We get some Wednesday night football this week, as BYU and Wyoming get together in San Diego for the Poinsettia Bowl. Both teams hit the eight-win mark this season, so this game should be a solid matchup, as pre-Christmas bowl games go.
BYU vs. Wyoming, Poinsettia Bowl 2016: Time, live stream, TV schedule, and 3 things to know
Two teams from the Rockies head down to San Diego for the holidays.
Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Wyoming’s run to the Mountain West title game was not what most fans saw coming before the season. They had won four, then two games in Craig Bohl’s first two years in charge in Laramie, but their improvement this year has been stark. They went from 107th and 114th in S&P+ in 2014 and 2015, all the way up to 68th this year, and their win total shot all the way up to eight.
BYU, meanwhile, is staying on the same path as always. They won at least eight games for the sixth consecutive season, and their four losses this year came by a combined eight points. Two of their losses, to Utah and Boise State, were both by just one point each. They’ve lost three straight bowl games, though, and the defense will have to contain Wyoming running back Brian Hill, who rushed for over 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns this year.
How to watch, stream, and listen
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Spread: BYU is favored by 10 points.
Make friends: Jump into the game threads to talk about the game at Vanquish The Foe for BYU fans, and Mountain West Connection for Wyoming fans.
Three big things to know
- Wyoming scores on average touchdown per game more than BYU, so you would think that the Cougar offense would need to have a good day to win this game. They’ll have to do it without Taysom Hill, though, as his season ended on Nov. 26 with an elbow injury against Utah State. Tanner Mangum has plenty of experience, though, so BYU won’t be going with a total unknown.
- A win over a national name like BYU would be a fitting end for Wyoming’s incredible season. The Cowboys have struggled in recent years, but finally broke through to beat Boise State and win their division. They fell just short of winning the Mountain West title, but a win here would add even more goodwill to the program going into the offseason.
- The Wyoming defense is great at forcing turnovers (25 this season), but the offense was nearly as good at giving the ball away (22). BYU, on the other hand, averages a plus-one turnover margin per game this season. If Wyoming can’t hold on to the ball, that could put an end to this game early.
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