The Holy War."
• Welcome Matt Stowell to the podcast, and talk about high and low moments in BYU vs. Utah history.
• How does BYU vs. Utah compare to other major college football rivalries?
• Why is the BYU vs. Utah rivalry more than simply two schools being located in a close proximity?
• Welcome Cody Discuss with Cody keys for Utah to beat BYU.
• Give keys for BYU to get the victory over Utah.
• Predict the winner and the final score to the game this weekend.

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Mountain West Conference Power Rankings—Week Six

The Mountain West Conference is what we thought it was...

Most teams have reached the halfway point in their schedule. Taking a look around the conference it appears that the Big-three of TCU, BYU and Utah are still the class of the Mountain West Conference.

Utah did have a genuine scare this weekend, but once again did just enough to beat their opponent. TCU also had a scare, but it really wasn’t as close as the final score indicated.

The really interesting team in the conference is Wyoming. If the Cowboys are really for real at 4-2 this season, then their game against Air Force will be their coming out party.

Here are the Week Six Power Rankings.

1) TCU—The Horned Frogs fell in the polls due to their performance against Air Force on the road. Obviously many of the voters didn’t watch the game, but rather just looked at the final score. The game was never really in doubt, and Air Force only made it close very late in the game. TCU did suffer from turnovers; however, Air Force is ranked first in the nation in forced turnovers.

The Colorado State game will be very interesting for the Horned Frogs, and should prove to be the most interesting game of the week. The Rams looked to finally take the next step in the conference, and take down one of the big-three teams. Yet, both teams have something to prove this weekend. The Horned Frogs could slip up this weekend if they are looking ahead to their matchup in Provo against BYU.

Week Seven Schedule: Colorado State @ TCU

2) BYU— The Cougars did exactly what they were supposed to do on the road against a really bad UNLV team. The game was over after the first quarter. What was impressive for BYU is the fact that Harvey Unga looks healthy. Unga is already the best running back in the conference, and he is just now running healthy for the first time this season.

This week the Cougars will face the Aztecs on the road. This game should be over quickly, but it is important for BYU to not look ahead to their showdown with TCU the following week.

Week Seven Schedule: BYU @ San Diego State

3) Utah—A person could really look at the Utes’ win in a variety of ways. An optimist would see a first year JUCO quarterback leading his team back to victory, and getting major support from a talented defense. The Utes did what they need to do in order to win the game. A pessimist would see signs of weakness in this year’s Utah team, and would credit the win more to Colorado State’s meltdown than Utah’s spectacular play.

For an offense which is still trying to find an identity since losing Matt Asiata, a trip to UNLV is perfect. The Utes will dominate this weekend, and will have plenty of confidence heading home for three straight home games.

Week Seven Schedule: Utah @ UNLV

4) Air Force—The three losses this season for the Falcons have been by a combined 13 points. Many people penalized TCU for playing a close game with Air Force, but the game really said more about Air Force. The Falcons could have just established themselves clearly as the best of the non-big-three.

The Cowboys are heading down to Colorado Springs. This is a must win for Air Force, they are clearly the better team on paper. A loss to Wyoming would really set back the Falcon’s season.

Week Seven Schedule: Wyoming @ Air Force

5) Wyoming— A win over New Mexico isn’t much to brag about. The Cowboys did win, and they did win by more than three touchdowns. The problem for the Pokes’ is they could easily turn their 4-2 record into 5-7. The Cowboys still need to play the upper half of the Mountain West Conference in the second half of the season.

This weekend is very important in Wyoming’s quest to get the all important sixth win. Most likely Wyoming will beat San Diego State. Which means Air Force and Colorado State are the next most likely wins for the Pokes’. The real story in the game against Air Force is the battle of ball control. Both Air Force and Wyoming are ranked in the top ten in the nation in turnover margin. Wyoming will need to hold onto the football in order to give their team a chance to win this weekend.

Week Seven Schedule: Wyoming @ Air Force

6) Colorado State—What a choke job! The Rams had everything going for them late in the third quarter against Utah, but then Colorado State just fell apart. Utah’s Robert Johnson came up with three interceptions, and the Rams blew their chances to take a major step in reestablishing themselves as a major player in the Mountain West Conference. Colorado State’s defense was really holding Utah’s offense, and it seemed odd the Rams didn’t try to play a field position game against Utah to finish the game.

This is the last chance Colorado State has to really make a statement in the Mountain West Conference this season. The Rams have the talent to play with TCU. The horned Frogs could also be looking ahead to their trip to Provo to face BYU. Colorado State just hasn’t developed the consistency of play to win big games. If Colorado State can put together a solid four quarters of football, then they could keep it close and have a chance to win in Fort Worth this weekend.

Week Seven Schedule: Colorado State @ TCU

7) San Diego State— There have been flashes of brilliance this season for San Diego State. This is a promising sign for anyone who cheers for Aztec football, but those flashes of brilliance are too few and too far between.

The bye week should have helped San Diego State prepare for BYU. If the Aztecs can keep it close going into the second half that would be a major moral victory for them.

Week Seven Schedule: BYU @ San Diego State

8) UNLV— Wow, UNLV’s season fell apart in a hurry! The Rebels were completely outclassed by BYU last weekend. The defense of UNLV is just awful. The Rebels defense is ranked 113rd in rushing defense, 106^th in passing defense, 101^st in sacks, 104^th in turnover margin, 109^th in tackles for loss, and 116^th in total defense.

Things will not improve for the Rebels this weekend as Utah will travel to Vegas. The Utah offense is still trying to figure out how to function without Matt Asiata; however, the Utes’ offense will benefit more from playing UNLV’s defense than UNLV’s defense will benefit from playing Utah’s offense. It looks to be another ugly weekend for the Rebels.

Week Seven Schedule: Utah @ UNLV

9) New Mexico— The University of New Mexico has decided to take action for their head coach getting in a fight with an assistant coach. New Mexico’s head coach Mike Locksley has been suspended for the Lobos’ game against UNLV. He also will be suspended for eight working days, and cannot have any contact with his team during that period. The ironic thing is a lack of Locksley’s presence might actually help the Lobos.

The Lobos should enjoy this week because it is the only week they won’t lose a game this season.

Week Seven Schedule: Bye Week

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Mountain West Conference 2009 Power Rankings – Week Five

Another tough week for the Mountain West Conference...

The second tier teams in the Mountain West Conference had a terrible weekend: Air Force fell on the road for the seventh straight time, UNLV lost for the fifth straight time to Nevada, and Colorado State fell on the road to perennial doormat Idaho.

