Game 3: BYU 18, Trojans 6

The game had 41 plays: 20 in the first half. The Cougars held the ball 20 times (over 7 series), with 10 possessions each half.

Amazingly, the Cougars threw the ball 75% of the time, but completed only 5 of 15 passes (a dismal 33% passing ratio). We ran the ball only twice in the first half: Daniel’s crazy 100-yard run on the first play (0:17) for a measly 25 yards, followed by Caleb’s superb first-down run to the goal line (0:48). Much of that gain was erased, however, when Everett caught his first pass of the season (1:10) and ran the wrong way! The Cougars threw the ball on every possession for the remainder of the first half, with little success.

The most spectacular plays of the game came on defense. After stopping a Trojan rush short of a first down, Daniel appeared out of nowhere on the next play, leaping to intercept a Trojan pass , scoring the Cougar’s first touchdown (4:00). With an almost identical catch three plays later (4:50), Daniel scored again! Having missed both conversions, the Cougars lead at half-time, 12-0.

The Trojans started the second half with a bang, scoring on their first possession with a long run up the middle. Their 2-point conversion, however, was intercepted by Nicholas, preventing a score.

Hanyi had a great run on the next possession (only three runs were attempted the second half), but he cut unnecessarily and was stopped short of the first down (as in Game 2). Trenten caught the next pass (one of seven thrown this half), for a first down. Kyson later faked a pass to run in the Cougars’ third TD (7:30). The 2-point conversion failed and the score was (finally) 18-6, BYU.

BYU's spectacular defense dominated the game.

The Trojans threw only eight times, with no completions and one interception, scoring only once on a running play.

The Cougars could have scored many more times, if passes had not been dropped and open players had not been ignored.

BYU has now beaten every other team in the league, with no losses, allowing only two TDs (and no extra points) in three games. BYU has out-scored its opponents 5 to 1, with a season total (thus far) of 60-12.