College GameDay made its call for Saturday’s Big 12 opener, and the crew mostly sided with No. 15 BYU over Arizona.
BYU will host the Wildcats in Provo, and while the panel leaned heavily toward the Cougars, one pick stood out. Howard, who picked BYU to win the Big 12 last week, went a different direction this time and tabbed Arizona as his “SuperDog” upset pick.
"It's my SuperDog," Howard said. "Let's roll Arizona."
The rest of the crew stayed with BYU. Saban backed the Cougars, pointing to Bear Bachmeier as the edge in the matchup.
"I'm going with BYU," Saban said. "I just think that, you know, Bear Bachmeier is a difference maker."
Bachmeier’s role looms large because the last meeting between these teams came before he was fully settled into the offense. In that game in Tucson, rain made it harder for BYU to throw the ball. Arizona also arrives in Provo with a rebuilt secondary after losing most of its starters to the NFL after last season.
That combination is part of why Bachmeier is expected to have more success through the air this time around.
McAfee also landed on BYU, citing the atmosphere in Provo and the way last year’s matchup played out.
"Double overtime thriller last year. I think BYU wins again at home. I think Provo's tough with how rowdy it gets out there," McAfee said.
The crowd has been a talking point all week after Brent Brennan said the BYU crowd was not a problem in 2024, the last time Arizona played in Provo. BYU used that comment in a hype video for the game, and it drew a strong reaction from Arizona fans on social media.
Herbstreit joined the BYU side as well, while also noting that Noah Fifita has had trouble against the Cougars before.
"Keep in mind, Noah Fifita is a great quarterback out out in Tucson," Herbstreit said. "[The] two times he's gone up against BYU, he has struggled both times.
Now he's in Provo. I'm going with BYU."
Fifita’s last trip to Provo ended with a career-high three interceptions. He is not expected to repeat that number, but the BYU defense could still force a key turnover or two.
Isaiah Glasker is one player to watch after intercepting Arizona in both games over the last two seasons. Glasker will make his season debut against the Wildcats.
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BYU Will Honor The Team That Defined Cougar Football
The 1976 BYU football team is getting a proper salute in Provo, and it fits the programs history as well as any reunion could. That group helped define Cougar football under LaVell Edwards and offensive coordinator Doug Scovil by leaning into the forward pass, and quarterback Gifford Nielsen along with other members of the team will be part of the pregame celebration before the game against Arizona.
The tribute will include the Cougar Walk and the Light the Y ceremony, giving fans a chance to recognize a team whose influence still hangs over the program. It also comes with a little added context from the matchup itself, since BYUs history against Arizona has included some memorable September wins over the years, making this weekend feel like more than just another game on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Faces An Early Big 12 Test With More Than One Wrinkle
Arizona and BYU are heading into a meaningful Big 12 matchup at LaVell Edwards Stadium, and there is already more than enough intrigue baked into the game before kickoff. Noah Fifita arrives with something to prove against BYU, while the Cougars are dealing with their own roster shift on defense, with safety Tommy Prassas set to start after Raider Damuni was injured.
For a game this early in conference play, the stakes feel bigger than the calendar says they should. Both teams have spent the week adjusting their plans and personnel, and BYU is trying to protect its home field while sorting through a test that could say plenty about where the Cougars fit in the Big 12 picture. [Read more 🡒]
BYU's Big 12 Opener Comes With Extra Tension Against Arizona
BYUs Big 12 opener already had plenty of weight attached to it, but the coaching subplot adds another layer of familiarity to a game that matters for both programs. Kalani Sitake and Arizonas Brent Brennan go back to their time together at Oregon State, where their relationship was built on shared work and the kind of mutual respect that tends to linger long after the setting changes. Now theyll be on opposite sidelines as BYU steps into conference play against a familiar opponent with its own history in the matchup.
Sitake and Brennan both acknowledged the personal side of the meeting while making clear the competition will take over once the game starts. For BYU, it is another chance to measure itself in the Big 12 against a team that knows how to raise the stakes, and the conversation around the matchup has only grown with recent remarks from Arizonas defensive staff about how far along its preparation already is. The familiarity makes it interesting, but the conference points make it matter. [Read more 🡒]