TCU, BYU, and Utah continue to be the big three teams in the conference, without another team rising in the conference this season to compete for the Mountain West Conference title.

This weekend is the first full schedule of Mountain West Conference games. The difference between the upper level teams and the lower level teams will really start show after this weekend.

Here are the week five power rankings.

1) TCU – The Horned Frogs started slow, but finished off SMU easily. For all of the hype the defense is receiving, and rightfully so, the offense is also playing well. TCU is ranked 27th in total offense, and 21st in scoring offense. TCU is very good at controlling the ball, with just 6 turnovers the entire season.

TCU’s defense shouldn’t have any trouble containing the Air Force option. The interesting part will be to see if TCU’s defense will continue to avoid turnovers against a ball hawking Falcon defense.

Week 6 Schedule: TCU @ Air Force

2) BYU – The defense played well at home against Utah State. The Cougar defense held the 9th ranked Aggie defense to just 322 total yards of offense (with the majority of those yards coming when the game was out of hand), with just 106 yards on the ground. The offense continues to struggle with ball control. BYU is ranked 115th in turnovers lost.

This weekend should help both the offense and defense gain confidence as BYU head to UNLV. The Rebels are coming off an embarrassing performance in which they gave up 773 yards of total offense to a previously winless Nevada team. Harvey should be licking his chops just thinking about going against UNLV.

Week 6 Schedule: BYU @ UNLV

3) Utah – The bye week came at the right time for Utes. Utah needed to reformulate their offense after losing Matt Asiata for the season. The Utah defense has looked dominating at times this season, but nothing like the shut down defense of last season. Terrance Cain will need to take on more of the offense for the rest of the season.

This week will be the true coming out party for backup running back Eddie Wide. Unlike the Louisville game, Colorado State will be prepared for Wide and the Asiata-less Utes. The Utes though have had an entire week to plan for Colorado State, and have seen the Rams lose twice in a row to BYU, and then to Idaho. Utah should get the win.

Week 6 Schedule: Utah @ Colorado State

4) Air Force – Another heartbreaking loss to Navy for Air Force. For the past few seasons it only appeared Air Force would reclaim the Commander and Chief Trophy, but once again the Midshipmen were too much for the Flacons to handle. Air Force managed just three conversions on third down. The defense for the Falcons was excellent, but couldn’t hand the Falcons a big win.

Now the Falcons go from playing a huge rivalry game, to taking on the best team in the conference at home. The Falcons defense will have to play another excellent game to even give their offense a chance to upset the Horned Frogs.

Week 6 Schedule: TCU @ Air Force

5) Colorado State – Idaho only has a single loss; however, losing to Idaho was embarrassing for the Rams. Colorado State has not played up to their potential since they fell on their face in the first quarter against BYU. Colorado State is a much better team than the team that lost to Idaho over the weekend.

Colorado State could really take a huge step forward with a win over Utah this weekend. The Rams will have the first crack at taking on the Utes without Matt Asiata, but they will have to elevate their game in order to win.

Week 6 Schedule: Utah @ Colorado State

6) Wyoming – The Cowboys nearly suffered a very embarrassing road loss to Florida Atlantic. It took a three touchdown performance from running back Alvester Alexander for Wyoming to win. Wyoming still is the real surprise team of the year in the Mountain West Conference.

In order for Wyoming to get to the magic bowl qualifying sixth victory this season they must win this weekend against New Mexico. Wyoming’s schedule is definitely tougher in the second half of the season. Wyoming should be favored against New Mexico and San Diego State; however, it will take an upset victory (most likely against Colorado State or Air Force) for the Pokes to get to win number six.

Week 6 Schedule: New Mexico @ Wyoming

7) San Diego State – The Aztecs were able to beat a very bad New Mexico
team at home. Yet, San Diego State continues to be a work in progress.

The bye week will allow San Diego State to game plan for BYU, and the Aztecs are going to need every minute to come up with a way to slow down BYU.

Week 6 Schedule: Bye

8) UNLV – The loss to Nevada was embarrassing, and nearly earned the Rebels the bottom spot in this week’s power rankings. What is most amazing about UNLV’s defeat is the fact that they were tied with Nevada 28-28 with 4:20 left in the third quarter. The Rebels then allowed 35 unanswered points to end up losing 63-28. The Rebels continue to be the fool’s gold of Mountain West Conference teams.

If UNLV had trouble with Nevada, then they are really going to struggle to contain a better BYU offense. Harvey Unga is going to be a nightmare for the Rebels to contain this weekend.

Week 6 Schedule: BYU @ UNLV

9) New Mexico – The Lobos are really bad, and they continue to have serious problems both on and off the field.

The Lobos had better show up this weekend against Wyoming if they hope to do anything in conference play this season.

Week 6 Schedule: New Mexico @ Wyoming

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Mountain West Conference 2009 Power Rankings, Week Four

TCU looks to be the team to beat this season in the Mountain West Conference.

The Mountain West Conference ended up with some impressive wins in week four of the college football season. TCU beat Clemson on the road, and Utah took care of Louisville at home.

Week five features nothing but non-conference games for the conference. Of the seven games scheduled the Mountain West Conference teams should be favored in all but one of the games.

This is another important week for the Mountain West Conference in their quest for national respect. Four of the games pit Mountain West Conference teams against Western Athletic Conference teams. It is very important for Mountain West teams to win their games against other non-automatic qualifying conferences — if they want an automatic bid to the BCS in the future.

Here are the week four rankings.

1)TCU - (Last Week's Ranking 1)

TCU's defense is giving up just 245 yards a game, which ranks them 12th in college football. TCU is also ranked 21st in scoring defense, and 8th in sacks per game. TCU's defense is definitely the class of the Mountain West Conference. The offensive numbers for TCU are a little inflated at this point. Luckily, TCU's offense shouldn't have to score much to win this season with such a great defense.

After a big non-conference win over Clemson it is important for TCU not to overlook a much improved SMU team. If TCU is mentally prepared, then the Horned Frogs should win easily this weekend.

Week 5 Schedule: TCU @ SMU

2)BYU - (Last Week's Ranking 2)

It seems as if the Cougars were able to put their loss to Florida State behind them, as they took care of Colorado State at home. BYU only really played their best football in the first quarter and coasted the rest of the game.

BYU will face the fourth leading rusher in the nation this Friday, as Robert Turbin and Utah State come to Provo this Friday. Utah State is better than their 1-2 record. BYU could be in a dogfight if they overlook the Aggies.

Week 5 Schedule: Utah @ BYU

3)Utah - (Last Week's Ranking 6)

The Utes seemed to have righted their ship easily beating Louisville at home. Losing Matt Asiata for the season will really hurt the Utes as they start league play. Asiata was averaging the most yards per game of any Mountain West Conference running back. Eddie Wide did fill in well for the Utes gaining 129 against Louisville.

