is it just me, or didn;t BYU win their last away game? the TCU game was two away games ago. byu played in Colorado last time.

Brandon Howard is going to be sitting out. Maybe our defense will have a chance now.

The article stated: "The last time the Cougars went on the road, in a game with championship overtones, they were humbled and outplayed by TCU."

Traveling to CSU wasn't a game with championship overtones, even though it was after the TCU game.

I find it interesting how many comments become vitriol over the simplest things. The writer stated: "The last time the Cougars went on the road, in a game with championship overtones, they were humbled and outplayed by TCU."

I believe the writer was trying to express to the reading public that he didn't think the game with CSU had "championship overtones" which I would agree.

I'm not saying that BYU played the CSU game as if it didn't have "championship overtones" because the Cougars seem to be playing just well enough to win. And for me a win is a win and though Utah publicly seems to have the upper hand, which I compliment them for, on any given day any team in this conference can whip any other team.

There is a target on the Cougars every week which I believe every team in the conference prepares for all year.

Kudos to Bronco and the Cougars even if they just barely win. For me it's still okay,noble, and acceptable to win by one point.

GO COUGARS!

are about to go down in flames against AFA. Nov 22nd won't mean squat after this weekend.

Utes Rule and Kitty's drewal.

Wow, I didn't realize BYU hasn't beaten a DI-A team with a winning record all year. That's embarrasing. It says more about SOS than the quality of the BYU team, however. What is means is that BYU has played 1 DI-A team with a winning record all year lon.

You're right, "strait". BYU did win its last game. There is always a lot of talk about the winning or losing record of the opposing team, but, when anyone in the MWC plays BYU, it is their Super Bowl. No matter what the record, they play their hearts out, and usually do better against BYU than they do against anyone else before or after, that year. AFA will be in the same mindset as TCU was. They will absolutely play like madmen and BYU will need to be ready for that. Even though BYU has quite an impressive PAST record, each year the team changes, with some excellent players with a lot of experience leaving or going on missions, and new players coming in. Sometimes those new players start contributing right away, sometimes it takes a year or two. At the beginning of the year, I was concerned about BYU's defense, and I still think that is where they must play above themselves over the next two weeks if they are to "win out", and beat Utah and AFA. There is no question the offense is good. I hope the defense comes with fire in their bellies!

Common, Harmon, do some research before writing "facts" that just aren't correct.

He stated BYU has won 16 of the last 17 games against AFA. A quick look at the archives tells me that BYU is 7-5 against AFA the last 12 meetings. That isn't even close to 16 of the last 17. Pathetic.

Make it so, Cougs! Win and silence your critics!

BYU hasn't beaten a team with a winning record since Northern Iowa - is that right? - no wonder our SOS is so lousy in the polls - I think we kill AFA and Utah because MAX is the passing genius with Collie and Pitta - but I guess our schedule hasn't helped us out at all this year for rankings and the computer polls.

He said their last road game with championship overtones, not last road game. You need to check your facts before you comment.

The key to your misunderstanding is the parenthetical phrase "in a game with championship overtones," which, translated, means in a game with one of this season's other MWC championship contenders: TCU, Air Force and Utah.

I don't normally stick up for Dick, but he didn't say the last game on the road, he said "The last time the Cougars went on the road, in a game with championship overtones, they were humbled and outplayed by TCU." Of course, his English wasn't the best, but his facts were actually straight. The Colorado State game didn't really have "championship overtones" because CSU was not contending for the championship (they were 2-2 at the time). But if they were to have lost the CSU game, this game wouldn't have "championship overtones", so you do have a good point. But once again, defending Dick, Air Force which is 5-1 in conference, is contending.

The rest of Harmon's sentence says, "with championship overtones." CSU is not in the running for the championship. TCU is.

No way has BYU won 16 of the last 17 contests against the Falcons. They lost in 2002, 2003, and back in a mid-90's season opener: maybe 1995?

Certainly they've played well historically speaking, but struggled in the Crowton years.

Has BYU ever struggled against Air Force? It seems like that is one matchup that causes my Utes tons of problems but never seems to bother Provo one bit.

BYU has had must win games before, and usually comes out OK.

I think at the beginning of the season, it was Coach whittingham who declared that one game does not make or break a season.

If that is the case, I sure when the scoreboard at RES shows 00:00, BYU will have a share of the MWC title, something they have done for the past two years.

What's exciting, is what everyone knew at the beginning of the season. BYU is returning a solid squad for next year.

