Armed Forces Bowl: BYU vs. Tulsa
By Ty Duffy
Brigham Young Cougars [SRS 42]
Best Wins: Utah State (67), UCF (77)
Losses: TCU (18), Texas (21), Utah (40)
Famous Alum: Ken Jennings
BYU replaced the disappointing Jake Heaps with junior Riley Nelson. They started winning and scored oodles of points. Nelson added a rushing threat, and his passing numbers projected over an entire season would have placed him in the top ten for passer rating and YPA. One concern is his health, though, as Nelson’s aggressive running already cost him a broken rib this season. If he goes down again, the transferring Heaps will not be there to bail the Cougars out.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane [SRS 39]
Best Wins: SMU (75), UCF (77)
Losses: Oklahoma State (2), Oklahoma (6), Boise State (8), Houston (13)
Famous Alum: Rue McClanahan
You can’t fault their ambition. Tulsa scheduled Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Boise State non-conference. They lost, but they were willing to schedule them. The Golden Hurricane are led by senior dual-threat quarterback G.J. Kinne, a former Texas recruit. They have a strong running game, using misdirection and a number of different looks with varied personnel. Todd Graham left, but Tulsa maintained an adequate amount of octane.
For Recreational Purposes: These teams look very equally matched. We’ll take the points. BYU (+1.5)