The bye week comes at the right time for the Utes so they can adjust their offense in preparation for conference play.

Week 5 Schedule: BYE

4)Air Force - (Last Week's Ranking 5)

Air Force's defense is very impressive this season. The Falcons have the 9th best scoring defense, and lead the nation in forced turnovers with 15. Air Force is one bad quarter away from being undefeated this season.

This Saturday's game at Navy will basically determine who will win the Commander and Chief Trophy. Air Force hasn't beat Navy since 2002. The Falcons will look to end their losing streak to Navy, and bring back the Commander and Chief Trophy to Colorado Springs.

Week 5 Schedule: Air Force @ Navy

5)Colorado State - (Last Week's Ranking 3)

Take away the first quarter of play last Saturday, and the Rams played even with BYU on the road. Colorado State proved they will be able to compete with any team in the conference this season. Nine wins this season for the Rams seems very doable.

Colorado State's game this weekend is the very interesting. Idaho, perennial dog of college football, already has more wins this season than their last two seasons combined. Colorado State needs to avoid being snakebit by a surprising Idaho team this weekend.

Week 5 Schedule: Colorado State @ Idaho

6)Wyoming - (Last Week's Ranking 8)

Wyoming continues to be a hard team to figure out. They did take advantage of UNLV's turnovers and come away with an impressive conference upset win. Yet, it is difficult to know which Wyoming team is going to show up to play each Saturday.

This weekend's game should be a gimmie for the Pokes, but you just don't know this season with Wyoming.

Week 5 Schedule: Wyoming @ Florida Atlantic

7)UNLV - (Last Week's Ranking 4)

This year's Rebel squad looks a lot like the squad from the last two years. UNLV has a ton of talent. It appears they are going to take the next step to compete in the conference every season. Yet, UNLV just doesn't win the games they are suppose to win. UNLV turned the ball over four times in their loss to Wyoming, including losing a fumble on the game tying field goal attempt with 1:19 left in the fourth quarter.

UNLV will now try to get back on track by playing win less in-state rival Nevada. A team the Rebels have lost to for four consecutive years in the annual Fremont Cannon game. The result of this week's game will be very telling about just how good the Rebels really are this season.

Week 5 Schedule: UNLV @ Nevada

8)San Diego State - (Last Week's Ranking 7)

The Aztecs continued to look good in stretches against Air Force. They still have a ways to go in order to be competitive in conference. If San Diego State put together a complete game, then they could surprise some teams later in conference play.

New Mexico State might be the worst 2-2 team in the country. This weekends game is really a must win for San Diego State.

Week 5 Schedule: New Mexico State @ San Diego State

9)New Mexico - (Last Week's Ranking 9)

The Lobos appear to be a train wreck this season. The team is losing, and members of their coaching staff are punching each other in meetings. The embarrassment will continue this Saturday.

New Mexico is ranked 107th in defensive yards allowed a game. They are playing Texas Tech who is ranked 13th in total offense a game. It isn't going to be a good day to be a Lobos fan.

Week 5 Schedule: New Mexico @ Texas Tech

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The Big Podcast Episodes 19, 20, 21,and 22: September 27 - October 3

Episode 19: BYU Football Recap

In episode 19 we discuss:

• BYU's win over Colorado State
• Improvements BYU needs to make
• BYU's drop in the polls
• Upcoming opponent Utah State

Download here (Right click and save as) or listen with the player below.



Episode 20: Mountain West Conference Recap

In episode 20 we discuss:

• UNLV's surprising loss
• TCU's position as the team to beat
• Important games this weekend

Download here (Right click and save as) or listen with the player below.



Episode 21: Utah Jazz Edition with Guest Katie Welling

In episode 21 we discuss:

• The Jazz reporting to camp
• What to expect from Carlos Boozer
• Which players should get playing time

Download here (Right click and save as) or listen with the player below.



Episode 22:Bonus Edition for September 27-October 3 (Exclusive to the Blog)

In the bonus content we discuss:

• Fantasy football
• TV talk
• NBC angers Mark

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The Big Podcast Episode 18 - BYU, Utah, and the Conference Loses

Mark and Jake break down the embarrassing loss.

In episode 18 we discuss:

• How BYU can recover from the humiliating loss
• Compare BYU's underachievement this season to last season
• Talk about whether Max Hall is to blame
• Mark explains what bugs him about many BYU fans
• Answering an e-mail about sports dating advice
• And of course talking about what is good on TV

Download here (Right click and save as) or listen with the player below.

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Mountain West Conference 2009 Power Rankings Week 3

A tough weekend for the Mountain West Conference...

The Mountain West Conference had another chance to prove itself over the weekend; however, the conference was unable to hold the momentum created since the Sugar Bowl last season. Utah looked bad in their loss to Oregon, and BYU was humiliated at home against a suspect Florida State team. TCU beat bad Texas State team, while UNLV and Colorado State held on to beat the WAC teams they were suppose to beat. Wyoming was blanked by a very bad Colorado team.

The down weekend proved one thing about the Mountain West Conference, the national media will hold the conference to a higher standard. The Mountain West Conference not only needs to be better than some of the major conferences, the Mountain West Conference needs to be perfect. I thought Mark May of ESPN best expressed this sentiment of a higher standard when he wrote after this weekend's games, "All the talk about the Mountain West getting an automatic bid into the BCS can stop. The best two teams from the conference (BYU and Utah) fell flat on their faces to unranked opponents."

While TCU would object to not being included as the best team in the conference, May's logic is flawed. USC lost to an unranked team in the PAC-10, just like Utah; however, May isn't claiming all of USC's past success is void. Ranked teams loss to unranked teams all the time, Florida lost to an unranked Mississippi team last season.

Did the Mountain West Conference look good this weekend? No. Yet, a single poor weekend does not prove the opponents of including the Mountain West Conference in the BCS correct. The Mountain West Conference is better this season than ever before from top to bottom.

Here are the week 3 rankings:

1)TCU - The Horned Frogs will be put to their first real test of the season. It is not only important for TCU to win this weekend to continue their goal of a BCS birth, but it is also important for them to save the conference from another embarrassing loss. A win this weekend would prove what many thought going into this season, that TCU is the team to beat in the Mountain West Conference.

Week 4 schedule: TCU @ Clemson

2)BYU - Last season BYU wasn't able to recover from a bad loss to TCU on the road. This season BYU has to recover from one of the most embarrassing home losses in school history. Florida State exposed BYU's defense. BYU will face a stiff challenge this weekend in a surprisingly 3-0 Colorado State. If BYU allows the effects of their loss to Florida State to linger, then BYU could be in real trouble this weekend.

