Oct 18, 2024; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars defensive end Tyler Batty (92) encourages fans to cheer against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the fourth quarter at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

No. 11 BYU out to shore up run defense vs. UCF

BYU will face a new defensive dilemma against UCF on Saturday afternoon in Orlando, Fla.

The No. 11 Cougars (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) struggled to stop long running plays in their 38-35 victory over Oklahoma State last week. BYU allowed the Cowboys to rush for a season-high 269 yards while averaging 7.3 yards per carry. Oklahoma State’s previous high was 149 rushing yards in its season opener against South Dakota State.

For the Cougars, it marked the second time in four games they’ve allowed an opponent to generate at least 200 yards on the ground.

“This defense doesn’t usually give up very many big plays, but we gave up two big runs that cost us about 50 yards each,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “The big plays were missed assignments that we can fix. That happens sometimes. But I think that minimizing the big plays is what we are good at. We are going to go back to that.”

UCF will not make it easy to stop the run. The Knights (3-4, 1-3) lead the Big 12 with an average of 280.3 rushing yards per game. They average nearly 6 yards per carry and have 19 touchdowns on the ground.

RJ Harvey leads the league with 890 yards and 11 touchdowns on 6.7 yards per carry. He’s fifth in the nation in yards gained.

Still, BYU has other ways to make it hard for the Knights to move the ball. The Cougars’ defense has generated 16 turnovers through seven games — tied for fourth among FBS teams. Ten players have made an interception for the Cougars this season, with Tanner Wall and Jakob Robinson leading the way with two apiece.

BYU also ranks fourth nationally in pass efficiency defense (94.74).

That’s bad news for a UCF squad that generates 185.3 passing yards per game and has given up eight turnovers in four Big 12 games. Still, the Cougars aren’t taking the Knights for granted.

“Their record does not speak for how good of a football team they are,” BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff said. “They’re probably the best 3-4 football team in the country and probably a lot better than a lot of (teams) who have better records than them.”

UCF hopes for a win this week after coming up short in an upset bid against then-No. 9 Iowa State — the Knights’ fourth consecutive loss after starting the season 3-0.

The Knights fell 38-35 to the Cyclones after blowing an eight-point lead late in the fourth quarter. It was a tough end to a game in which UCF racked up 354 yards and four touchdowns on the ground while averaging 9.1 yards per carry.

“We had opportunities, really, in all three phases to close the game out,” UCF coach Gus Malzahn said. “We got to find a way to take that next step. I will say we did improve this game. Played one of our best games, so that’s what we’re going to focus on.”

BYU leads the all-time series 2-1. The Cougars beat UCF 49-23 when the teams last met in the 2020 Boca Raton Bowl. This will be their first meeting as members of the Big 12.

–Field Level Media

Sep 24, 2022; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jaren Hall (3) throws the ball against the Wyoming Cowboys in the second quarter at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Jaren Hall leads No. 19 BYU against in-state rival Utah State

Jaren Hall is a rising pro prospect and the BYU quarterback will look to have another big game when he leads the No. 19 Cougars into Thursday night’s contest against visiting Utah State at Provo, Utah.

Hall has topped 300 yards in back-to-back games and has nine touchdown passes against one interception this season for the Cougars (3-1). He matched his career high of four touchdown passes and passed for a season-high 337 yards during Saturday’s 38-24 home win over Wyoming.

He enters the game against Utah State (1-3) with a streak of 115 consecutive passes without being intercepted. It is his third career streak of 100 or more throws without being picked off. He also has streaks of 163 and 119 in his career.

“Jaren’s smart, and he has a great football IQ,” Cougars coach Kalani Sitake said. “… Jaren always wants to get better, and we are lucky to have him as the leader on our team. I just like that he takes care of the football.”

Hall has passed for 1,164 yards this season and has completed 71.5 percent of his passes despite receiver Gunner Romney missing the first four games due to an undisclosed injury.

Hall is on pace to easily outdo last year’s success, when he completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 2,583 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions.

The Cougars racked up 525 yards of total offense against Wyoming to mark the second time they topped 500 this season.

