by Mike Miller
Two top ten teams, a road blowout over a ranked opponent, and a win over an in-state rival has the Cougars riding high yet again. While BYU Athletics has always been a well-rounded group, it’s hard to remember a time as successful as this. As the Cougars usher in homecoming week, get ready for another action-packed week in Provo.
Football
BYU went to Logan on Friday night and handled business behind a career-high 218-yard performance from running back Tyler Allgeier. The 34-20 victory gave the Cougars the Old Wagon Wheel and a self-proclaimed state championship.
The second half and final scoreline was closer than the game might have felt on the field. Backup quarterback Baylor Romney—who was starting for the second week in a row due to starter Jaren Hall’s bruised ribs—left the game at halftime with an apparent concussion. Third-string true freshman Jacob Conover saw out the rest of the game for the Cougars, going 5/9 for 45 yards. His main job was to give the ball to Allgeier, and he did so admirably.
Neither Hall nor Romney have been ruled out for Saturday’s game, so BYU fans will be on injury watch to see who has to take the reins. Coach Kalani Sitake is surely hoping for either Hall or Romney to be available, but Conover did show flashes of potential, indicating he could handle the job if he needs to.
Next Up: #10 BYU gets their chance to prove themselves on national TV (ABC) as Lavell Edwards Stadium hosts the game at 1:30 p.m. MST. The homecoming game brings pseudo-rivals Boise State to town, who have struggled with a 2-3 record thus far this season.
Women’s Volleyball
The other #10 team on campus handled business this week with two more sweeps over conference foes, improving their record to 14-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play. Two road matches were no problem for the Cougars, who will likely be ranked even higher when the next poll is announced.
On Thursday, the Cougars were consistent against Santa Clara, recording a 25-17, 25-17, 25-9 victory. The Broncos only led twice at any point in the match, with both moments coming for just one point in the second set. Saturday’s match was slightly closer as the sweep was 25-23, 25-16, 25-18 against San Francisco. The match was won at the net as the Cougars had 14 blocks, while SF only had 3.
Next Up: Two more conference matches, this time in Provo. Portland pays a visit to the Smith Fieldhouse on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. MST , followed by Gonzaga on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. MST.
Women’s Soccer
After an overtime loss to Utah State two weeks ago, the Cougars tumbled out of the national rankings. BYU likely played themselves right back however after a 6-1 win on the road at #16 Gonzaga. Five different goal-scorers shared the love in attack and also helped the team start 1-0 in conference play.
Next Up: Two more conference matches this week, although the Cougars will be back home with the comforts of South Field. Saint Mary’s visits on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. MST, followed by San Diego on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. MST.
Featured image courtesy BYU Photo