Tag: Brigham Young

No. 12 BYU rallies late to beat No. 22 Georgia Tech in Pop-Tarts Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Jovesa Damuni scored the go-ahead touchdown with two minutes remaining as No. 12 BYU rallied for a 25-21 victory over No. 22 Georgia Tech on Saturday at the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Fla.

Damuni’s 4-yard run capped a 15-point fourth-quarter flurry for the Cougars (12-2), who earned their first 12-win season since 2001. Enoch Nawahine also rushed for a score in the final quarter and Evan Johnson made the game-sealing interception, as BYU overcame an 11-point deficit.

“We haven’t won 12 games in a while,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “So this is something to be really proud of and something to carry for the rest of their life.”

Bear Bachmeier completed 27 of 38 passes for 325 yards, one touchdown and one interception for BYU. Chase Roberts had a touchdown catch, and Carsen Ryan had eight receptions for 120 yards.

Haynes King was 23-of-40 passing for 275 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for the Yellow Jackets (9-4), who lost for the fourth time in five games.

Trelain Maddox rushed for a touchdown while Eric Rivers (102 receiving yards) and J.T. Byrne caught scoring passes. Malik Rutherford had eight catches for 105 yards.

BYU was part of this bowl game after being passed over for a College Football Playoff at-large berth. The Cougars’ blemishes were two blowout losses against Texas Tech.

BYU pulled within 21-18 when Nawahine scored from the 2-yard line on the direct snap and Bachmeier added a two-point conversion run with 11:13 remaining in the game.

Later in the quarter, the Cougars drove 70 yards on nine plays with Damuni scoring the game-winner.

“We were just staying calm,” Ryan said of BYU’s comeback. “We’ve been in this position before. We know to stick together and trust our process and trust your teammates and we’ll come out on top.”

Georgia Tech had one last chance, and King converted a fourth-and-15 with a 66-yard pass to Rivers to the BYU 18-yard line with 52 seconds left.

King then threw three straight incompletions, one just over the hands of Dean Patterson in the end zone with 14 seconds to play.

King’s final throw was into the end zone and Johnson, who was the beaten defender on the 66-yard play, made the pick with 6 seconds left.

BYU prevailed without star running back LJ Martin, the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, who sat out with an injury.

Earlier, Georgia Tech scored two second-quarter touchdowns in a span of 13 seconds to take an 11-point lead.

The stretch started with King throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Rivers with 5:28 left to cap a 10-play, 76-yard drive.

BYU’s Cody Hagen failed to catch the ensuing kickoff and Georgia Tech’s Will Kiker recovered at the BYU 6-yard line. On the next play, King tossed a scoring pass to Byrne for a 21-10 lead.

The teams traded touchdowns in the first quarter. Bachmeier tossed a 7-yard scoring pass to Roberts, and Maddox scored on a 3-yard run for the Yellow Jackets.

Will Ferrin kicked a 22-yard field goal to give the Cougars a 10-7 lead with 9:49 left in the first half.

–Field Level Media

LJ Martin, No. 11 BYU rally from slow start to beat UCF

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No. 11 BYU made a statement it didn’t need to make Saturday, rallying from an early deficit to beat UCF 41-21 in Provo, Utah to build momentum entering next week’s Big 12 championship game.

By game’s end, the Cougars’ early 14-0 hole was long forgotten. LJ Martin had a hat trick of touchdowns, Bear Bachmeier had 289 yards passing with an 84% completion percentage and Parker Kingston had two 45-plus-yard touchdowns.

Arizona State’s loss to Arizona last night solidified BYU’s place in the Big 12 championship game next week against Texas Tech, providing a chance for the Cougars to avenge their lone loss.

Leading 17-14 at the half, the Cougars (11-1, 8,1 Big 12) opened the second half with a 75-yard drive that took over six minutes and was capped with Martin’s 4-yard scoring run. The Big 12’s leading rusher finished with 95 yards on the day.

UCF (5-7, 2-7) punted to Kingston on the ensuing drive. After evading two defenders, he broke through the seam for a 55-yard touchdown to balloon the lead to 31-14.

The Knights responded with a trick play. Running back Agyeman Addae took a direct snap and threw to quarterback Tayven Jackson, who was wide open to cut the deficit to 31-21 with 3:24 left in the third.

Bachmeier and Kingston hit back with a 46-yard throw and catch on fourth-and-3 to push the lead back to 17. The pair connected six times for 126 yards.

Bachmeier completed 18 of his final 20 passes.

The Cougars put up 407 yards of offense, rattling off 31 straight points after falling down early.

