BYU, Utah, and Utah State Football All Going Different Ways After Losses

All three major college football programs in Utah lost over the weekend, and all three teams should be taking different views on the losses they suffered.

It was a rough weekend for all three of Utah's major college football teams over the weekend. All three teams were going into their games with something to prove, and all three failed to put together winning football games. Yet all three teams should be looking at their failures in a different light.

Utah State has to be feeling good in spite of losing over the weekend. Utah State went to Texas A&M, a money game, and had the ball with a chance to tie the game in the final minutes of the game. The offense was able to move the ball against a bigger Big 12 defense.

The Aggies are playing by far their best football in the past five years. If Utah State could control their turnovers, then they would really have a chance to not only compete with established programs, but also start to win the big games.

Utah State has not played a home game this season and should be rolling over Southern Utah at home this Saturday. The Aggies could also be in a great position to take BYU by surprise in two weeks.

Utah State might be the best 0-2 team in the nation. Of course, that just isn't a title a team, coaching staff, or fanbase really wants to hear.

Utah struggled at home against Utah State, then struggled to finish off a bad San Jose State team, and finally could not handle a low-level Pac-10 team in Oregon. Utah played sloppily.

Watching this year's Utah team, there are major holes in all parts of their game. The offense is not explosive, their defense is not stopping other teams, and their special teams are sketchy at best. Utah has little identity as a team.

Utah also doesn't have time to wait to find its identity—Louisville is coming into Rice-Eccles Stadium this Saturday. If Utah plays like they did against Oregon, it is going to be an incredibly long game for the Utes. Louisville is not going to give up four turnovers to the Utes to keep them in the game.

How Utah plays this Saturday will be very telling about how well they will play the rest of the year.

BYU was embarrassed! There is nothing BYU can take away and build on from the thumping they took from Florida State. BYU was dominated from start to finish in every aspect of the game.

Florida State came in with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove, and BYU just never seemed to have any passion to play the game. Sadly, it seems they were underprepared to face a good Florida State team.

Just like last year, BYU faced unbelievable expectations, and they cracked under the pressure. The key is how BYU will handle their first loss of the year. Last year BYU was never the same team after TCU manhandled them on the road. The offense was gun-shy the rest of the year, and the defense never got back the swagger a good unit needs to compete.

Last year the expectations were high; this year they were even higher. Last year BYU went down hard on the road against TCU; this year BYU was embarrassed at home against Florida State. How BYU responds will tell a lot about how far Bronco Mendenhall and his staff have progressed from a year ago—whether they are able to refocus their team and get them ready to play in conference.

Colorado State will be a challenge for BYU this weekend. BYU could easily drop another game at home if they don't shake off last weekend's loss.

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