The only contest No. 8 BYU is playing now is the waiting game

BYU quarterback Zach Wilson calls a play in the huddle as the Cougars and Boise State play at Albertsons Stadium in Boise on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020. The Cougars have an opening on their schedule this week, but as of now no takers. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

With feelers out to FBS programs across the land, there have been no takers for the Cougars as the 2020 COVID-19-ravaged season enters December

PROVO — The waiting game is the name of the game for No. 8 BYU.

After a weekend of anticipation that there might be a game to be added to the 9-0 Cougars’ schedule, the clock continues to tick without a taker.

Athletic director Tom Holmoe has continued to put out feelers, and everyone who knows they can make a call and link up with BYU this Saturday or Dec. 19, have other priorities — mostly just getting in conference games during a tenuous COVID-19 epidemic that has caused programs from coast to coast to cancel already calendared contests.

Welcome to a Frankenstein season, one part here tied to another part there, sometimes within 24 hours notice.

On Monday, Holmoe sent out a tweet to inform BYU fans what he’s been up to. Apparently he’s being asked scheduling queries just about every minute.

I feel ya Coug fans. Feelers are out, teams and conferences are aware and another week in 2020 college football season begins. Our plan: work to stay healthy and be ready to go if the opportunity is presented. Players and coaches are ready to play. https://t.co/WrWanPWRDO

— Tom Holmoe (@TomHolmoe) November 30, 2020

“I feel ya Coug fans. Feelers are out, teams and conferences are aware and another week in 2020 college football season begins. Our plan: work to stay healthy and be ready to go if the opportunity is presented. Players and coaches are ready to play,” wrote Holmoe.

As of Sunday, there were no calls. That stretched into Monday, then Tuesday. With the weekend closing in, it does not look like BYU will play this Saturday. The next game will be against San Diego State on Dec. 12 in LaVell Edwards Stadium.

In the meantime, BYU held on to a No. 8 national ranking in both The Associated Press and Coaches polls that came out Sunday — without playing a game last Saturday.

This is frustrating for Cougar Nation, head coach Kalani Sitake and his players. They’ve been champing at the bit to play and prove themselves as criticism has been leveled at them for their revised schedule. Games many thought were a possibility this weekend against Cincinnati, Marshall, Washington State and others, simply did not work out.

Highest-graded QBs this season
1⃣ Zach Wilson, BYU - 94.6
2⃣ Mac Jones, Alabama - 94.0
3⃣ Justin Fields, Ohio State - 92.7
4⃣ Trevor Lawrence, Clemson - 92.2
4⃣ Kyle Trask, Florida - 92.2 pic.twitter.com/QgvhHxlQQE

— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 1, 2020

Former players are eager for more games as the clock ticks down on the final year for many members of the undefeated team.

Former receiver Mark Bellini, a member of BYU’s 1984 national championship team that went undefeated and beat Michigan in the Holiday Bowl, said he believes the 2020 Cougars could take on anybody this season and win. He tweeted out, “The 2020 team is the best BYU football team since the 1984 team I played on. Could be the best in the country. We should have the opportunity to prove it!”

The 2020 team is the best BYU football team since the 1984 team I played on. Could be the best in the country. We should be have the opportunity to prove it!

Catching a Bosco spiral - game wining drive 1984.

Go Cougs!@BYUfootball #BYUFootball#lds #DezNat pic.twitter.com/RPbsjEu8fC

— Mark Bellini (@markjbellini) December 1, 2020

What November has shown us is playing a college football game is very, very tough. At least 16 games have been canceled so far this week.

That’s why it is frustrating that when BYU had to cancel a game at Army, and there was talk of rescheduling that game, Army decided not to engage.

Just two of the 62 AP Top 25 voters placed @BYUfootball outside of the Top 10 this week. https://t.co/9tkKHDKy3W

— Daily Universe Sports (@DailyUnivSports) November 30, 2020

Army, in many ways, proved both a friend and foe in this crazy season.

Apparently there are many programs like Army, who simply do not want to schedule teams “just to get a game in” against competition BYU has been criticized for playing.

With December here and many teams making closing statements by finishing league opportunities, deals are tough to come by for Holmoe.

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