BYU Football - UNLV - Pre-game

This saturday, BYU football heads on the road again.  This week they will take on UNLV at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, NV.  BYU has been dominant in the series with UNLV over the past few years and it doesn't look like this game will be a problem for them either.

BYU is coming off a strong home win agains Utah State last week.  However, now BYU is without their star receiver McKay Jacobson who injured his hamstring while stretching during warm ups.

This will allow room for some new receivers to shine.  I expect that we will see a lot from Luke Ashworth and Spencer Hafoka.  Each has seen more playing time this year than last, but has still essentially been playing in the shadow of Jacobson.

Many people are concerned with how this will affect BYU's passing game.  However, I see it as a blessing in disguise.  Over the past couple of years, BYU's passing game has had one or two dominant receivers that seem to stand out.  Last year, it was Pitta and Collie.  This year it is Pitta and Jacobson.  I think this limits our abilities in the pass.  It allows Max Hall to get comfortable with those few receivers and they always become his first targets.  Which makes it that much easier for the defense to read.  Just ask Hall, who has already thrown 10 interceptions this season, and just a couple of those were tipped balls.

It seems like BYU has the most success when they can throw the ball around the field to whoever they want.  I think back to John Beck's senior season when he could throw to Collie (Zac), Allen, Meikle, Reed, Harline, Coats, Brown, and Vakapuna.  I am excited to see this years receiving core develop into one where the defense has to play defense because they don't know who Hall is going to throw to.

I think we will see a lot more of that this game.  I think BYU wins this one soundly.

BYU UNLV Prediction
BYU 42 - UNLV 14

BYU Football - Utah St - Final BYU 35 CSU 17

I didn't get a chance to post my prediction about last night's game against Utah State, because I've been out of town.  On the way to the game, I told my wife that I thought BYU would win the football game by three scores.  However, I didn't expect it to play out the way it did.  I actually expected BYU's score to be in the 50's.


The game started off as what looked like was going to be a shoot out.  Utah State got on the score board first by capitalizing on a BYU turnover with a touchdown.  BYU answered with a 6 yard TD catch by Dennis Pitta.  The second quarter was owned by BYU.  It wasn't the shootout that the game appeared it was going to be after the first quarter.  BYU scored twice, including a touchdown in the final seconds of the second quarter on a turnover from Utah State.  The third quarter may have been the most boring quarter of football I have ever watched.  BYU didn't score and Utah State added only a field goal.  The fourth quarter was better as BYU added two more scores and Utah State added one in the final seconds of the game.

BYU won the game soundly.  After the second quarter, it didn't appear that Utah State had much of a chance. 

McKay Jacobson didn't play in the game, which meant that Spence Hafoka and Luke Ashworth would take on more responsibility.  Ashworth answered the call.  He had 5 catches for 91 yards and one touchdown.  I was impressed with his play.