That's why the Utes need to get all of their Hahaha's out during this window between the TCU and the Utah game.

It's their only chance to talk smack. However, until they can prove it on the field against BYU, they have to live with the facts of who they really are. A team that has two wins that have been handed to them, OSU's poor clock management and playing not to lose, and TCU's freshman kicker missing two clutch kicks.

They will need BYU to make mistakes for them to win. It's possible, but UTAH will not "beat" BYU.

From the BYU Press release:

THE BYU-AIR FORCE SERIES
The Cougars hold an all-time record of 22-6 against the Falcons, most recently taking a 31-6 victory at LaVell Edwards Stadium in 2007. Beginning with the first time the two teams played in 1956, BYU won 16 out of its first 17 match-ups against Air Force. The Cougars won 12 in a row from 1983-94 but have gone just 6-5 against the Falcons since the 1995 season. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall is 3-0 all-time against Air Force, winning those games by an average of 21 points per game. The Cougars last lost a game in Falcon Stadium back in 2002.

I think Dick Harmon saw the 16 of 17 in the first games and mistook it for recent history.

Well I believe that UCLA was 1-0 when we played them as they had a bye week after they bet Tennesse. yeah they are horrible but they still had a winning record at the time. If we are talking about a winning record now, that is true but that statment wasnt that clear.

You can go to byu football dot com and see the results of the BYU vs AFA games. BYU has lost to the AFA in 2003, 2002, 2000, 1998, and 1995. BYU did not play the AFA in 1997 or 1996. Dick says that BYU has beaten the AFA the 16 of the last 17 they have played. This is not true. you can look it up yourselves. Once again BYU trying to make itself look better that it really is.

re: wrong again fans | 9:22 a.m. Nov. 13, 2008

Ore St didn't have a winning record when they played the Utes but do now..... Spin that Zoobs!

For the Top of the Mountains Bowl shirts available soon! HAHAHAHAHAHA, perfect season, yeah right! BYU shouldn't be, nor should have been, in the top 25 all season, talk about clueless polls and voters.

Looks like the yewties are in for a smackdown when the lowly kitties rip them apart like a ball of yarn.

BYU 42, Utah 12 (all field goals)

I have corrected the series record and the current streak in the AFA-BYU series. It is now online. Thanks for reading. BYU won 16 of the first 17 in the series. The overall record has BYU winning 22 of 28 and the four. Sorry for the mistake. Thanks for reading.

If the criteria is a winning record when the game was played, then Northern Iowa can't count since they were 0-0 when the game was played.

Clearly, Harmon's criterion was a current winning record.

You come across as a sniveling little junior high punk. Try saying something intelligent on occasion, unless you are a sniveling little junior high punk.

Even if you are right,(I didn't bother to look up the correct stats, don't care), BYU didn't write the article. Maybe you should try to make yourself look better than you really are.

BYU has gone undefeated at home for THREE seasons. They were undefeated in the MWC for the past TWO years. They have one of the best quarterbacks in the country. They have one of the best wide receivers in the country. They have one of the best tight ends in the country. AND they have beat Utah the last two years. Anybody that claims BYU "sucks" or is not a great team is completely ignorant. Yeah, some BYU fans are fair-weather fans, and a little dorky at times, but BYU is an integral part of a MWC that is looking better and better each year. It would suck to have one dominating team in the MWC every year. Congrats to Utah, TCU, and Air Force for raising the bar. MWC is deserving of an automatic BCS bid.

Those of you criticizing Mr. Harmon on the 16 of 17, should take a basic reading class. What he wrote was “Beginning with the first time the team played in 1956, BYU won 16 out of its first 17 matchups against Air Force. The Cougars won 12 in a row from 1983-1994 but have gone just 6-5 against the Falcon since the 1995 season.” First 17, not last 17. Let him who is without …… you know how it goes.

You can't be that stupid! Dick Harmon didn't write that BYU has won 16 out of the last 17 games againg AFA!

Dick wrote:

"Beginning with the first time the two teams played in 1956, BYU won 16 out of its first 17 matchups against Air Force"

BYU is still on top as far as the conference should be concerned. It is still completely within BYU's power to defend their title and to go and win a bowl game. Those goals maintain the quest that is for perfection.

