Kilani Sitake and K.C. Keeler lead their teams into uncharted waters, but both feel good about where their teams are headed. In the Sam Houston Bearkats vs. BYU prediction, we discuss both sides and what to expect for short-term and long-term goals.
Sam Houston vs. BYU Betting Preview
- Spread
BYU -19.5 - Moneyline
BYU -1600, Sam Houston +900 - Over/Under
46.5 total points - Game time
9:15 p.m. ET - Location
LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT - Predicted Weather at Kick
81 degrees, cloudy, 6 mph winds - How to Watch
FuboTV, FS1
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Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
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Looking for each team’s depth chart? Click the appropriate link to view.
Sam Houston Depth Chart | BYU Depth Chart
- QB Keegan Shoemaker, Sam Houston
- QB Grant Gunnell, Sam Houston
- RB Zach Hrbacek, Sam Houston
- WR Ife Adeyi, Sam Houston
- WR Noah Smith, Sam Houston
- TE Jax Sherrard, Sam Houston
- QB Kedon Slovis, BYU
- RB Aidan Robbins, BYU
- WR Kody Epps, BYU
- WR Keanu Hill, BYU
- TE Isaac Rex, BYU
While there aren’t any DFS picks at the time of writing, both teams feature a number of players that will help your fantasy lineups.
Sam Houston makes their debut into the FBS world, and they bring plenty of intrigue with them. No one’s quite sure what to expect both on the field and in the fantasy world. The Bearkats have some names to know, however.
Zach Hrbacek returns to give them stability in the rushing attack, and that’s huge, given the uncertainty at the skill positions. Jordan Yates moved from quarterback, but Keegan Shoemaker and Grant Gunnell will battle it out for the starting spot.
The Bearkats will need some time to find their footing at a different level of play, but I trust that K.C. Keeler’s winning track record will help them get settled. Stopping BYU won’t be easy either.
If Kedon Slovis rediscovers his 2019 form, BYU’s offense will be one of the most entertaining in college football. At one point, the former Pitt and USC transfer was considered a first-round draft pick, but injuries and inconsistent play hampered his stock.
The biggest beneficiaries of Slovis’ confidence will be Kody Epps and Keanu Hill. Both have big play ability, and the right quarterback can help them skyrocket their production. If Isaac Rex can stay healthy, he’ll be a mismatch against any defense.
Prediction for Sam Houston vs. BYU
Both teams enter new eras. Sam Houston begins life at the FBS level. BYU starts in the Big 12. The Cougars won’t have to worry about their transition yet, but they still have plenty of areas to address before that time comes.
Slovis can be such a fun player to watch, but we haven’t had that version of him much lately. BYU’s hoping he can help take their offense to the level we saw with Zach Wilson and Jaren Hall.
BYU’s defense returns a good amount of talent, but this group must take a step forward. We shouldn’t expect Sam Houston to do a ton of damage, but it’s a good test to get this group going for 2023.
Linebacker appears set with Ben Bywater, Max Tooley, and Utah State transfer A.J. Vongphachanh, and the defensive line returns good talent, too. The secondary must find some new pieces and must do so quickly with the talent they’ll face in their new conference.
Sam Houston, first and foremost, must find a passing attack. Throwing for only 168 yards a game (which would have put them 120th at the FBS level) like they did last year won’t get the job done. Even if they are a run-heavy team, the balance throwing the ball provides will open up the offense.
Gunnell’s last chance could help the Bearkats. He’s the better passer between the two options, so there’s a chance he opens up the field. Shoemaker completed just 46.6% of his passes but averaged 5.3 yards per carry.
Keeler’s defense returns a good amount of experience and talent. Let by Kavian Gaither, the Bearkats allowed just 20.8 points per game last year. This unit held teams to just 108 rushing yards per game, something that could help them in this game. Stopping Aidan Robbins is a tough challenge to start with, however.
Sam Houston returns a solid core, but having BYU first on the schedule is tough. The Cougars are a team looking to get back on track, and they’ll get that started in Week 1.
Prediction
BYU 31, Sam Houston 14