“I’m glad we were able to get the win, and these guys were resilient and played hard,” Sitake said. “We have a quick turnaround for the Utah State game so we need to get ready for that.”

Utah State has lost its last three games by an average of 31 points. The Aggies were shellacked by Alabama, whipped by FCS program Weber State and lost its Mountain West conference opener to visiting UNLV on Saturday.

Making the struggles more maddening is that Utah State matched the program record for victories last season, going 11-3.

“No one is more frustrated than we are,” Aggies coach Blake Anderson said. “We got used to a lot of success last year and right now, we haven’t seen it.”

Utah State committed six turnovers in the 34-24 loss to UNLV, and five were interceptions from quarterback Logan Bonner, a seventh-year senior who began his career at Arkansas State and followed Anderson to Logan after the 2020 campaign.

A year ago, Bonner set program records of 3,628 yards and 36 touchdowns while being picked off 12 times. This season, he has thrown for 753 yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions.

The Aggies are averaging just 15.5 points per game while allowing an average of 36.

Anderson admitted there isn’t much time to resolve all his club’s issues prior to facing the Cougars.

“Short week against BYU. It’s going to be a huge challenge,” Anderson said. “We have to build on the few things that we did well, try to get better this week and find a way to put it all together in one game. See if we can get that done.”

BYU recorded a 34-20 victory at Utah State last season for its fourth win in the past six meetings.

The series will go on hiatus after the contest because the Cougars canceled the next four season’s worth of games due to its upcoming entrance to the Big 12. BYU will lose scheduling flexibility by leaving the ranks of independent programs.

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2022; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jaren Hall (3) runs the ball against Baylor Bears defensive lineman TJ Franklin (9) during the first half at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gabriel Mayberry-USA TODAY Sports

After topping Baylor, No. 12 BYU takes aim at No. 25 Oregon

Coming off a 26-20, double-overtime upset of then-No. 9 Baylor at home last weekend, No. 12 BYU will hit the road for another challenge against a ranked major-conference foe.

The Cougars (2-0) will continue their gauntlet of an independent schedule one year before moving to the Big 12 with a trip to Eugene, Ore., to face No. 25 Oregon on Saturday.

BYU went 5-0 against Pac-12 schools last season, but coach Kalani Sitake isn’t looking on that as any indication of success at Oregon. The Cougars’ win over Baylor, which ended after midnight in Provo, Utah, was cause for much celebration, but the task this week was come down from the emotional high and focus on the Ducks.

“I am looking forward to the challenge,” Sitake said Monday. “It will be a good defining moment for our guys on the team. We talk about our depth and having a lot of experience and veterans. This will put us to the test.

“I have been in that environment. I have been in that stadium. It is a tough place to play, and not a lot of teams come out of there successful.”

BYU is 14-16 all-time when it is ranked and playing a ranked opponent. The Cougars have won three of their past four matchups against Top 25 teams and are 8-8 against Pac-12 foes under Sitake.

Junior quarterback Jaren Hall threw for 261 yards and a touchdown in the victory against Baylor, and he also caught a scoring pass from Chase Roberts. Lopini Katoa ran for a 3-yard TD in the second OT, and the Cougars’ defense subsequently held on fourth-and-goal at the 6-yard line when an incomplete pass sealed the win.

Oregon (1-1) leaped back into the Top 25 after a 70-14 win over FCS Eastern Washington last weekend. The Ducks were hammered 49-3 in Week 1 at defending national champion Georgia, so the BYU game could be a true indicator of where Oregon is headed as a program under first-year coach Dan Lanning.

The youthful Ducks are tied for the fourth-most underclassmen of any FBS team with 96. Oregon has 53 freshmen and 43 sophomores, 76.2 percent of its 126 players overall. Only Navy (117), Army (108) and Nebraska (110) have more underclassmen, while Wyoming joins the Ducks with 96.

Still, it was a senior who led the way in the blowout of Eastern Washington, with Bo Nix throwing for five touchdowns and 277 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Troy Franklin had 10 receptions for 84 yards and a score, and sophomore running back Mar’Keise Irving produced 74 yards and a TD on eight carries.

Oregon is 28-23 against ranked teams since 2010 and 35-33-2 all-time against Top-25 opponents at Autzen Stadium.