Week 4 Schedule: Colorado State @ BYU

3)Colorado State - The Rams are 3-0, but they are a very shaky 3-0. The win over Colorado doesn't look nearly as impressive. Weber State also gave Colorado State a scare in their second game. The Rams did take care of Nevada, benefiting from five Nevada turnovers. Colorado State could open some eyes as they start conference play against BYU this weekend.

Week 4 Schedule: Colorado State @ BYU

4)UNLV - The Rebels are a single poor defensive play away from being 3-0. The Rebels are explosive on offense, and their team is extremely athletic. The Rebels have also learned how to play in close games. Although they didn't come out on top against Oregon State, the Rebels did put together an impressive late drive to take the lead. They also engineered a game winning drive against Hawaii. The Rebels will try to continue their impressive start against Wyoming as they start conference play.

Week 4 Schedule: UNLV @ Wyoming

5)Air Force - The Falcons were good last year, but they are another improved team from last season. Air Force is notorious for fading down the stretch due to the fatigue their athletes experience from their additional military training. Air Force might be looking ahead to Navy game, and might be setting themselves up for a trap game against San Diego State this weekend.

Week 4 schedule: San Diego State @ Air Force

6)Utah - The Utes were sloppy against Utah State, bad against San Jose State, and awful against Oregon. This is a rebuilding year for Utah, and in order to have success they need a healthy Matt Asiata. The Utes do not seem as if they have not found a strong team personality this season. With Louisville coming into Rice-Eccles the Utes better find a personality before this Saturday, or else they could be facing another loss.

Week 4 Schedule: Louisville @ Utah

7)San Diego State - This is were the big gap occurs in the conference talent. The Aztecs are a long ways back of the Utes in the power rankings. The Aztecs look good in stretches, and might put together a complete game and surprise a conference opponent. San Diego State could sneak up on Air Force this weekend.

Week 4 Schedule: San Diego State @ Air Force

8)Wyoming - The Cowboys looked bad, in a game against a bad Colorado team. They will have their hands full this weekend taking on a good UNLV team.

Week 4 Schedule: UNLV @ Wyoming

9)New Mexico - The Lobos have 29 total points this season in three games. This weekends game against New Mexico State could be their only chance at victory this entire season. New Mexico State has only beat Prairie View A&M, by three points. Set your Tivos for this slug fest.

Week 4 Schedule: New Mexico State @ New Mexico

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BYU, Utah, and Utah State All Going in Different Directions after Losses Over the Weekend

All three major college football programs in Utah lost over the weekend, and all three teams should be taking different views on the losses they suffered.

It was a rough weekend for all three of Utah's major college football teams over the weekend. All three teams were going into their games with something to prove, and all three failed to put together winning football games. Yet, all three teams should be looking at their failure in a different light.

Utah State has to be feeling good in spite of losing over the weekend. Utah State went to Texas A&M, a money game, and had the ball with a chance to tie the game in the final minutes of the game. The offense was able to move the ball against a bigger Big 12 defense. The Aggies are playing by far their best football in the past five years. If Utah State could control their turnovers then they would really have a chance to not only compete with established programs, but they will start to win the big games.

Utah State has not played a home game this season, and should be rolling over Southern Utah at home this Saturday. The Aggies could also be in a great position to take BYU by surprise in two weeks. Utah State might be the best 0-2 team in the nation. Of course, that just isn't a title a team, coaching staff, or fan base really wants to hear.

Utah struggled at home against Utah State, they then struggled to finish off a bad San Jose State team, and finally Utah could not handle a low level PAC-10 team in Oregon. Utah played sloppy. Watching this year's Utah team there are major holes in all parts of their game. The offense is not explosive, their defense is not stopping other teams, and their special teams are sketchy at best. Utah has little identity as a team. Utah also doesn't have time to wait to find their identity.

Louisville is coming into Rice-Eccles Stadium this Saturday. If Utah plays like they did against Oregon, it is going to be an incredibly long game for the Utes. Louisville is not going to give up four turnovers to the Utes to keep them in the game. How Utah plays this Saturday will be very telling about how good they will play the rest of the year.

BYU was embarrassed! There is nothing BYU can take away and build on from the thumping they took from Florida State. BYU was dominated from start to finish in every aspect of the game. Florida State came in with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove, and BYU just never seemed to have any passion to play the game. Sadly it seems they were under prepared to face a good Florida State team.

Just like last year BYU faced unbelievable expectations, and they cracked under the pressure. The key is how BYU will handle their first loss of the year. Last year BYU was never the same team after TCU man-handled them on the road. The offense was gun shy the rest of the year, and the defense never got back the swagger a good unit needs to compete.

Last year the expectations were high, this year they were even higher. Last year BYU went down hard on the road against TCU, this year BYU was embarrassed at home against Florida State. How BYU responds will tell a lot about how far Bronco and his staff has progressed from a year ago. If they are able to refocus their team, and get them ready to play in conference. Colorado State will be a challenge for BYU this weekend. BYU could easily drop another game at home, if they don't shake off last weekends loss.

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Mountain West Conference 2009 Power Rankings Week 2

Here are the Mountain West power rankings for the second week of college football...

1)BYU - The Cougars did what they were suppose to do in their game against Tulane. BYU dominated Tulane from the opening kickoff to the final whistle. Tulane is not a good team, but BYU for the most part didn't play down to the level of Tulane. Florida State should be a marquee game for BYU, although it has lost a lot of its luster because of the Seminoles loss to Miami, and near loss to Jacksonville State.

Week 3 Schedule:Florida State at BYU

2)TCU - In their first game of their season TCU dominated Virginia. TCU only gave up seven first downs, with three of them coming in the fourth quarter when the game was basically over. TCU didn't get a real test of how good they will be this season against Virginia, and won't this week against Texas State.

Week 3 Schedule:Texas State at TCU

3)Utah - Turnovers really burned the Utes, and kept San Jose State in the game. This rash of turnovers by the Ute offense isn't a shock. The shocking thing about the Ute turnovers is the fact that new quarterback Terrance Cain isn't responsible for more. Cain played very well in the game, which is a great sign for the Utes. The first two games were suppose to solidify the offense and prepare the Utes for their games against Oregon and Louisville. Oregon will be looking at this game against Utah as a must win to salvage their non-conference portion of the season. This Saturday's game will be very revealing for Utah.

