After barely pulling away with a win in Dallas, the BYU Cougars (2-0) head to the mountains to revitalize an old rivalry against the Wyoming Cowboys (0-2). Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
It’s the second year BYU is in the Big 12, and this bout with the Cowboys will be the final nonconference matchup before the powerhouses come to town. BYU is a consensus 9.5-point favorite against Wyoming. The over/under is currently 40 points. The Cougars are -350 favorites on the moneyline to win outright, with Wyoming a +270 underdog to pull off the upset win at home.
Wyoming has struggled mightily thus far. After getting mauled by Arizona State in Week 1, it fell to Idaho, an FCS program, in Week 2 by the score of 17-13.
Struggling or not, Laramie, Wyoming, has always been a tough place to play for opponents. BYU visits the hostile environment for the first time since 2009 when both were members of the Mountain West.
Let’s see how this battle lines up and where the value lies. Below, I’ll provide my BYU vs. Wyoming predictions and my college football picks and predictions for Week 3 on Saturday.
BYU vs Wyoming Prediction
- BYU vs Wyoming Pick: BYU -9.5 | Bet to -10
My Wyoming vs. BYU best bet is for the Cougars to cover, with the best line currently available at DraftKings, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
BYU vs. Wyoming Odds, Spread, Over/Under
| BYU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9.5 -110 | 40 -110o / -110u | -370 |
| Wyoming Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9.5 -110 | 40 -110o / -110u | +290 |
- BYU vs. Wyoming Spread: BYU -9.5
- BYU vs. Wyoming Over/Under: 40 points
- BYU vs. Wyoming Moneyline: BYU -350, Wyoming +270
BYU vs. Wyoming Preview
BYU Football
The Cougars have found some decent success under center with Jake Retzlaff. The senior quarterback has completed 60% of his passes while throwing four touchdowns.
It’s also been a bit of a learning process for Retzlaff, who threw two interceptions last week and has been sacked three times already — twice against Southern Illinois.
The Cougars took another punch to the gut when head coach Kalani Sitake announced that his two leading rushers, LJ Martin and Hinckley Ropati, are doubtful for Saturday night’s duel. That opens the door for freshman running back Pokaiaua Haunga to get some reps. Sitake stated in his presser on Wednesday that Haunga will be “full-go and ready to play.”
For Retzlaff, he’s got a myriad of options to choose from. After posting underwhelming numbers last week against SMU, Chase Roberts is poised for a big night — especially since Wyoming’s pass defense is subpar. Roberts tore up Southern Illinois with seven receptions for 108 yards.
Defensively, BYU is among the elite in stopping the pass. It’s a small sample size, but opponents are completing passes at a horrid 27%. Additionally, the Cougars rank ninth in Defensive Passing Success Rate.
Stopping the run is a bit of a different story. They’re good but not great with a 65th-ranked Defensive Rushing Success Rate. SMU had a decent time running the ball, and Southern Illinois scored both of its touchdowns on the ground.
Wyoming Football
The loss to Idaho at home was a major black eye for this season, and it’s hard to get excited about much for Wyoming.
Evan Svoboda, for the most part, has been ineffective, completing only 41% of his passes. Receivers have a hard time creating separation, and to top it all off, the Cowboys are dead last in Passing Success Rate.
The run game also struggles big time. D.J. Jones takes in the majority of carries for the Cowboys but rushes for just 3.6 yards per carry. Svoboda will run the ball when given the opportunity (which is frequent) and has averaged 4.2 yards per carry.
Additionally, Wyoming ranks 121st in Rushing Success Rate, so I don’t anticipate much action from the ground.
There’s not much else here though. Defensively, the Cowboys are not as bad, but they’re certainly not good. When you lose to an FCS team (especially at home), that’s all you need to know.
On a positive note, defensive end Sabastian Harsh tied a career-high for tackles for loss last week, and Shae Suiaunoa led in total tackles with 10.
BYU vs. Wyoming Pick & Prediction
I don’t think there's a reason to overthink this. BYU, with all of its rough luck on the injury front, is still the better program.
I have zero faith in Wyoming’s receivers to get open. Devin Boddie leads the team in receiving yards with just 46. That’s absurdly low in the span of two weeks.
Factor in BYU's ability to stop the pass at a high level, I don't see this being close.
It’ll be an intense atmosphere to start. Wyoming fans haven’t forgotten about the rivalry of years past. But it’ll be the Cougars who silence Laramie on Saturday night.
Pick: BYU -10 (-115)
How to Watch: Start Time, TV Channel, Streaming
| Location: | War Memorial Stadium, Laramie, WY |
| Date: | Saturday, Sept. 14 |
| Kickoff Time: | 9 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | CBS Sports Network / Paramount+, YouTube TV |
Wyoming vs. BYU Betting Trends
- 93% of the tickets generated are targeting the Cougars, who have also generated 95% of the money.
- 93% of the bets are aimed at the over, which has produced 95% of the cash.
Wyoming vs. BYU Weather
