Ninth verse, same as the first

Colter Peterson, Deseret News

Don't really have much to say, other than congratulations, Seth, for winning the Guess the Score contest by predicting Utah would win 30-18. The $50 Amazon gift card is on the way!

Other than that, it was a fairly typical BYU-Utah game. Utah ground it out with the running game (Moss is seriously impressive) and scored many of their points on defense. Zach imploded, throwing two pick sixes and otherwise looking harried and outmatched.

I think this game broke me, because I've never had less faith BYU could beat Utah in the future. After the rain delay, there were 9 minutes left in the game and there was maybe some hope BYU could stage a miraculous comeback, but Utah just methodically ran the ball 34 times and ran the rest of the game clock out in one drive. BYU KNEW all they wanted to do was run and couldn't stop it. That's demoralizing.

Someone on CB posted that seven of the last thirteen BYU home games have featured BYU scoring a single TD or less.

12 pts & 1 TD vs Utah, offense gave up 2 TD's

6 pts, no TDs vs N Illinois 

11 pts (1 TD in garbage time plus defensive TD) vs Cal

6 pts (no TD's) vs Wisconsin 

10 pts (includes 1 garbage time TD) vs UMass 

7 pts vs Boise State 

13 pts (1 TD) vs Utah

That's abysmal. Poor BYU fans who attend the games. BYU's offense seems entirely broken, and has been for almost a decade now. I don't know if it's going to fixed any time soon.

What year is it?

Look at this photo. It's November, 2009, and BYU has just beat Utah, at home, for the third time in four seasons. All three wins had been close, but they were wins, and it was a good time to be a BYU fan.

That was the last time BYU beat Utah in football. 9 years and three months ago.

And, for the first time since then, I've felt like BYU has a QB who can have a good day against Utah.

The average stat line for BYU quarterbacks from 2007 to 2017:

17 for 36
205 yards
less than one touchdown
just over one interception

For a sparkling NCAA quarterback rating of 98.6.

Neither Max Hall, nor Jake Heaps, nor Riley Nelson, nor Taysom Hill nor Tanner Mangum could have a good day against Utah's defense the last decade. The last BYU offense to put up 30 or more points against Utah was John Beck in 2006.

That said, the best passing day a BYU QB had against Utah since Beck was true freshman Zach Wilson, who posted a 20-29 passing day, with 204 yards, with 2 TD and 1 INT. It was the third-best passer rating posted on Utah in all of 2018.

Again, he was a true freshman last year.

So can sophomore Wilson put up good numbers versus a Utah offense that's as good as it's been in the past and maybe even better? I think he can, and I think that's key to winning in Provo on Thursday.

So I'll be there Thursday, cheering my guts out at 9 PM for my Cougars to finally come through after eight tries versus Utah. Here's hoping they give me a lot to cheer about.

Aaaaanyway, I believe in BYU's QB again, so it's time for another Guess the Score contest! Leave your best guess for what the score will be Thursday for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card!

Submissions must be made before kickoff on Thursday (around 8:15 PM, Mountain Time).

Rise and shout!