The Ducks have won each of their past 20 home games as they close in on the program’s all-time best run, a 23-game stretch from 1997-2001. The only schools with longer active home win streaks are Clemson (35) and Cincinnati (28).

Oregon has won 29 consecutive non-conference home games, the second-longest active stretch behind Alabama’s 40 in a row.

“We’re not playing our best football yet by any means,” Lanning said. “I think the ceiling’s really high, and there’s a lot we can still improve on. … I don’t know if we know exactly where we’re at yet.”

Oregon is looking to repeat history against the Cougars in Eugene. In 1990, the unranked Ducks upset then-No. 4 BYU 32-16, forcing that season’s Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Ty Detmer, to throw five interceptions and sacking him five times.

The all-time series is at three wins apiece.

–Field Level Media

Oct 30, 2021; Provo, Utah, USA;  Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jaren Hall (3) runs the ball in the first quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

No. 25 BYU takes early-season prowess to South Florida

Opening a season on a winning note has become embedded in BYU’s DNA.

The No. 25 Cougars have plenty of reasons to feel optimistic when they travel to Tampa, Fla., to face South Florida in the season opener for both teams on Saturday.

BYU is 5-1 in season openers under head coach Kalani Sitake, with the loss coming against archrival Utah in 2019. The Cougars have won 13 of their last 15 season openers.

BYU quarterback Jaren Hall attributes a willingness to do homework for the program’s win-early tendencies.

“You have more time to study their scheme, plays, and watching film than for a normal game week,” Hall said. “The more you can burn all of that into your memory, then when you’re in the stadium, you can turn off your brain, stop thinking and go have fun. You can allow all your preparation to come out through your energy.”

Hall will be eager to show what he can do against the Bulls. The fifth-year junior was sidelined with a rib injury when the Cougars beat South Florida 35-27 last season to open the schedule with a 4-0 record.

Former BYU quarterback Baylor Romney filled in and threw for 305 yards with three touchdowns. Hall made his first career start when the two teams met at Tampa in 2019 – a 27-23 loss for BYU.

Figuring out how to contain Hall will be a dilemma for the Bulls. Hall had a 156.1 pass efficiency rating last season and posted four 300-yard games in 10 starts. He had 2,583 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air overall.

South Florida has defeated just one FBS opponent over the last two seasons, although the trend could change in a hurry in 2022.

The Bulls are returning 18 starters from last season’s 2-10 squad while adding key transfers. Baylor transfer Gerry Bohanon won the starting quarterback job in fall camp. South Florida top rusher Jaren Mangham and top receiver Xavier Weaver are both back to lead the offense.

The infusion of transfers with veteran contributors already has had a positive impact on team culture.

“I think my first two years, a lot of guys were trying to find a way off the field,” USF coach Jeff Scott said. “They were trying to find ways not to practice, not to take reps, and just wait until game day. That culture has shifted where guys are now out there pushing themselves and encouraging their teammates.”

BYU was preparing to face hot and humid conditions at Tampa on Saturday. Now there’s a chance the Cougars could be dealing with rain instead. The team is fully prepared to handle either scenario.

“We have had some practices already where it has been kinda wet and had a scrimmage that was kind of wet,” Sitake said. “I don’t know if we really need to flood the field or put the ball in a bucket of water. We just show up and play. They have to play in the same weather that we play in, too.”

BYU’s lone previous win in the state of Florida was a 49-23 triumph over UCF in the 2020 Boca Raton Bowl.

–Field Level Media

Nov 6, 2021; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jaren Hall (3) reacts after a first quarter interception against the Idaho State Bengals at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

No. 15 BYU gets big game from QB Jaren Hall, routs Idaho State

Jaren Hall threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns Saturday to lead No. 15 BYU to a 59-14 victory over Idaho State in Provo, Utah.

Puka Nacua had 120 yards and a touchdown on six receptions to lead the Cougars with his second straight 100-yard game.

Keanu Hill added a career-high 92 yards and a touchdown on four receptions. Hill also blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for another touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

BYU (8-2) amassed 560 yards in winning its third straight game.

