The Loyal Cougars Podcast | For BYU Cougars Sports Fans

Jake Edmonds and Tosh Mackintosh break down a huge week for BYU football, starting with LJ Martin being named Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The guys look at how LJ stacks up against past Big 12 honorees, what other Cougars landed preseason recognition, who got snubbed, and what the early rankings and projections say about BYU’s place in the conference. Plus, BYU adds two more key...

AJ Dybantsa is the No. 2 odds-on favorite to win Rookie of the Year — Jake and Tosh break down what that says about the hype, the expectations, and how real the AJ buzz is getting. We also dive into BYU beating out Ohio State in a major recruiting battle, what that win says about the Cougars’ momentum on the trail, and what Will Voigt’s quiet exit from BYU basketball could reveal about that relati...

BYU basketball may have found its tallest answer yet. Jake Edmonds and Tosh Mackintosh lead off with Xu Xin, the 7-foot-5 international big man who brings rim protection, size, and a brand-new nickname debate to Provo. Is “Xuperman” ready to fly for the Cougars? Then the guys break down the latest around Parker Kingston, including what his legal situation could mean for his BYU future, before divi...

On this week's episode, we kick things off with Utah’s ugly financial situation and why it makes BYU’s position look even better as college sports keeps shifting. From there, Jake and Tosh get into the future of college football, whether super leagues are actually coming, where BYU fits in that world. They also keep the Top 20 in 20 rolling with the 12th and 13th best players on BYU's roster. Plus...

Is LJ Martin one of the five best running backs in the country? We open the show with Greg McElroy ranking BYU’s star RB at No. 5 nationally, then debate whether the Cougars have the best running back room in the Big 12 — and how they stack up against Utah and Texas Tech. Then we dig into BYU’s College Football Playoff path, what has to happen for the Cougars to make the Big 12 title game, and wha...

Who has the better BYU football legacy today: Bronco Mendenhall or Kalani Sitake? Kalani entering year 11, why he stayed, and whether the path to the College Football Playoff changes how his era should be viewed. Then we get into a packed Loyal Cougars rundown: - Bear Bachmeier lands on the Athlon Sports regional cover — and we look back at other BYU players who have been featured before. - BYU 20...

Jake Edmonds and Jake Hatch break down a loaded Loyal Cougars episode, starting with the latest NBA Draft lottery buzz around AJ Dybantsa. Will the Washington Wizards take him No. 1 overall? Would BYU fans rather see him land with the Utah Jazz? And what would it take for Utah to trade up? Then, BYU and Utah State are officially renewing their basketball rivalry with a two-game series — but is BYU...

LJ Martin is already climbing BYU’s all-time rushing list — but what would it actually take for him to become the greatest BYU running back ever? Jake and Tosh debate where LJ ranks among Cougar legends like Jamaal Williams, Harvey Unga, Luke Staley, Tyler Allgeier, Curtis Brown and more. We also break down Bear Bachmeier’s place in BYU QB history, debate the best QB/RB duos the Cougars have ever...

Jake Wahlin joins the Loyal Cougars Podcast to talk about his football journey from Utah to Clemson and now BYU. He shares what he learned at each stop, why he ultimately decided to transfer to BYU, and what he hopes to accomplish as a Cougar. We dive into his mindset, his goals for the upcoming season, and what BYU fans can expect from him as he begins this next chapter in Provo. Subscribe for mo...

BYU got a big transfer portal win with Rob Wright returning, but the Cougars still have major questions in the frontcourt. In this episode of the Loyal Cougars Podcast, we break down the good and bad from BYU’s latest roster movement, what’s still missing at the 4 and 5, and whether Cougar fans should actually thank Mark Pope for how things played out with Rob. We also dive into BYU’s reported mat...

The latest BYU football and basketball storylines are front and center in this episode of the Loyal Cougars Podcast. We break down BYU’s biggest transfer portal losses and additions, grade the Cougars’ basketball portal haul so far, and debate whether the future is brighter for BYU football or BYU basketball. Also, introducing the BYU Football Top 20 countdown where we list the top 20 players on B...

In this episode of The Loyal Cougars Podcast, we break down the latest Big 12 championship odds by FanDuel, whether Texas Tech deserves to be the heavy favorite, and why BYU might have a real path back to the conference title game. We also dive into: - AJ Dybantsa’s huge week, including his Julius Erving Award win, All-America honors, and the massive NBA/stay-or-go conversation - How close this BY...