Jackson led UCF on an opening drive where he went 7 for 8 with 70 yards and a 4-yard touchdown to Dylan Wade with 9:27 left in the first.

The second drive went just as well as Addae caught a 20-yard pass for a 14-0 lead with 3:39 left in the first.

Jackson finished the day 21-for-37 passing with 232 yards, two touchdowns and a fumble. Wide receiver Duane Thomas Jr. threw an interception and also caught four passes for 74 yards.

Martin rattled off two 1-yard touchdowns in the second quarter, the latter making it 14-14 with 4:54 left in the half.

BYU kicker Will Ferrin was 2-for-4 on the day, including a 26-yarder right before the half and a 50-yarder with 3:53 left in the game to cap the scoring.

–Field Level Media

No. 11 BYU controls own postseason destiny entering UCF matchup

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No. 11 BYU controls its own destiny for a spot in the Big 12 championship game, but UCF is ready to play spoiler with its own postseason berth on the line as the two teams clash Saturday afternoon in Provo, Utah.

It’s simple for the Cougars (10-1, 7-1 Big 12): win and in.

For the second straight week, BYU is listed as the first team out of the College Football Playoff, so the conference championship — which would be BYU’s first as a member of the Big 12 — is key for the Cougars to keep their CFP hopes alive.

The Cougars can also punch their ticket to the title game before they even kick off if Arizona State loses to Arizona. BYU can also get in with a loss through a combination of wins by Utah and Arizona State, as well as a loss by Texas Tech.

But the Cougars and coach Kalani Sitake are focused on handling the Knights (5-6, 2-6) and doing the dirty work themselves, especially on senior night.

“I look at all these (seniors) and it’s awesome. I’m so proud of what they’ve been able to build here and the culture that’s thriving with them,” Sitake said on Monday. “They’ve had a lot of wins and they’ve ushered us into the Big 12 and had some success now the last couple years. We just have to finish it strong for them.”

BYU is coming off a 26-14 win over Cincinnati in which Big 12 leading rusher LJ Martin set a career high with 222 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns.

Martin has 1,134 rushing yards this season on nearly six yards a carry to go along with eight touchdowns.

Bear Bachmeier’s 127 passing yards were his fewest since his first game, but he still recorded a rushing touchdown, his seventh in his last seven games. His freshman campaign has been solid, with 2,304 yards passing, 525 yards rushing and 24 total touchdowns.

The defense for the Cougars really showed out against the Bearcats, holding them to season-lows in points and rushing yards. They forced a fumble in the red zone and took advantage of three missed field goals.

BYU will look to continue feasting on a UCF offense that has struggled to move the ball. The Knights rank in the bottom half of the Big 12 in yards per game (386.3, 11th) and points per game (24.6, 13th).

UCF showed some grit last weekend, overcoming a 14-point halftime deficit to secure a 17-14 victory over Oklahoma State. It was the Knights’ first win in over a month and kept their slim hopes for bowl eligibility alive.

They did so thanks to Tayven Jackson and Dylan Wade, who connected four times for 145 yards, two touchdowns and a 50-yard throw-and-catch that set up the eventual game-winning field goal.

Jackson, who’s been shaky as the starter, produced one of his best starts of the season. He bounced back after throwing two first-half interceptions by completing 16 of 25 passes for 271 yards and the two touchdowns.

It’ll be a physical contest for coach Scott Frost’s bunch, who will try to claim the program’s first win over a ranked opponent since 2023.

“It’s a good team,” said Frost of BYU. “They’re probably the biggest team we’ve played up front and their linebackers are big. They just have a lot of grown men on the team because of their age and body types. That’s what they’re recruiting for. We’ve got to be ready for a physical game.”

BYU beat UCF 37-24 last season and is 3-1 all-time against the Knights.

–Field Level Media

With plenty of fanfare, No. 8 Texas Tech braces for No. 7 BYU

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Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire noticed something different this week as he prepared for his team’s high-stakes game against BYU in Lubbock, Texas.

A group of students were camped out near Texas Tech’s stadium. They were waiting for ESPN’s “College Football GameDay” broadcast to begin and for the gates to open — not in a matter of minutes or hours, but more than five days later.

The excitement is buzzing as No. 8 Texas Tech (8-1, 5-1 Big 12 Conference) prepares to take on No. 7 BYU (8-0, 5-0) on Saturday afternoon. The teams sit side by side in the College Football Playoff rankings, and this weekend’s matchup could go a long way toward determining the Big 12 standings at the end of the year.

McGuire is well aware of the high stakes. He’s more impressed with the fan response.

“It is really cool to walk out of the office last night and see students camping out,” the 54-year-old McGuire said. “Because whenever they’re my age, that’s what they’re going to remember — the experience.