Sagan Gronauer threw for 167 yards and a touchdown for Idaho State (1-8, 1-5 Big Sky), which fell to 0-7 all-time against the Cougars. The Bengals mustered 238 total yards and punted 10 times en route to their fourth straight loss.

Idaho State went 3-and-out on three of four first-quarter drives and the remaining one ended in an interception that Pepe Tanuvasa returned to the Bengal 6-yard line.

The Cougars, meantime, experienced no trouble marching down the field against the Bengals, scoring touchdowns on their first five drives, and then after a fumble ended a drive, scored the next time they got the ball to take a 42-7 halftime lead.

They racked up 397 total yards by halftime, averaging 9.0 yards a play.

Hall orchestrated one BYU drive after another with big passing plays. He accounted for five touchdowns in the first half (four passing, one rushing) while completing 80% of his passes.

The Bengals scored their only touchdown before halftime after cashing in on a BYU fumble at the Cougars’ 17-yard-line. Jared Scott reeled in a 6-yard catch to get Idaho State on the board with 1:20 left in the half.

BYU has a week off before facing Georgia Southern on Nov. 20, preceding their contest at USC.

–Field Level Media

Jul 27, 2021; Hollywood, CA, USA; Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham speaks with the media during the Pac-12 football Media Day at the W Hollywood. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

No. 21 Utah aims to extend success in BYU rivalry

The latest installment of the Holy War carries historical stakes.

No. 21 Utah will visit BYU in Provo on Saturday night looking for its 10th straight victory in the heated rivalry. Neither school has won more than nine straight since the series began in 1896 – a series the Utes lead 62-34-4.

Many recent contests between BYU and Utah have been close games with exciting finishes. The game has been decided by eight points or less in eight of the past 10 meetings.

“It’s up there with the best rivalries in all of college football,” Utes linebacker Devin Lloyd said.

The Utes seem to be in a good position to extend their winning streak after dismantling Weber State 40-17 in their season opener. Utah showed good balance on offense.

Charlie Brewer threw for 233 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-27 passing in his debut with the Utes. Tavion Thomas also starred in his Utah debut, rushing for 107 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.

Utah scored on its first three drives and averaged 7.5 yards per play. The Utes struck almost a 50/50 balance between the run and pass after making it goal to incorporate more passing into the offense heading into the season.

Improving in the passing game remains a point of emphasis this week.

“We know we need to throw the football better,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “We need to throw it more productively and more efficiently than we did last year. If you want to be an elite team, you have to be able to throw the ball with a lot of those big-chunk yardage plays.”

BYU will face Utah as part of seeing three Pac-12 teams in a three-week span. The Cougars took care of Arizona in their season opener, 24-16 in Las Vegas.

Jaren Hall fared well in his season debut, throwing for 198 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-28 passing. Hall added 36 yards on five carries. His favorite target, Neil Pau’u, finished with a career-high 126 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches. Tyler Allgeier added 94 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.

Hall played mistake-free football for the most part against Arizona, which kept the Wildcats from ever seriously threatening to rally against BYU.

“The thing I liked the most about how he played was he protected the football,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “He made some really good throws and made some great decisions.”

This will be the last game between the two rivals before the series takes a two-year hiatus in 2022 and 2023. Both teams are fired up to hold in-state bragging rights. Even if it no longer carries the same implications from when they were conference rivals, players and coaches from both BYU and Utah still feel a special energy attached to the game.

“It’s definitely one of the most anticipated games each season,” Cougars defensive end Tyler Batty said. “It’s intense, it’s exciting, it’s pretty much everything you could want in a football game.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 29, 2020; Orlando, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback D'Eriq King (1) reacts after running the ball in for a touchdown which is called back for a penalty during the first half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the Cheez-It Bowl Game at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Miami, BYU agree to home-and-home in 2026, 2028

Miami and Brigham Young will meet for a home-and-home football series in 2026 and 2028, the schools announced Thursday.

Miami will host BYU on Sept. 19, 2026 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. Two seasons later, BYU will host the Hurricanes on Sept. 2, 2028 in Provo, Utah.

Unless they meet in a postseason game before 2026, it will mark the first time Miami and BYU square off since 1990, when the Cougars upset the top-ranked and defending national champion Hurricanes in Provo.

