BYU to now face Coastal Carolina in historic NCAA Football matchup

NCAA Football: Texas State at BYU

Due to multiple coronavirus cases among the University of Liberty Flames, the University of Liberty has canceled its game on Saturday against the University of Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. As a result, the Chanticleers will now play the University of Brigham Young University Cougars in an extremely interesting College Football Game this weekend.

The reason for the enhanced interest is because both teams are ranked in the top 20 in the United States. BYU is 13th, and Coastal is 18th. However, both teams are also undefeated with a perfect record of nine wins and zero losses, and a win on Saturday, improves their chances of getting an elite Bowl game.

This is in fact only the third time since 2000 that two teams have played each other in a NCAA regular season or conference championship game, and both share a perfect record of nine wins and zero losses entering the contest. The other two times were in 2006 (Ohio State beat Michigan 42-39), and in 2009 (Alabama beat Florida 32-13).

Many believe that the winner of the game will not be in the College Football Playoff semifinal, however. That is because the strength of schedule for the Flames and Chanticleers has not been as strong this season, compared to the schedules for teams from the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference), the SEC (Southeastern Conference), and the Big Ten.  Those three conferences house the College Football superpowers of the University of Alabama, Notre Dame (usually independent but in the ACC this year due to coronavirus), Clemson, and Ohio State.

The fact that BYU is not affiliated with any other conference made it easier for them to play Coastal this weekend. The Cougars have not beaten a team this season that is currently ranked, but their commitment in traveling from Utah to South Carolina at short notice should be worth something when the committee makes decisions when it comes to the rankings.

Arrow to top