“You have heard me say it, the pageantry of college football and the experience of ‘GameDay’ being on campus and all of that, it’s so cool. We haven’t had this opportunity in a long time.”

BYU will try to spoil the party as it heads south to take on the Red Raiders.

The Cougars remained undefeated last week by earning a 41-27 win over Iowa State on a blustery afternoon. That followed a three-point win over then-No. 23 Utah and an overtime win against Arizona.

BYU coach Kalani Sitake does not want his players to feel overconfident because of the team’s undefeated record.

“I think we did enough to be 8-0 right now, but I still feel like there’s a lot that we can improve at,” Sitake said. “My job is to make sure that we play at our best and can play a full 60 minutes on Saturday.”

BYU will try to slow down Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton, who is coming off a strong performance in a 43-20 road win against Kansas State. Morton completed 21 of 32 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns and has thrown for 15 TDs compared with four interceptions this season.

Cameron Dickey is Texas Tech’s top threat on the ground; he has rushed for 746 yards and 10 touchdowns. Caleb Douglas leads the team with 41 catches for 594 yards and four scores.

BYU will counter with Bear Bachmeier, who has passed for 1,693 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions. LJ Martin has rushed for 789 yards and five scores.

Martin left last week’s game against Iowa State because of an unspecified injury, but Sitake indicated he might be able to return this week. He offered a similar hopeful prognosis for linebacker Jack Kelly.

“They’re doing great,” Sitake said. “We’ll see how they progress during practice this week.”

Meanwhile, Texas Tech is focused on winning the battles at the line of scrimmage.

“They’re big humans that take up a lot of space,” McGuire said of BYU. “We’re going to have to do a great job up front on our double teams. You know we’re going to have to win our one-on-ones. I think that’s huge.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 3, 2025; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) throws the ball against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the second quarter at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

BYU, Utah renew ‘Holy War’ rivalry as ranked opponents

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In-state rivals No. 23 Utah and No. 15 BYU will play in their “Holy War” game for the first time as ranked opponents since 2009 at Provo, Utah, on Saturday night.

BYU was ranked No. 19 and Utah No. 21 when the Cougars won 26-23 in overtime at Provo in November 2009.

The schools about 50 miles apart will play their second Big 12 game against each other after BYU prevailed 22-21 last year at Salt Lake City.

BYU alum Kyle Whittingham, in his 21st year as head coach at Utah (5-1, 2-1), will match wits against Kilani Sitake, who was a member of Whittingham’s staff for 10 years at Utah.

“Whether we want to admit it or not, we actually need each other,” Sitake said in his weekly press conference Monday. “As I have said before, wishing bad things on others is not good for the soul.

“It has got to be a lot more fun when you can actually talk about the respect that you have for each other and that there is connection from both sides.”

Whittingham opted to not comment much on freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier for BYU (6-0, 3-0), while Sitake openly stated his respect for Utah quarterback Devon Dampier, a transfer from New Mexico.

Bachmeier was selected Big 12 freshman of the week for the third time this season after engineering a 33-27 double-overtime win at Arizona last week.

Bachmeier threw for 172 yards, completing 12 of 29 passes, with one touchdown and two interceptions while also running for 89 yards on 22 carries with two touchdowns. His TD runs forced overtime and were the deciding points in the second overtime.

“You know, I am just going to focus on this week, our guys, our coaches,” Whittingham said at his weekly press conference when asked to talk about Bachmeier. “So I am not going to give much thought on the opponent this week. So really you have to ask them what they think of Bear.”

Dampier is working with former BYU quarterback Jason Beck, who is the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Utah. Beck also coached Dampier at New Mexico in the same roles last season.

Dampier is a dual-threat quarterback who has completed 71.5% (118 of 165) passes for 1,131 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions while running for 378 yards on 65 carries with five TDs.

In last week’s 42-10 win over then-No. 21 Arizona State at Salt Lake City, Dampier passed for only 104 yards with a 7-of-12 performance but rushed for 120 yards on 10 carries with three touchdowns.

“Super talented, and he’s tough, man,” Sitake said of Dampier. “He has great vision, and that’s in the passing game and in the running game. When you look at the stats, he knows where to go with the ball, and he’s well-coached.

“There’s a reason why they brought him in. He looks really comfortable out there. Whatever you need him to do, he’s willing to do it. He’s super tough.”

Utah leads the series 62-36-4. The Utes won nine consecutive games in the series from 2010 to 2019 before BYU was victorious in the last two meetings in 2021 and last season.

–Field Level Media

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

Posted on | by Field Level Media

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