Caught in the Radar: How High Can Gonzaga, BYU Climb?

In today’s ESPN/USA Today Poll, it was Kentucky who took over the number one spot in the nation. The last unbeaten team in the country has played exceptionally well to start the season and has set the tone for the nation’s top teams so far.

However, in at No. 8 overall is Gonzaga and two spots behind them at No. 10 sits BYU. With conference play heating up the question begins to surface, how far can Gonzaga and BYU climb in the polls?

With an undefeated record in the West Coast Conference, the Bulldogs of Gonzaga have started the season at 16-3 overall and 5-0 in conference play.

The Zags only losses this year have come at the hands of Top 25 teams Michigan State and Duke, as well as Wake Forest.

The biggest conference tests for Gonzaga were expected to be road trip to St. Mary’s and Portland, however, the Bulldogs have dispatched of both teams on the road already.

So, can Gonzaga run the table?

When looking at the remainder of their conference schedule it is tough to argue that they can’t. A tough test at Memphis looms in early February, and on paper that may be the only remaining threat.

For BYU, the task may be a little tougher, but for the time being the opportunities look similar.

At 20-1, the Cougars have won every game this season except for an early season road loss at Utah State.

However, Wednesday night poses the biggest threat to BYU as a trip to New Mexico and the Pit offers a tough environment for BYU to keep their winning streak alive.

The Mountain West Conference may offer tougher competition in comparing it to the West Coast Conference, so it will be interesting to see how long the Cougar’s surge into the Top 10 will last.

The polls are bent on Gonzaga and BYU being among the nation’s best, although, some are still pretty skeptical as to how good they really are.

The opportunities for both teams are at their fingertips as March gets closer and closer and where they end up in the tournament depends on how dominant each team can continue to be in their respected conferences.