The college football action in Week 10 on Saturday is headlined by some of the biggest regular-season games we've seen so far this season. But if you have the energy for some late night Friday action to get you ready for Saturday, No. 9 BYU traveling to No. 21 Boise State is the perfect primer.
There are a handful of teams vying for a New Year's Six bowl spot, and the Cougars and Broncos are among them. This game also marks an interesting juxtaposition that is peak 2020. BYU, having strung together a season as a football independent, is 7-0 and will have just two games over the next five weeks after Friday. Meanwhile, Boise State has only played two games because of the Mountain West's delayed start.
Both of these teams rank in the top 10 nationally in scoring offense, though BYU's 44.4 points per game are more credible simply because it's played most of a season. Leading the way is quarterback Zach Wilson, who's having a monster season with 19 touchdowns -- that ranks third nationally -- to just two interceptions. Boise State's defense is facing a big challenge and whether it can slow down the Cougars' passing attack will go a long way in determining whether it can put a blemish on BYU's record.
Let's take a closer look at the matchup ahead before making some expert picks both straight up and against the spread. Odds via William Hill Sportsbook
Storylines
BYU: The Cougars are a lot of fun to watch, but how good are they really? I'm not going to go down the "who have they played?" path because this program is doing the best it can in a cruddy situation. In fact, BYU has been a model in scheduling tough games through the years, especially against Power Five teams. But let's just say that Boise State probably figures to be the toughest opponent for the Cougars this season. BYU has played like a top-10 team, even if the schedule hasn't been anywhere near it. This team has done what has been asked of it, and more. If the offense performs like it has this season, BYU is in good shape.
Boise State: Put simply, we're going to find out how good Boise State is, or can be, in this game. This will be the best offense the Broncos face this year. Can Boise State make the necessary stops and keep up? Quarterback Jack Sears is likely to get the start again with Hank Bachmeier out, and he performed well in his debut against Air Force. So if this game gets into a shootout, Boise State is equipped to go toe to toe.
Viewing information
Date: Friday, Nov. 6 | Time: 9:45 p.m. ET
Location: Albertsons Stadium -- Boise, Idaho
TV: FS1 | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Game prediction, picks
In some ways, this feels like an early September pick because we don't have a lot of information on one of the teams. The line for Boise as a home dog is tempting and I imagine it's partially because BYU has had such limited practice time this week. It's small enough that, if you think the Broncos have a shot to win (and I do), then taking the points seems easy. But I'm going to play it safe. BYU has looked the part of a legit top-10 team and Wilson's live arm is good enough to lay the points. Pick: BYU -3.5
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