Week 3 Schedule:Utah at Oregon

4)Colorado State - Suddenly Colorado State's win over Colorado doesn't look as substantial after Toledo humiliated Colorado last weekend. Also shocking was the fact that Colorado State needed to come back from behind in the fourth quarter to beat Weber State. Colorado State has to hope that Weber State was just a let down game after beating Colorado, and that they will be ready to deal with a Nevada team coming off a bye week, looking for something to prove after getting humiliated by Notre Dame.

Week 3 Schedule:Nevada at Colorado State

5)UNLV - A pass interference call on Oregon State's final drive game the Beavers a new set of downs, and a chance to march down the field for the game winning field goal. UNLV had the game won and let it slip away. UNLV needs to learn how to play up to their potential. UNLV has the talent to compete in the Mountain West, but what they lack is consistency. Hawaii should be a win for the Rebels after dropping a close game against Oregon State.

Week 3 Schedule:Hawaii at UNLV

6)Air Force - For three quarters of the game Air Force was in control. Air Force was just not able to finish off Minnesota on the road. A Minnesota touchdown off a fumble recovery sealed the Falcon's defeat. A trip to New Mexico to take on a terrible New Mexico team to start conference play should help heal the Falcon's wounds.

Week 3 Schedule:Air Force at New Mexico

7)San Diego State - The Aztecs continue to look improved from previous seasons. Of course looking at the past few seasons for San Diego State that isn't saying very much. Aztecs should beat Idaho in a contest of two somewhat improved teams.

Week 3 Schedule:San Diego State at Idaho

8)Wyoming - The Cowboys nearly took a lead into halftime against Texas at home, but the Longhorns woke up and scored thirty-five unanswered points. Wyoming has another chance to take on a Big 12 school this week, and this time they might have a chance to win. Wyoming could really gauge where they are as a football program. They could also help to put a few final nails in Coach Hawkins coffin, if they go to Colorado and come home with a win.

Week 3 Schedule:Wyoming at Colorado

9)New Mexico - New Mexico is the only team in the conference without a win, and it might be a while before the Lobos get their first win. It is going to be a very long and dreadful season for the Lobos.

Week 3 Schedule:Air Force at New Mexico

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BYU #7 in AP and #9 in Coaches Poll; Utah Drops in AP

Latest College Football Rankings...

BYU is up two spots in the AP poll from #9 to #7. BYU went up in the rankings after Ohio State and Oklahoma State both lost over the weekend. They are also just 23 votes back of both Penn State and Mississippi who are tied for fifth place in the AP poll.

BYU also went up in the Coaches Poll from #12 last week to #9. In the Coaches Poll BYU not only passed Ohio State and Oklahoma State, but also leap-froged ahead of Boise State.

The University of Utah actually dropped one spot in the AP from #17 last week to #18 after struggling on the road against San Jose State. The Coaches Poll didn't penalize Utah for struggling raising them up a spot from #17 to #18.

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The Big Podcast Episode 17 - BYU Beats Oklahoma Edition

Talking about BYU's historic win, and what it means for the rest of the season.

In episode 17 we discuss:

• What led to BYU's big win
• What does it mean for the rest of the season
• Give a big Mahalo to coach Anae
• Talk about the upcoming BYU vs. Tulane game
• Review the rest of the weekend of college football
• Talk about the Utah vs. Utah State game

Download here (Right click and save as...) or listen with the player below...

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Mountain West Conference 2009 Power Rankings Week 1

Here are the Power Rankings after the first week of college football...

1)BYU - BYU is coming off a monster victory, which is not only big for BYU, but also the Mountain West Conference. With the victory over Oklahoma BYU is now the team to beat in the conference. Cougars are on the road again this week, playing in another massive stadium, the Superdome, but this time playing a weaker Tulane team. The only way that BYU runs into problems this week is if they are looking ahead to the home opener against Florida State.

2)Utah - Utah did what they needed to do in their opener. Cain played like a first time starter, and the defense did just enough to beat Utah State. Utah get another tune up game before the playing their bigger non-conference games with this weeks contest against San Jose State.

3)Colorado State - Nobody was expecting much out of Colorado State this season. Most people thought that maybe Colorado State could be a mid level team in the Mountain West Conference at best. Colorado State handled Colorado in their season opener. Colorado was lucky to get the final score within six points. Colorado State is continuing their resurgence, and climb back to being an elite team in the Mountain West Conference. Colorado State faces Ron McBride and Weber State this week, and should be able to cruise to a win at home.

4)TCU - I almost kept TCU out of the rankings this week, simply because they have not played this season. TCU should be one of the top teams in the conference, and the nation this season. For that reason TCU is fourth in the week 1 power rankings. TCU starts their season this week against Virginia, a team which is coming off a loss to Williams & Mary. Frogs should get the season going big this weekend.

5)Air Force - Wow! 72-0! Even for playing a Division II team 72-0 is a big win. Minnesota is going to be a much bigger challenge for Air Force this weekend.

6)UNLV - The Rebels cruised to an easy win over a lowly opponent. UNLV should show more this week as they face Oregon State at home.

7)Wyoming - Wyoming avoided embarrassment by holding on at home against Weber State. This week the Cowboys try to avoid embarrassment against Texas in Laramie. You want to talk about the Mountain West Conference shaking up the college football landscape, just imagine what would happen "if" Wyoming beat Texas. That is a seemingly unimaginable "if," but just imagine if you will.

8)San Diego State - The Aztecs actually jumped out to a big lead, but after a controversial non-fumble call San Diego State really faltered. San Diego State looks to be much better this year. The Aztecs get Southern Utah at home, and should get their first win of the year.

9)New Mexico - 606 yards of total offense. That is the amount of yardage that New Mexico gave up to Texas A&M in their opener. Things could get worse for the Lobos this week as Tulsa's high powered offense comes into University Stadium, and will likely leave New Mexico's defense in shambles. It could be a long season for the Lobos.

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Quick Observations From the Utah vs Utah State Game

Observations about the Utah vs Utah State game...

The Utah vs Utah State game was very interesting last night. While the game was in hand for most of the fourth quarter, and it was very clear that there was a difference between where the Aggies are in respect to the Utes, the game was closer than people thought.

Utah defense did just enough to win. The Utah defense that has been touted to be the driving force this season for the Utes, did not perform to the level of expectations. Utah defenders will bring up the point that the Aggies didn't convert a third down the entire game. Yet, the Aggies were still able to move the ball against the Utes. It was poor play calling that cost the Aggies on third and fourth down, which was one of the many signs during the game that Utah State had a rookie head coach. If Utah wants to maintain their spot at the top of the conference this season, then their defense will need to improve.

