BYU Football: The 5 Most Difficult Games in 2012

BYU faces a tough schedule this upcoming season, facing two teams ranked in ESPN's Preseason Top 25, as well as squads from the Pac-12 and the ACC.

To make matters worse, several of the tougher games will be played on the road. Last year, the Cougars showed that they can win in hostile road environments, gaining wins over SEC and Pac-12 teams.

Several of the games coming up for BYU will be difficult to win, so let's rank the five toughest games for BYU this coming season.

5. Washington State

Washington State finished the 2011 season with a 4-8 record, but could still surprise BYU. The Cougars acquired head coach Mike Leach, formerly of Texas tech, who will try to deploy his Air Raid offense.

Although BYU should win this matchup by a good amount of points, it is the season opener. As we have seen in recent years, the first game is always pretty rough for the Cougars.

"I'm looking at that first game ready to go and to show 'em who the real Cougars are," said BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy.

4. Georgia Tech

BYU is riding a four-game losing streak against ACC teams, and has a 2-6 overall record against them. Georgia Tech finished the 2011 season with an 8-5 record, but will bring back a key player in quarterback Tevin Washington.

Expect a close game in this one, as it is played in Atlanta. If the Cougars have good pass coverage in the game and produce on offense, BYU should leave Georgia with a win.

3. Utah

The BYU-Utah rivalry was once one of the best in the country, but felt a blow due to conference realignment. Utah journeyed to the Pac-12, and BYU declared itself Independent. This is the last game currently scheduled between the two teams, so expect it to be a rough game.

To add to the momentum, the game will be played at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the home of the Utes. If the Cougars want to get revenge for their embarrassing 54-10 loss at home last year, they will have to defend the running game and force Utah to pass, because the Utes have a vital weapon in John White IV.

2. Notre Dame

Many people have said that this game will be the beginning of a new rivalry, and I won't be surprised if it is. Notre Dame and BYU are two religious schools that have a rich history of the game of football, and have found recent success. The two squads share an independent status, and have signed a six-year contract to play each other.

Notre Dame currently faces a quarterback competition, as BYU faced last year. Expect to see either Gunner Keil or Tommy Rees on the field during the game.

1. Boise State

Boise State takes a big blow to their offense, as they lost quarterback Kellen Moore last year to graduation. But don't count the Broncos out—head coach Chris Petersen is now 73-6 at Boise. They only have 11 starters returning, but expect to see plenty of depth.

Boise is supposed to have one of the best defensive lines in the country, so BYU's running game may not be the greatest. Expect an air attack from the Cougars, with Riley Nelson scrambling every once and a while.