I came across this article, it looks like it just came out today. On the third page Mandell really gives some good props to BYU and there is a good pic of Hall. Not sure why he included AF on one of our tough road games. ARe they supposed to be really good next year? I knew they had a "better-than-expected" year last year but are they projected to do well enough to be deemed a tough road game?
Sorry if this has been posted already.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/stewart_mandel/05/06/mailbag/index.html

He had some really nice things to say about BYU. I liked the part about if BYU is BCS eligible that the Fiesta Bowl might pick us instead of us falling to the Orange Bowl who picks last. I think it is true. We have a lot of support in Arizona, and Max Hall and John Beck were both from the Phoenix area. We could really pack the house and I am happy that he realizes it.

He also says that BYU may be the first BCS buster to get in with one loss. That our pre-season rankings look to be high enough that one loss may not set us back that far.

These comments say a lot about BYU.

Nice find. It's comforting to see a pundit putting out the possibility of a 1-loss BCS buster. That framing may be important as the Utah and TCU and possibly Washington games really will be close. (I'm with you about Air Force; their new coach did fantastically well in stepping into that situation, and AF had a mostly great season after their pasting in Provo, but I'm not sure that game will be at the Utah/TCU level. Still, they do have a lot of upside.)

Good article and good comments about BYU.

I have to admit, the reply to the question about the playoff was the first intelligible response I've heard to why the playoff was shot down. The blanket statement that a playoff would weaken the regular season is still mostly dumb, but I do understand it a little bit better now.

It just leaves me wondering why he had us ranked at #25 at the end of the season. I believe his excuse for that was the old "didn't play anyone good" line. And yet, in the pre-season, we haven't played anyone at all - and suddenly we're #13? Hmmm...

I suppose I'll forgive Mandell for his ignorance in hopes that his repentance is sincere, but I have my doubts...

j2b03 wrote:

I came across this article, it looks like it just came out today. On the third page Mandell really gives some good props to BYU and there is a good pic of Hall. Not sure why he included AF on one of our tough road games. ARe they supposed to be really good next year? I knew they had a "better-than-expected" year last year but are they projected to do well enough to be deemed a tough road game?
Sorry if this has been posted already.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/stewart_mandel/05/06/mailbag/index.html

Air Force will have a down year again. They lose their top 2 offensive players: QB Carney and All-purpose back Hall. They also lose another 12 starters from last year.

I predict that Utah will be our toughest game yet again. Washington will be tough, just in the fact that we haven't learned to win YET on the road out of conference.