Utah's offense didn't manage the game. The thought before the season was that Utah's offense would manage the game, limiting their turnovers, and then allow their defense to control the field position. In the second half the Utes figured out that they could pound the ball on the ground through the weak Utah State defensive line. While the statistics look good on paper, the execution on the field was generally poor. The Utes have one more game to get their offense in order before they start face better defensive units.

Utah State blew opportunities. The Aggies marched down the field on the first drive of the game. Just that single drive proved that Utah State will be able to move the ball this season. Turbin also proved that he will be an elite running back in the Western Athletic Conference. The hit of the night occurred when Turbin knocked a Ute defender on his back and then sprinted for another five yards. Turbin is a physical runner that also has explosive speed. The real problem with the Utah State offense was the play calling. Too often they would go away from the spread offense that was successful for most of the game, especially on key third and fourth down plays. The Aggies never took advantage of any of the turnovers in the game, and also failed to give Borel time in the pocket. The good news is the adjustments that Utah State needs to make are tweaks and not major overhauls.

How about the new uniforms for the Aggies. The Mtn. was broadcasting the previous two Utah vs. Utah State games leading up to the game last night. One thing that was obvious is that Utah State now has a little more money in the football program. The uniforms the previous two seasons looked as if they were something a JV junior high team would wear. The color was bad, their was a lack of names on the back of the jersey, and everything about them scream second rate. A coach I had growing up taught me an important lesson, "Teams will play like they look." It might be subconscious, but teams will play better if they have nicer equipment. The Aggies looked like an actual college football team last night, and they played like an actual team too. Expect success from the new look Aggies.

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What Will it Take for BYU and Utah State to Win this Weekend?

Both BYU and Utah State are trying to prove everyone wrong this week...

21

The number 21 is the connection that both the BYU vs Oklahoma and the Utah State vs Utah games share. 21 is the betting line for both games, with Utah State and BYU being the underdogs in each. Yet, it is hard to think that BYU is as far away from Oklahoma as Utah State is from Utah.

Utah State probably has a much better chance of beating Utah than BYU has beating Oklahoma. Look back at the Aggies season a year ago, and you will notice that they weren't that far away from a 5-7 season. While you might be saying, "What is the big deal? 3-9 or 5-7, both are pretty bad." Yes, both are poor records to have as a team, but there is a big difference between barely 3-9 and a disappointing 3-9. The Aggies had the talent last season to be a 5-7 team, and try to push to find a way to get a sixth all important win.

The majority of the contributing players that the Aggies had last season are back this season. They have a solid running back in Robert Turbin, and a proven play maker in Diondre Borel. The defense should be better, although the defensive line could still use some serious work. The other difference that the Aggies have, which will make a difference, is a change in attitude. It is clear to anyone watching the Aggies practice that there is a different mentality among the team. Gary Anderson has brought in a culture of accountability, discipline, and hope.

In regards to the Utah game, Utah State has the competitive advantage in that Utah has no idea what to expect from the Aggies. While at the same time Gary Anderson knows Utah's defense inside and out. Anderson has done everything that he can to keep a tight lid on the changes he is implementing in Logan. He is restricting the media's access to his players, practices, and even limiting what he showed to fans at the final fall scrimmage. Gary Anderson could have some surprises in store for his old team, when he makes his return to Rice-Eccles stadium.

Utah State is improved this season, but Utah might be a little overrated from last season. Utah is still a very good football team; however, they have lost some key skill players. Brian Johnson really made the offense work last season, and his loss along with Darrell Mack will hurt the productivity of the offense. Yet, the biggest loss for Utah is Paul Kruger. The most influential position on defense in college football is defensive end. A good defensive end will change a college football game. If you think otherwise, just look back at last year's BYU vs Utah game. Kruger almost single handily shut down Max Hall in that game. Kruger was a player that other teams had to game plan for, and always know where he was on the field. Utah has some good talent on defense, but they don't have another Paul Kruger.

Utah is trying to retool their offense on the run, and rely on their defense to carry them in their first few games. This is the biggest advantage, and chance that Utah State has in their opening game. If Gary Anderson's knowledge of Utah's defense can establish a weakness that the Aggies could exploit, then Utah State could get into a higher scoring game which would give them a chance to outscore a newly tooled Utah offense.

While Utah is good, but rebuilding; Oklahoma is great,they are coming back from a National Title Game loss, and the majority of their skill players are coming back. They have a Heisman Trophy winner, arguably the best front seven on defense ever in college football, and a stable full of tall athletic wide receivers. Oklahoma has little to no question marks going into the season, they are only worried about a possible injury derailing their chances of beating Texas and returning to the National Championship game.

BYU on the other hand ended last season on a huge low note. Max Hall turned into an interception/fumbling machine. Unga disappeared from the offense. The secondary was a complete joke. Plus, the four out of five offensive linemen graduated from school. The offensive line and secondary were the major concerns coming into the new season for BYU, and surprisingly enough there are more questions and concerns about the offensive line and secondary today than at the beginning of camp.

Three offensive linemen who were thought to contribute this season are injured: Matt Reynolds, Houston Reynolds, and Jason Speredon, although Matt Reynolds may return for the Oklahoma game.

The secondary is a pure mystery. The athletes in the secondary are better this season, than last year's secondary. Yet, the top four secondary guys are all fighting injuries, and another member of the secondary, Garett Nicholson, didn't qualify for school.

BYU has their work cut out for them against the Sooners. The only real chance that BYU has in their opening game is to control the clock. BYU would have to turn to their ground attack to keep the ball out of Sam Bradford's hands. Even if BYU were to make the game low scoring, and control the time of possession, it is very unlikely that they will win.

BYU needs to hope that they will at least be in striking distance at the end of the game, and hope that one of the new players can step up and have a breakout game. The one weakness that the Sooners do have, is they are trying to replace members of their secondary. If BYU can stay close, they could take advantage of the Sooners' secondary in the end.

Is it a long shot for both BYU and Utah State? Yes. Can both teams still have successful seasons even if they lose their opening game? Yes. Could both teams win their openers? It would shock some people, but it isn't impossible. There is a reason that teams actually play the game on the field and not on paper.

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Mark's Thoughts: What is Right About College Football

It seems that all anyone is talking about is what is wrong with college football, here are things that are right about it...

Columnists have been writing throughout the summer about what is wrong with the current landscape of college football. They have told us that the college football championship is a farce, that players are being paid under the table at major universities to play football, and coaches are throwing good college kids under the bus to further their careers. While many of these accusations are true, especially about the college football national championship game being a joke, it still doesn't hurt the game of college football. Why is that?

