A common denominator throughout BYU’s first six football games of the 2024 season was beautiful weather. From Provo to Dallas, Wyoming to Waco and back to Provo, the climate conditions were spectacular.

Yes, even in Laramie.

If anything, it’s been almost too hot, especially last Saturday during BYU’s 41-19 conquest of Arizona.

Well, if the local meteorologists’ predictions are correct, everything changes Friday night for the No. 13 Cougars (6-0, 3-0) when they host unranked Oklahoma State (3-3, 0-3) at the LaVell Edwards Stadium in a late-night special.

Kick-off is at 8:15 PM and the match will be broadcast by ESPN.

It may rain in the valleys, and maybe even snow in the higher elevations of Utah. And it will be cold, about 30 to 40 degrees below the temperatures BYU has enjoyed en route to its first 6-0 start since 2020, and sixth overall.

As perfect as the weather was last week and earlier this week, it could be downright gloomy on October 18, just like it was last year in Stillwater, Oklahoma, when the Pokes outlasted the Cougars 40-34 in the miserable conditions in late November. rain and sleet at Boone Pickens Stadium.

How will BYU handle the weather this time?

Defensive coordinator Jay Hill said Tuesday that it shouldn’t affect the Cougars one way or the other.

“Well, for us it shouldn’t be a factor. We are a cold weather team. We are used to living at altitude. We are used to cold weather,” Hill said. “We’re used to spring ball drills in the rain and sleet and so whatever comes our way should be to our advantage in my opinion.”

Coaches say the common perception among fans that wet weather and sloppy conditions favor running teams and defenses is flawed. Attacking players know where they are going, while defensive players usually have to react accordingly and their position is less certain.

How will BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff, from Southern California, perform in the rain and cold? Last year he was a bit shaky in 40-degree temperatures in the Sooner State, completing just 14 of 30 passes for 161 yards with a long of 50 in front of 53,855 shivering fans.

The loss that denied the 5-7 Cougars a bowl bid wasn’t used as a rallying cry by coach Kalani Sitake’s squad this week, but it clearly stung — BYU blew a 24-6 halftime lead – and has done so. don’t forget. This time, mildly disappointing OSU is playing to save the season, not the Cougars.

“This is a game where we know we’re going to get everything they have,” Retzlaff said. “At the same time, this is a competition where we remember last year, at the end of November. We remember that. So we’re coming through this week because we know we owe them.

Sitake, who has downplayed the “revenge factor” all week and is instead focusing on the need for BYU to stay humble and hungry as national attention rolls in and some people project a berth in the 12-team College Football Playoff: “It’s going to be a dogfight, man. It’s going to be a lot of fun. We saw some really cool things from the Arizona (game) and got a lot out of our players. So we are also looking forward to the challenge of Oklahoma State.”

That big challenge is expected to come from OSU’s defense and its rushing attack, largely because the Cowboys will likely go with a relatively new starting quarterback, sophomore Garett Rangel. Sixth-year senior Alan Bowman, who threw for 321 yards against BYU 11 months ago, has been benched twice this season for ineffectiveness.

“I mean, we have to keep an eye on everything,” Sitake said. “They have a very good coaching staff. You don’t just get lucky if you play for the conference championship last year. We all have to be ready for it.”

That also means being ready for junior Ollie Gordon II, one of the best running backs in the country. Gordon ran for 167 yards and five touchdowns against BYU last year and won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s best RB.

“Yes, dangerous player,” Sitake said. “It’s hard to keep a guy with so much talent. And so he will eventually find ways to poke holes in your defense. We have to execute the assignment correctly and make it difficult for him and that offense.”

Hill said Gordon is a “phenomenal player” who ran for more than 1,700 yards last year. The Fort Worth native and preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year hasn’t really played in a big game yet this year.

“He’s someone you have to make a game plan for. We have to be ready for him to play his best game. We have to assume this is going to happen,” Hill said. “The offensive line, those guys are great. They all played last year. We have to be ready with our ‘A’ game.”