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Washington St. Vs. BYU Football Preview: Storyline, TV Schedule, Odds and More

Mike Leach and the Cougars take on BYU in a nationally televised game to start the 2012 season.

PASADENA CA - OCTOBER 02:  Quarterback Jeff Tuel #10 of the Washington State Cougars drops back to pass against the  UCLA Bruins during the first quarter at the Rose Bowl on October 2 2010 in Pasadena California.  (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
PASADENA CA - OCTOBER 02: Quarterback Jeff Tuel #10 of the Washington State Cougars drops back to pass against the UCLA Bruins during the first quarter at the Rose Bowl on October 2 2010 in Pasadena California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Getty Images

New Washington State Head Coach Mike Leach will start his first season with a nationally televised game on the road at BYU this Thursday. The games kicks off at 7:15 p.m. PT and 10:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Leach brings his high-scoring spread offense to a Washington State team that finished 4-8 last season including a 2-7 mark in conference play. In 2011, the Cougars were last in the Pac-12 North division. Senior quarterback Jeff Tuel will likely be handed the keys to Leach's offense. Tuel started all 12 of the Cougars' games and was Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 in 2010 before only playing in three games last season due to injuries.

BYU, coming off of a 10-3 season, has a returning starter in quarterback senior Riley Nelson who took over last season and went 6-1 in games he started. Nelson has been named to the 2012 Davey O'Brien Award and Maxwell Award watch lists.

Game time, TV channel: 10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN

Point spread: BYU is favored by 13.5 points with the over/under being set at 61 points.

For news, discussion and more:

For more on Wazzu football, visit Washington State blog Coug Center, plus Pac-12 blog Pacific Takes and SB Nation Seattle.

For more on BYU Cougars football, visit BYU blog Vanquish The Foe.

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