BYU fans, we’ve got a loaded episode of the Loyal Cougars Podcast. This week we break down the growing frustration around BYU football tickets and whether the current system is rewarding loyalty or pricing fans out. We also talk about Notre Dame getting a bigger ticket allotment, dive into our BYU spring camp stock watch, and discuss who we’re buying, selling, and holding heading into the season....

BYU’s tournament run is over, and we’re breaking down everything that went wrong in the loss to Texas. Jake Edmonds and Tosh Mackintosh dive into the numbers behind BYU’s rough performance, the biggest weaknesses the game exposed, and whether Texas’ win over Gonzaga changes how fans should view the loss. They also discuss AJ’s huge performance and what it means for his NBA draft stock. Then the co...

BYU is heading to the NCAA Tournament as a 6-seed, but history hasn’t always been kind to teams on that line. Is the 6-seed cursed, or can the Cougars break the trend this year? On this episode of the Loyal Cougars Podcast, we break down BYU’s tournament draw and what the path could look like in March Madness. The Cougars will face the winner of the First Four matchup between Texas and NC State. W...

AJ Dybantsa teasing a possible return to BYU next season. Are we buying it? We dive into the growing speculation and what it could mean for the Cougars moving forward. We also break down BYU’s big win over Texas Tech, what changed defensively in the second half, and why do fans of other schools care so much about the court storming? Plus, we get into the latest BYU football storylines, including:...

BYU is still sitting around #23 in NET and KenPom, but the direction of the season is raising real concerns. Jake Edmonds and Jake Hatch debate whether Kevin Young deserves a “pass” this year (and why he might not), then zoom out to what the rest of the season could look like as BYU hits the road for a huge one at Cincinnati. We also break down what BYU should expect from a Bearcats team built on...

BYU took down Iowa State, and AJ Dybantsa put on an absolute show (29/10/9). We break down what the win really means, why BYU’s defense looked different, and the difficult question: does BYU actually look better with Richie out? Then we zoom out to the remaining schedule. KenPom favors BYU in all four remaining games, so what’s the floor now, and how high can their seed climb with a Big 12 tourney...

Richie Saunders suffered a season-ending ACL tear, ending his BYU career. What does BYU basketball look like without him in the lineup? In this episode, we break down the Cougars’ chances moving forward, how they adjust on both ends of the floor, and which players will need to step up in a big way. We also take a trip down memory lane and relive the magic of Jimmermania when Jimmer Fredette caught...

Former Kansas State and current BYU linebacker Jake Clifton talks about his decision to transfer to BYU, how he’s acclimating to Provo, who he patterns his game after, and what he hopes to accomplish during his time as a Cougar. Clifton served an LDS mission to Nicaragua — he recounts his experience servicing the people in a small Central American country.

Keba Keita is averaging 5.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game and shooting 57% from the field over the last 7 games. Have injuries derailed his season? Or is there something else? BYU's last five games have revealed some concerning trends. Are we ready to panic? And should Kevin Young go back to the basics of building a team around top LDS and local talent or is PROvo a sustainable recruiting appro...

BYU almost digs its way out of another double-digit halftime hole, falling short of a comeback against Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. Richie Saunders with a career-high 33, was he the best player on the floor? Did the game settle the debate of AJ Dybantsa vs Darryn Peterson? Should Khadim Mboup be seeing more playing time? We make the case. Plus, previewing a Houston team that may not be as elite def...

BYU's miraculous comeback falls short as Rob Wright's potential game-winning shot gets blocked in the final seconds of the Cougars' loss to No. 1 Arizona. Why didn't AJ Dybantsa take the shot? And did BYU show they can actually hang with the most elite teams in the country? Another tough test this week as the Cougars head to Kansas to take on Darryn Peterson and the Jayhawks. Will we finally be ab...

BYU hoops loses to Texas Tech despite going on a 16-2 run with AJ Dybantsa on the bench. What worked well during that stretch and why couldn’t the Cougars sustain it when the freshman superstar returned? Is Khadim Mboup the missing piece to BYU’s success off the bench? Can he be the lock down defender BYU needs to have success in the Big 12? Plus, the transfer portal period is over with BYU landin...

BYU escapes Salt Lake City with an 89-84 win over a hot-shooting Utah team at the Huntsman Center. Why are Utah fans so upset at BYU fans for chanting in support of their team during a Morgan Scalley introduction? What did they think was going to happen? Richie Saunders continues to find ways to manufacture points with 6 offensive rebounds, resulting in 11 second chance points for the Cougars. And...