They never claimed they would be perfect this year. It is a quest for perfection. I repeat, a quest. Big difference. As no one (or team) is perfect, but the quest is realized as the Cougars do their best to reach their goals. They are still on track. Going undefeated wasn't one of those goals. But winning every home game, becoming conference champs, and winning a bowl game (the final result over the last two years) are all very possible. Air Force and Utah aren't going to wrestle away the conference champion's crown as easily as their fans like to profess. It has been the quest of the rest of the conference for a couple years now to take the MWC title from the Cougars.

Don't tell me any of the MWC teams are foolish enough to think that if they missed the quest/goal to be conference champ once, that it is now never attainable--likewise, perfection is ever-pursuable.

byu will lose this weekend to the AFA because their achilles heel will show up again. Their defensen is terrible. Then it will be on to SLC and Utah will rock your socks off too. Fourth place finish is looking about right for the cougs.

Slyter you are a bitter Ewe-t, the last 2 years must have really left a scar, i recommend some therapy before BYU makes it 3 in a row!

I love watching Tafuna play. He closes like all defenders should. We're a lot better with him in there.

With all of the ignorace displayed before God and everyone in the comments on Harmon's article, it is no wonder Obama won the election. Grow up folks, it's just a game.

Sly,

People are more apt to listen and take you seriously when you use spell check!

- Ute Alumni here

Neither team has won against a quality team. AFA played three teams that still have winning records.

AFA beat Houston which is 5-4
AFA lost to Utah in a close game 23-30
AFA lost to Navy in a close game Navy is 6-3

We all know the BYU story.

Lets play this one on the field and then we will know.

Yu musst of magored in inglesh at the U?

You are completely out of line. By dubbing BYU's 2008-2009 football season as the "Quest for Perfection", there's a certain undertone such as: "Yeah, we're going to be perfect this year."

"Quest for perfection" was a lousy slogan. The phrase doesn't fit the Cougs now, and the notion of any Coug fans still wearing a "Quest for Perfection" shirt is downright laughable.

By the way-- BYU, why don't you lend your "Quest for perfection" shirts to Utah?? Utah is still on the path to perfection while BYU is forever downtrodden.

I am disappointed that you didn't post my comment. I was clearly following the rules:

"COMMENTS ARE MONITORED. ANY COMMENTS FOUND TO BE ABUSIVE, OFFENSIVE, OFF-TOPIC, MISREPRESENTATIVE, MORE THAN 200 WORDS OR CONTAINING URLS WILL NOT BE POSTED."

Read it. I am clearly within the bounds of the rules.

Who monitors the DN commentboard online??

Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.

OK, Dick Harmon made an error. He went back and corrected it (hence, later posters are quoting the corrected version). He apologized for the mistatement. I encourage any of the posters who have never made a mistake in their Career to continue to harrass him. Otherwise, leave the guy alone.

Dick,

You are a BYU Homer. That is exactly what I expect of you and that is exactly why I enjoy your articles more than any other writer. I am a BYU Fan, therefore I appreciate your perspective. Thank you for providing your insight into the BYU Program (especially for those of us who live far away - North Pole, Alaska).

Keep up the great work!

BKB

PS - As a Pilot, I make a bad landing on occasion. It happens!

For those critizing those (me included) who complained about Dick's stat of BYU winning 16 of the last 17, I have but one thing to say.

The column has been edited since we made those comments. I can read English and up until noon or so, it clearly said BYU had one 16 of the last 17. Now, it reads differently.

So, be nice when claiming those of us who can read can't read.

Please don't lose Saturday, we want the game next Saturday to actually mean something for you. We'd hate to beat you when you have nothing to play for. We really wanted to have two undefeated teams on the 22nd - we did our part. So all we ask is that you come with something on the table so when we beat you you will at least look like there was a reason to win.

Although I guess if you do lose this weekend you will still be playing for something... a share of our BCS money.
Love,
Utes

AirForce cannot stay with BYU IF BYU opens up the offense like they did against UCLA. In the past several games, the O-line hasn't blocked worth a hoot and the play calling has been way too conservative. BYU has to go no huddle alot in this game and force AirForce to defend Collie and Pitta. Unga better be healthy because they won't win without him.

His name is Dick.

BYU is gonna defeat Air force, no doubt, so next saturday, who will be the stressed out and with all the pressure to win the "Big Game"?, yutes, be afraid, be very afraid........

RE:Maddog I am not a Ute fan, only a realist. Sorry for my spelling too. I guess I am not perfect!

BYU will have its hands VERY full this Saturday. I have been afraid of this game for a long time. They will be extremely fortunate to get out of Colorado Springs with a win. It is going to be a tough one.

Taking credit for other team's victories for the past two years.