Cougs Crunch Cowboys
The game today was sort of a letdown after BYU annihilated UCLA 59-0.
BYU only beat Wyoming 44-0.
Ok, kidding aside — BYU is going to be in the top ten this time tomorrow and with good reason. To me the most memorable image in the game was Max Hall throwing yet another touchdown pass to Austin Collie and simply turning to walk toward the sideline with an almost “ho-hum” demeanor about him. Seriously, it is getting that way. Throwing touchdown passes is just what Max Hall does. And he seemingly does it at will.
Now having said that, the offense was a bit off kilter this game. In the first quarter Max was not very accurate but he and his team mates really got things rolling in the second quarter. The third quarter started off great but then the offense was forced to punt twice. I’m sure Max and his pals would have liked to get back on track but Coach Mendenhall pretty much had to yank them with route being on and all.
The defense gave up plenty of yards but they seem to have the “bend but don’t break” thing really working for them. Every time the Cowboys got close to scoring the Cougs forced a turnover. In fact the defense scored two touchdowns of their own this week. As a result the first team defense (and the backups starting in the third quarter) notched their second shutout in a row. That is impressive. The combined score of the last two games is BYU 103, opposition 0.
It’s a good time to be a BYU football fan.
It was the first game I went to in two years, and it was well worth it.
I don’t think we are going to be in the top ten next week, unfortunately (maybe in USA Today, but not in AP)*, but we are well on our way. We may be on the outside of the top ten until we play TCU.
I was worried about the game for a while; until the second quarter, besides our first TD coming off of a (blunder) turnover, Wyoming seemed to be outplaying us. But when we finally turned it on with that long drive topped off with Unga, it was over.
*thats not to say that I would be extremely happy if we did crack the top ten.
Comment by Ben — September 20, 2008 @ 6:20 pm
Nice! I wish I could see the games, thanks for the reviews.
Comment by Jacob J — September 20, 2008 @ 8:19 pm
BYU is currently 11 in the Coaches Poll, but lower in others (e.g. 14th).
Top 10? Well, how many will have dropped out?
LSU (6) beat Auburn (10)
I don’t see enough dropping out.
Ohio State won their game today 28-10
Tech was 56 to 14 in its game.
Comment by Stephen M (Ethesis) — September 20, 2008 @ 9:05 pm
#9 Auburn lost at home tonight so #11 BYU ought to at least slide to #10 in the Coaches poll. I agree that the Cougs will need to wait a couple of weeks for a spot in the AP poll top ten. (With a couple of top ten losses next week BYU could slide in even on a BYE week.) But when it comes to BCS standings the AP poll doesn’t matter and the Coaches poll does anyway.
Comment by Geoff J — September 20, 2008 @ 9:15 pm
Looks like my prediction was wrong. #13 Alabama jumped to the #10 spot in the Coaches poll so BYU remains at #11 this week.
But the MWC now has three teams in the top 25 with TCU joining BYU and Utah.
The good news is that the Cougs jumped three spots in the AP poll up to #11. Utah and TCU join them in the top 25 there as well.
Comment by Geoff J — September 21, 2008 @ 10:09 am
What a truly abysmal sport american football is.What, i may ask, is fun in watching people in motorbike helmets throwing a weird shaped ball accross a pitch. On top of this, interrupted by stat after stat after stat. I despise american people for ruining the most beautiful continent in existence with sports of such a heinous nature. The sheer size of the average american human is grossly overweight. Its vile, disgusting and ghastly how you can eat so much.
Comment by Stephen w — September 21, 2008 @ 1:16 pm
I’m starting to wonder to what extent the team’s success is actually hurting Hall’s Heisman chances. If he only plays a half a game against Utah St., New Mexico, and SDSU, it’s going to start hurting his numbers. Granted, the voters certainly take that into consideration, but at the end of the day, the numbers still mean something – especially for a dark horse candidate such as Hall.
The second-string offense does need some work though.
Comment by Eric Russell — September 21, 2008 @ 1:35 pm
Stephen w,
If it makes you feel any better, I’m sure I feel the same way about whatever sport they play where you are from.
Comment by Jacob J — September 21, 2008 @ 1:59 pm
Jacob J.,
Given Stephen W.’s description “the most beautiful continent in existence” I think the sport to which you refer must be curling.
Comment by Mephibosheth — September 21, 2008 @ 2:28 pm
It wasn’t just that Hall wasn’t accurate. He was throwing to receivers under pressure when there were one or two other better receivers open. Normally he reads the field much, much better than that. Although by the second half of the second quarter he’d calmed down. (Although by then the game was basically over)
It was a cool game since it was the first game I took my son too. He only made it to half time (he turns 4 next month) but enjoyed it. Plus realistically by half time the game was over.
There’s still a few things that worry me. (Special teams receiving, kicking, a few elements of defense) But at least they came to play and you can’t expect them to be as flawless as last week. The big issue is that our defense hasn’t gone up against a big throwing team yet. And won’t until Utah and maybe TCU.
Comment by clark — September 21, 2008 @ 8:24 pm
The second string QB is scary. Please Hall, don’t go down.
Curling rocks.
Comment by clark — September 21, 2008 @ 8:26 pm
bleh
;)
Comment by BHodges — September 26, 2008 @ 2:04 pm
It took a little longer than I predicted last week but BYU is now officially in the top 10. The Cougs are now #7 in the Coaches poll and #8 in the AP poll. And that is after a bye week. The bad news is that the teams BYU has beaten so far keep losing. But all the Cougs can do is win the games on the schedule — as long as they keep doing that a top 5 ranking should be coming soon based on this weekend…
Comment by Geoff J — September 28, 2008 @ 11:34 am
Yep Geoff, the Cougs jumped in the rankings
Dang.
They may very well reach top five by mid-season, better if they can finish undefeated.
I wish them well in holding it together and not having an off day.
Comment by Stephen M (Ethesis) — September 28, 2008 @ 9:02 pm
It looks like BYU TV will be broadcasting the BYU-Utah State game live this Friday. See here. That is good news for Coug fans who can’t get the MTN.
Comment by Geoff J — September 30, 2008 @ 2:39 pm
Im referring to american football as a truly terrible sport. Its undignified and sluggish.
Comment by stephen w — October 2, 2008 @ 5:47 am
Yo momma’s undignified and sluggish.
Comment by Mephibosheth — October 2, 2008 @ 2:44 pm