Other sports don't have the endurance of college football. NCAA football division I football has endured scandals of point shaving, steroids, cheating, arrests, and underhanded officiating (Both in the polls, different conference officials, and the actual officials at the games). Yet, it seems that the public is more ready to forgive the flaws in the system of college football.

Many writers have credited this forgiveness of college football to the actual major flaws in the system. Many have written that what makes the sport great is the corruption, the greed, and the flaws in the bowl system. They claim that these flaws cause people to talk about the game of college football, these flaws cause people to become passionate about the game, and these flaws shouldn't be changed or else the game of college football would fail. These "sports" writers simply do not understand the sport of college football. The game of college is football is great in spit of the flaws in the system. Changing those flaws would simply make a great sport even better.

What really makes college football great is the fact that it might be the highest level of pure sports that a person can watch. The majority of college football players will never be paid for playing football. For most players college football is the highest level of football that they will play. Every year in college football there are a handful of elite players, those players that even a casual fan see are special. Those players are going to play in the NFL, and are simply enjoying the short time they are spending in college football. The rest of the players are playing, more or less, for the love of the game of football.

Do the players get some compensation? Yes, they get a free education. Which for anyone that hasn't looked lately is quite a large chunk of money. Do all the players have a romantic view of playing football, and truly love the game? Of course not. Many players simply look at it as a business, and feel that the NCAA is using them like interchangeable parts in the big business of college football. Yet, there are far too many good players and good stories in college football, and the good outweighs the bad.

There have been stories, and players that have shown what it means to be a collegiate athlete. These are the players who play by the rules of the NCAA, they make themselves better through hard work and sacrifice. These are the coaches and staff that understand that although they might be fired for losing, they accomplished greater things if their players are living honorable productive lives after graduation.

Fans sense what is great about the sport of college football, which is why they support it even in its current flawed and corrupt state. The students see the players walk among them, and although the players are the big men on campus they still have to go to the same classes and face the same challenges of a normal student.

There are players that understand what it means to exemplify what it means to be a student athlete. Eric Weddle, former Utah players, now San Diego Charger, was one of those players. Brandon Gaskins at BYU is currently one of those players. LaVell Edwards is one of the great coaches to pass on the legacy of college football onto another generation, and Ron McBride, head coach of Weber State, is demonstrating he understands the purity of the game.

What other sport is there were every region has a team? What other sport has players which play on the team for at least four years? What other sport has given fans so many classic games, and upsets? What other sport allows all the teams to start, for the most part, equal, and allow a team to have a magical undefeated year? What other sport has produced so many local legends?

There is something special about the start of each college football season. It is important to remember the good about the sport, in order to be happy with what we see.

Sadly, the time of college football being the last alcove of pure collegiate sport is coming to a close as the greed grows in college football. College football is more likely headed towards paying players, more steroid scandals, more cheating, and even more conference elitism. All the average football fan can hope is that the sport, that we all love, can survive the stupidity of those currently at the helm of NCAA football. Let us enjoy what makes college football great, while it is still part of the game.

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Quick Hits: Utah Jazz, Utah Football, and BYU Football

School is over and it is time to return to the blog...

No Jazz Fans Are Talking About This Season - This is a very odd season for the Jazz. Normally Jazz fans are looking forward to see what the team is able to accomplish this season with an eye for a NBA championship. Yet, ever since the Jazz were eliminated by the Lakers in last years playoffs it seems as if the organization, fans, players, and media are only talking about on thing, this coming off season. This off season is so critical to the future of the Jazz it is hard to look at anything else. The problem is nobody is focusing on this season, and the chances that the Jazz have to go deep into the playoffs. People are more concerned over who will opt out at the end of the season, and who has trade value over the long term. Boozer trade scenarios have been the most interesting. Media personal have been proposing trades that seem plain dumb if you want to compete for a championship this season. Trading Boozer for a bad expiring contract makes little sense. It won't give the Jazz more money this off season to spend on other players, and it won't give a player to the Jazz this season that will help them win. With the talent of players on this year team (When healthy, and that is a bigger question mark) it seems people should be focusing on this year, and not so much the next.

AP Got the Final College Football Poll Dead Wrong! - Utah was the national champions this year. It is hard for me, a lifetime BYU fan to admit this, but the Utes did more than any of the other teams to get a piece of the championship. They were undefeated. The Utes didn't have to explain away any losses. USC lost to Oregon State, sorry your out! Texas dropped a game to a Texas Tech team that turned out to be not that good, and their big win is over Oklahoma who lost to Florida, sorry Texas is out! Florida is the only team that could make a case of being national champions. The problem is they lost a game to Mississippi. Florida also won a bowl game that was poorly played. Oklahoma had multiple opportunities to put points on the board against Florida and they beat themselves more than Florida beating them. The Sugar Bowl was never in doubt from beginning to end, Utah was in control and the better team. Utah didn't create the system or even like the system; however, the Utes played within the system and were the only team to be undefeated. The AP had a chance to use logic and vote the Utes to the top spot, but they even missed out on the chance. Many of the voters admitted they never watched the Utes during the season, and didn't even watch the Sugar Bowl. Yep, those are the people deciding the national championship.

Collie Goes Pro - Austin Collie is going to enter the NFL draft, and this is one of the few times I agree with a player leaving school early to enter the draft. This is the high point of Collie's stock. What would Collie get by playing another year at BYU. It would have been awesome to see Jacobson, Chambers and Collie together. It would have improved the Cougars chances to win big games against Oklahoma and Florida State next season also. The problem is team will focus more on Collie next season if he stayed at BYU. He also runs the risk of injury, and even if he has another great year it would be hard for him to repeat as the top yardage receiver. Collie knows that best case scenario for him is to get selected in the 3rd round. He also knows that there is a chance that he could fall considerably to later rounds or even undrafted. Yet, having the stats he put up last season will make the difference in him making an NFL roster.

BYU Outlook for Next Season - With Collie gone what happens to BYU? Collie leaving might be a great thing for BYU. The problem that BYU had on offense last season was Max Hall keying in on Collie. He would force balls to Collie when other options were open. The BYU offense is at its best when the quarterback uses multiple options. If Tonga becomes eligible next season that gives BYU two threats of catching the ball out of the back field with Unga and Tonga. Jacobson returns from his mission, and Chambers should have sufficient time to become at least the number two option in the offense. Pitta should return, and George is a great option on the field when he gets the ball. IF Hall learns that he has a huge number of offensive weapons on the field, and SPREADS the ball he should be just fine. More importantly for BYU is the defense. Manti T'eo might be the biggest recruit ever brought into BYU, if the Cougars could land him. T' eo is ready to make a difference on whatever team he plays for next season as a freshman, and if Bronco is relying on LDS athletes to lead BYU then getting T'eo to play for BYU is an absolute must. T'eo could possibly be the best linebacker to ever play for BYU. If BYU wants to be a nationally competitive program they need the top tier recruits.

