The BYU Cougars and the South Florida Bulls open their seasons Saturday in Tampa at 4 p.m. ET (ESPNU). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the BYU vs. South Florida odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
USF comes into the season after winning only 3 games in the first 2 seasons under coach Jeff Scott. After an offseason in which the Bulls took more than 20 transfers, including new starting QB Gerry Bohanon from Baylor, USF looks to start strong against a BYU team playing in the muggy conditions of Tampa.
BYU comes into this game with returning starting QB Jaren Hall for coach Kalani Sitake. With RB Tyler Allgeier drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, the Cougars will need to find different options on offense if they want to return to double-digit victories and a Top-25 ranking. This game seems like an ease into the season for BYU, but with the weather forecast to be in the mid-90s with humidity at the same level, the Cougars may find it more difficult than anticipated.
It would also not be out of the question to expect a weather delay in this game for lightning. Meaning, any momentum gained early, could be gone by the end of a hard-fought game.