This has been a question BYU fans have been asking for a very long time. Friday night’s loss to TCU is just the latest example of a big game where the Cougars failed to get a win. I’m not saying BYU never wins big game. Of course they do. However it seems like over the past 7 to 10 years, BYU has lost more big games than they have won.

Before we go any further, lets go over what I consider a big game. This is my criteria…
-High profile opponent or rival
-On a big stage (bowl game, national TV)
-Something on the line with a victory

I’m sure everyone has their own criteria but those are mine. For me, the Cougars haven’t won a big game since the season opening win over Oklahoma in 2009. This year alone, they’re 0-3 with losses to Texas, Utah and TCU.

All of this begs the question…why? It has been my opinion for some time that BYU’s attitude that we worry about ourselves instead of our opponent is flawed. I also believe the idea that every game should be looked at as just another game is ridiculous. When teams play BYU, they get up for the games. They use the Cougars as a measuring stick in some cases. BYU has been such a solid program in football for the past few decades that opponents get up to play them because they know it’s a big deal to beat BYU.

Everyone knows that players play how they are coached. And NO, I’m not saying their needs to be a coaching change. What I am saying is that the coaching staff needs to do a better job of emphasizing the importance of big games. They need to make sure these players know what is on the line. Trying to downplay a Utah game, which seems to happen every year, only sets up the team for failure. Rest assured Utah isn’t downplaying the BYU game. In fact, it is stressed all year long (even if nobody from Utah will admit it, I know for a fact it is). For crying out loud, TCU practiced with a tackling dummy wearing a BYU helmet. It’s ok to admit that you really want to beat an opponent. It’s ok to tell your players that a loss to certain teams is unacceptable.

With BYU seemingly choosing Independence over fighting to get into a BCS Conference, winning big games is going to become crucial if the Cougars are ever going to be relevant. With teams like Idaho and New Mexico State likely to be on the schedule for a while, it’s extremely important to take advantage of opportunities against national teams. It’s only going to be when BYU beats those teams that the CFB world will take notice.

Shep