What We Learned Against New Mexico

Yes, I did. I opted for Football Bingo last week. I am not sure that it was entirely in line with the more analytical and objective approach that this site has been trying to develop, but it seemed like a nice distraction at the time. Unless there is public outcry (doubtful), then I will resume the regular game preview and assessment with Air Force coming to Provo this weekend. But first, a few things that we learned in the New Mexico game and a check of the Bingo Card:

What we learned:
• On any given Saturday, anyone can win a game

• BYU was lucky to come out with a win

• Where was the running game? Even with Unga out, the Cougs should have been able to move the ball.

• A rather sloppy performance. Dropped balls, critical penalties at the wrong times, poor throws, missed blocking assignments. It would appear that despite players maintaining that they don’t overlook an opponent, this was a case of doing just that. Hopefully, it also will provide a little extra motivation to prepare going into these last two games

• Even with that performance on Saturday, the team moved up 4 spots in the rankings (from 22 to 18) and by winning out the season will finish in the top 15, and possibly even top 10 depending on the bowl opponent, which would still be a significant accomplishment for the program.

• Bowl Game talk—it looks like the Vegas Bowl is back on the table after all. And there is a possibility that the bowl will take the winner of the BYU/Utah game next week. However, should BYU win its way into that game, fans and players shouldn’t be too disappointed. And should they still end up in San Diego, it is hard to not be ok with that as well (as long as they beat the Utes).

Football Bingo—filled in squares in Bold on the previous post. Overall a pretty quiet bingo game for the Cougs (as was mentioned by a UNM fan in the comments to the last post).

What to Watch for Against New Mexico--Football Bingo

Given that the outcome of the game this weekend is not in question and that the quality of the opposition will make it difficult to really learn much about the play of the team, I thought I would mix it up this week and introduce the pregame review as football game bingo. Here is how this works:

1. I will list a number of things that I think might happen (with about a 50/50 chance or so)
2. They are listed in 5 groups of 5
3. Each group of 5 must have something offensive and defensive
4. Center of group three is a Free
5. You can get “bingo” three ways
    a. Getting all five in one group
    b. All the first entries in each group, or all the second entries, etc.
    c. A “diagonal” getting the 1st item in group one, 2nd in group two, etc. or in reverse (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)

Max throws for 300 yards
Unga runs for 100 yards
Pitta gets 5 catches
Jorgenson gets sack
Riley Nelson completes 1 pass

Max throws for 2 TDs
Unga gets 1 TD
Jacobsen gets 1 TD
Clawson gets sack
Defense holds to 10 pts or less

DiLuigi does a jig (TD)
Defense gets 2 turnovers
FREE
Jacobsen gets 75 yards
Pitta gets 65 yards

Hall throws no picks
Johnson gets pick
Pitta gets 1 TD
George gets 2 catches
Pendleton gets sack

Kariya gets 25 yards
Max gets 20 yards rushing
Logan gets pick
Offense goes over 40 pts
Defense gets 2 sacks

Create your own football bingo in the comments below (I will follow up… bragging rights will come). In the event that more than one person gets Bingo, we’ll go with whoever has the most. Feel free to use mine and rearrange them (to save time), or to create your own (try to stick with things that aren’t a given). Go Cougs! Bingo!