The two programs have enjoyed strong showings of late. In the final Associated Press poll of the 2020 season, BYU (11-1) finished No. 11 in the country and Miami (8-3) was No. 22. The ‘Canes are ranked No. 16 in the preseason coaches’ poll for 2021.

“We are always looking for opportunities to schedule storied football programs like Miami,” BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said in a statement. “Traveling to ACC country and competing in an NFL stadium will be a great experience for our coaches, players and fans.”

“We are excited to add BYU to our future football schedule,” Miami AD Blake James said in a statement. “We remain committed to scheduling top programs for our nonconference games and showcasing The U across the country.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 31, 2020; Provo, UT, USA; BYU quarterback Zach Wilson (1) out runs Western Kentucky defensive end DeAngelo Malone (10) in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, in Provo, Utah. Mandatory Credit: Rick Bowmer/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

No. 18 BYU (9-1) aims to rebound vs. San Diego State

BYU’s bid for an undefeated season has ended, but the No. 18 Cougars look to rebound from that disappointment when they host San Diego State on Saturday night in Provo, Utah.

BYU (9-1) dropped a 22-17 road decision at Coastal Carolina last Saturday and now turns its focus to securing its first 10-win season since 2011.

Putting aside the setback isn’t easy for Cougars receiver Dax Milne, as he was tackled a yard short of the end zone on the game’s final play.

“It hurts,” Milne said. “I think that happening honestly just put a chip on our shoulder, that we’re not done yet. We’ve got a lot more to say, and we’d like any opportunity we can to just go prove ourselves.”

The loss caused BYU to drop five spots in the College Football Playoff rankings.

“We just want to play football. I let everyone else do the talking on rankings and that stuff,” Cougars coach Kalani Sitake said before the latest rankings were announced Tuesday night. “I love coaching these guys, and they love to play football.”

BYU traditionally has fared well against the Aztecs (4-3), holding a 28-8-1 series edge. San Diego State is just 2-16 all-time at LaVell Edwards Stadium, with the first victory occurring in 1992, when legendary Marshall Faulk ran for 299 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-38 win.

The two schools were in the same conference for 33 consecutive seasons — the Western Athletic Conference from 1978-1998 and the Mountain West from 1999-2010 — but are playing for just the third time since BYU became an independent in 2011. One of those meetings — won by the Cougars — came in the 2012 Poinsettia Bowl.

“When they left the league, that was obviously tough on everybody,” Aztecs coach Brady Hoke said. “I think our guys are competitive and this program is based on competition. So they’re excited about it. They know the history. We try to remind them of the history the two schools have.”

Last season, San Diego State shut down BYU’s offense in posting a 13-3 home win under then-head coach Rocky Long.

Cougars star Zach Wilson passed for 316 yards but was intercepted twice and failed to throw a touchdown pass.

This season, he has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game and has been picked off just three times. Wilson has thrown for 2,964 yards and 27 touchdowns and has eight rushing scores.

“He is unbelievable,” Hoke said of Wilson. “His ability to get the ball off and his ability to extend plays, he does a great job. He will be a real test for our defense.”

BYU topped 40 points in five straight games and eight of nine before scoring only 17 in the loss to the Chanticleers. The Cougars rank seventh in the nation in scoring offense (44.5 points per game) and total offense (522.7 yards per game).

Milne has caught 55 passes for 1,012 yards and seven touchdowns, and Tyler Allgeier has rushed for 957 yards and 12 scores.

San Diego State will look to mirror last year’s effort and seek to make it a low-scoring affair. The Aztecs rank third in the country in total defense (269.1 ypg) and eighth in scoring defense (16.3 ppg).

However, San Diego State is just 104th in total offense (343.9 ypg) as it goes against a BYU defense that rates fourth in scoring defense (14.7 ppg) and seventh in total defense (299.9 ypg).

Hoke said quarterback Jordon Brookshire will make his second straight start. Brookshire completed 14 of 24 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown, with one interception, in last Saturday’s 29-17 win over Colorado State.

Running back Greg Bell (team-high 569 rushing yards) is getting closer to full health after suffering an ankle injury Nov. 21.

