0 for 8 Cougs in Florida, All Time

0 for 8 Cougs in Florida, All Time

BYU football teams are not world beaters (news flash!), but they should be able to win a football game in Florida after eight trips there over the years. Going back to the 1980s, when the program was considered among the nation's elite, they have now gone 0 wins for 8 losses.

I thought it would happen this afternoon, there first win against a vulnerable team. I thought we were over the zero for Florida schnide.

Not today! (Or two days ago, I started this Saturday evening...)

Or ever, yet. Frustrating.

Sure, they have played some power opponents in the Sunshine State, including a bowl against Ohio State when I was a teenager. But there have been some lesser opponents too, like the U. of South Florida today. We thought the Bulls were more down, a worse squad, than the starting quarter back-less Cougars. The back up Jaren Hall was to replace the wunderkind Zach Wilson, who broke his thumb or some digit, hopefully to return next month.

Ugh. 

Notably for history's sake is that the back up Jaren Hall became the first African-American QB to start in BYU history. He had won this game, too, until he lost it. He did okay.

His fumble lead the Bulls back in the fourth quarter after the Cougars had a late sure lead. But worse than one major miscue by a first time starter was the lack of defensive ability to hold on to a late lead, which also happened last week in Toledo, against the woe-begone Rockets, the same MAC team that lost to Bowling Green State 20-7, today. I had hoped that Toledo was better than that, making the Cougar loss a bit more respectable... At least former BYU victim Tennessee beat Mississippi State...

Upcoming Boise State and Utah State look very daunting.

As does the rest of the season.

As does the career of Kilane Sitake as head coach. Fourth year, we need to beat these guys. We should be 4-2, but instead are 2-4. Ugh and double ugh.

The overall program winning percentage of BYU is around .575 since 1922. We want it much higher of course, as do all programs. Indiana or Kansas would accept .501. Michigan and Ohio State and Notre Dame expect in the .900s or high .800s. If BYU could get its winning percentage up into the all-time .600s, it would be sweet. It looked like that would happen the last couple decades. But there have been some major snafus, like right now reflects.

Yes, Brigham Young wants to be as good as Notre Dame in football, as does now Liberty (another large religious school, whose founder Pat Robertson realized that a major sports program can bring good attention to its presence and values), which BYU will line up against in November. BYU has to beat them, the Flames?,  in Provo to have any chance of a bowl this year.

November with its 5 games and mostly lesser opponents will end up manifesting how this season goes overall, but even with rudimentary losses, the last two failures will leave this season below expectations.

If the Cougars can upset a ranked Bronco team, avenge the stronger Aggies up north, who they have had a hard team of dealing with lately, and handle the rest of their business, an 8-4 season would be okay. Or rather miraculous to finish out on a 6 game streak.  But not as good as was thought when finishing its first four games 2-2. Even with a backup QB or two, 8-4, or more likely 6-6, is underwhelming for what this team promised.

Back to history: when will BYU travel to Florida again, to get its ninth try? Not in a bowl this year '19-'20, if at all. More likely to play in Hawai'i bowl-wise, if they can qualify for the post regular season. 6-6 would work. 7-5 better, 8-4 optimal, but looking too tough right now.

2020: BYU only will get as close as Northern Illinois. Bowl chances? Tough schedule... Not high.

2021: The Cougs will travel to Georgia Southern, pretty close, but no cigar--er, candy. Possible bowl? How many are played in Florida? Orange, Gator... No, not the Gator anymore... Oh, yes, it does still play there in Jacksonville...

2022: Closest scheduled away game as of now is Lynchburg, Virginia. We shall see, with two more unslated road matches to fix. I guess every year that the BYU Cougars do not go to a Florida bowl makes it more likely the next year that they could... There are seven, counting the Orange Bowl, which every 4th year should host the national championship. Imagine that! Paging 1984...

2023: Yes ! We have the University of Central Florida on the calendar! Orlando? Opportunity number 9 if it does not happen in a bowl game or otherwise before...

2024: Nothing on tap in Florida in this year or beyond, which incidentally has Boise State up till 2033. I will be retired by then? Have a novel published or maybe have a doctorate? 63! Almost Beatles age.

The seven Florida bowls as of 2019, for those who may care or are curious:

 1) Dec.21

Cure Bowl

Exploria Stadium Orlando, Florida 2:30 p.m.

CBSSN

American Sun Belt

2) Dec 23

Gasparilla Bowl

Raymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida 2:30 p.m.

ESPN

C–USA ACC/American

3) Dec 28

Camping World Bowl

Camping World Stadium Orlando, Florida 12:00 p.m.

ABC

Big 12 ACC/ND

ABC

Big Ten SEC

ESPN

Big Ten SEC

4) Dec 30

Orange Bowl

Hard Rock Stadium Miami Gardens, Florida 8:00 pm

ACC Big Ten/SEC/ND

5) and 6) Jan 1	Citrus Bowl	Camping World Stadium Orlando, Florida 1:00 p.m.	ABC			Big Ten SEC
	Outback Bowl	Raymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida 1:00 p.m.	ESPN			Big Ten SEC

 7) Jan. 2

Gator Bowl

TIAA Bank Field Jacksonville, Florida 7:00 p.m.

ESPN

SEC ACC/Big Ten/ND