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Weekend Links and Video

A comeback of all the stories and videos you need...

First an interesting article about the comeback of Andrei Kirilenko on SI.com:http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/chris_mannix/11/26/kirilenko.jazz/index.html

ESPN.com broke down a list of all free agents in the NBA for the 2009-10 season:http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=FreeAgents-09-10

A great sight for statistics for the Utah Jazz:http://www.atsdatabase.com/Stats/NBA/Utah-Jazz-Basketball-Past-Results.html

An interesting interview of Kyle Whittingham on the Dan Patrick show:http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/danpatrick/listenlive.player.html?file=http://ht.cdn.turner.com/si/danpatrick/audio/2008/11/26/DP-Kyle_Whittingham-11-26-08_Interview.mp3

Some Great Officiating Moments Videos:
Tony Romo Plays Official


Great Explinations By the Officals

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The Wife's Outburst: Best and Worst Mountain West Conference Football Helmets

Examining the best and worst football helmets in the history of each Mountain West Conference member...

As I was browsing Facebook, I found a link to a website (http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/) which has all the current helmets of all college football teams along with what the helmets looked like dating back to pre-1960. Here is a look at the best and worst helmet for each team in the Mountain West.

UTAH


The worst helmet for Utah was in 1974. It was just a plain red helmet with a sliver/gray face mask. Ugly! There is not any identification on it. No wonder it only lasted one year.  Did they not have enough money to put a logo on it?




The best helmet for Utah was from 1986-1987.  it has a white stripe down the middle and the current Utah logo.  The font is a little different.  The "U" is skinnier and has a Western type font.  It looks really good.  It is the bright red with a white face mask.

TCU

The worst helmet for TCU was worn (according to the site) during the first eight games of the 1980 season(on the left) and then the other two(on the right) were only worn for a game against Texas Tech and Texas.  I don't see what was so special about them.  Why did they have to make three different helmets?  They all look the same to me, except one is silver/gray and the other two are purple with a white or silver/gray face mask.  The colors are just reversed.  It is the same design.

The best helmet for TCU comes between 1995 and 1997.  It is a silver/gray helmet with purple block "TCU" on the side.  You may ask what makes that different from the ugly one.  It is the font.  On the ugly one the font is weird and unappealing.  This one is simple.  It has a black outline for the letters.  I also like the black face mask.


BYU

The worst helmet for BYU would have to be during the 1999-2004 seasons.  It went with the ugly uniforms.  I never liked them.  It seemed like BYU was trying to give itself a new image when the simple white helmet with a blue "Y" on the side was the BYU image for almost 30 years.



The best BYU helmet was about 1962.  This was used before BYU had the blue "Y" helmets.  Its really cool.  The upper half is blue and the lower half is white.  I haven't seen a helmet like this before.  Unfortunately, it didn't last very long.

AIR FORCE

This one is a bit different.  Air Force has been using the same helmet design since right around 1960s.  It is white with a blue lightning bolt.  Now that is what I call picking an identity and sticking with it.  Way to go Air Force!  For the past 48 years, they have only changed minor things like adding or taking away a stripe and changing the color of the face mask.


COLORADO STATE

Colorado State definitely had some bad helmets.  The worst one was worn from 1973-1981.  It is bright yellow with green ram's horns.  Yikes!  It's just....I don't know.  I can't find the words to describe its ugliness. I will just have to show you.



The best Colorado State helmet was during the 1993 and 1994 season.  It is a slight variation of the one they have been using since 1995.  The only difference is this one has a white face mask.  It looks a lot better and the players don't look like they are eating grass.  I guess that isn't necessarily a bad thing since they are the Rams.

UNLV

UNLV by far has had the most helmets for a team in the last 40 years (they beat New Mexico by 3).  The worst one was worn in 1981.  It was the last red helmet worn by the school.  There are letters written in a cursive type writing saying "UNLV" on the side of the helmet.  What football player would want to wear something with girly cursive writing on his helmet? But I guess it didn't affect them that bad because they won half their games.

The best helmet was from 1987 to about 1989.  It is silver with a big red "N" and in small white letters "Las Vegas" over the "N."  I really like it.  It has a red face mask and a red and white stripe down the middle of the helmet.  Out of all the helmets, red and silver, from the past 40 years, this one appealed to me the most.  It is unique.

NEW MEXICO

The worst helmet is the current one that has been used since 2004. I can't see the mascot.  It is too detailed.  The red outline does nothing for it.  Helmets need to be simple.  Why try to do too much with it.  It needs to be seen clearly from the stands.  The picture of a lobo cannot be seen clearly from the stands.



The best helmet is from 1972-1973.  It is red with a white circle and red "NM" in the white circle.  Now this was a simple helmet.  You can easily see the "NM" on the side.  This one is not very detailed at all.  The font of the "NM" is an easy to read font.  Overall, its just a cool helmet.

WYOMING

The worst helmet is from 1965-present.  How could a school have an ugly helmet for so long?  Why doesn't someone tell them?  I think it is because people don't want to stay around long enough.  The helmets pretty much are the same, only with a few color changes.  You do have to give them credit for sticking with the Cowboy image on their helmet.  I guess they want people to know they are the Cowboys.  The color combinations of yellow and brown are not very appealing (sorry Davis High people...); however for Wyoming it perfectly describes Wyoming.

The best helmet is the 1962-1964 plain white with a brown "W" on the side.  Why did they go away from this one?  It looks really nice and classic.  You really can't get anymore simpler than this.  They are trying to do too much with the current helmet.  Maybe if they go back to a simpler time and a simpler helmet they might play better?

SAN DIEGO STATE

The worst helmet is from 1974-1977.  It is just a plain red helmet with a black face mask.  How boring is that?  What if you were playing another team with your same color and their helmets were the same?  You wouldn't be able to tell the players apart except for the jersey.  And watching it on TV would look like a bunch of red blurs running up and down a green rectangle thing with white lines on it.  Oh, wait...that is how it used to look on the mtn. up until Saturday.

The best helmet is from 2002-2003.  The Aztec logo is really cool.  Much better than writing Aztecs on the side of the helmet.  Around the edge there is (according to the site) black airbrushing.  It looks fierce and warrior like.  I would be intimidated if I was on a team which was facing San Diego State.  The helmet for 2004-2005 looked just like this one, except the logo was outlined in white.

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