–Field Level Media

Oct 16, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Zach Wilson (1) walks off the field after a game against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Wilson’s big day vs. Texas State moves No. 12 BYU to 6-0

Zach Wilson completed 19-of-25 passes for 287 yards with four touchdowns Saturday to lead No. 12-ranked BYU to a 52-14 rout of Texas State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah.

The victory improved the Cougars to 6-0 for the first time in 12 years.

In the days leading up to Saturday’s matchup, Texas State coach Jake Spavital mentioned Wilson as an emerging contender for the Heisman Trophy. The Cougars quarterback justified Spavital’s comments with a dazzling performance, which included a 45-yard scoring strike thrown cross-field to Dax Milne just before halftime.

It was Wilson’s Heisman highlight-reel moment, as the quarterback continues to build a case for himself – and it was the moment that effectively ended any Texas State realistic hope of a comeback.

The Bobcats (1-6) had recovered a fumble deep in BYU territory just moments prior, and were in position to close to within 28-14 just before the half. But they went four-and-out on a drive beginning from the 10-yard line, and Wilson took over from there.

The 45-yard score to Milne made it 35-7 at the intermission. Wilson had previously found Keanu Hill for a 33-yard touchdown connection, and Isaac Rex for a 3-yard score. Wilson called it a night just after halftime with a second touchdown throw to Rex, this one from 30 yards out.

Texas State led briefly, going 75 yards on eight players in its opening drive, capped when quarterback Brady McBride found Marcell Barbee for a 19-yard touchdown.

McBride and Wilson combined to complete the game’s first 12 pass attempts, with the Bobcats quarterback opening 7-for-7. He finished 16-of-30 for 153 yards, and threw a second touchdown to Barbee in the fourth quarter.

McBride also had two passes intercepted, one of which Isaiah Kaufusi returned 32 yards for a third-quarter score (and a 49-7 margin). The Cougars also got touchdowns from Lopini Katoa on a 4-yard run to cap BYU’s opening drive, and an 11-yard rush from Tyler Allgeier. Allgeier led BYU with 77 yards on the ground.

–Field Level Media

Oct 16, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Zach Wilson (1) walks off the field after a game against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Wilson’s big day vs. Texas State moves No. 12 BYU to 6-0

Zach Wilson completed 19-of-25 passes for 287 yards with four touchdowns Saturday to lead No. 12 BYU to a 52-14 rout of Texas State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah.

The victory improved the Cougars to 6-0 for the first time in 12 years.

In the days leading up to Saturday’s matchup, Texas State coach Jake Spavital mentioned Wilson as an emerging contender for the Heisman Trophy. The Cougars quarterback justified Spavital’s comments with a dazzling performance, which included a 45-yard scoring strike thrown cross-field to Dax Milne just before halftime.

It was Wilson’s Heisman highlight-reel moment, as the quarterback continues to build a case for himself – and it was the moment that effectively ended any Texas State realistic hope of a comeback.

The Bobcats (1-6) had recovered a fumble deep in BYU territory just moments prior, and were in position to close to within 28-14 just before the half. But they went four-and-out on a drive beginning from the 10-yard line, and Wilson took over from there.

The 45-yard score to Milne made it 35-7 at the intermission. Wilson had previously found Keanu Hill for a 33-yard touchdown connection, and Isaac Rex for a 3-yard score. Wilson called it a night just after halftime with a second touchdown throw to Rex, this one from 30 yards out.

Texas State led briefly, going 75 yards on eight plays in its opening drive, capped when quarterback Brady McBride found Marcell Barbee for a 19-yard touchdown.

McBride and Wilson combined to complete the game’s first 12 pass attempts, with the Bobcats quarterback opening 7-for-7. He finished 17-of-30 for 150 yards, and threw a second touchdown to Barbee in the fourth quarter.

McBride also had two passes intercepted, one of which Isaiah Kaufusi returned 32 yards for a third-quarter score (and a 49-7 margin). The Cougars also got touchdowns from Lopini Katoa on a 4-yard run to cap BYU’s opening drive, and an 11-yard rush from Tyler Allgeier. Allgeier led BYU with 76 yards on the ground.

–Field Level Media