Provo, Utah – Former BYU HC Bronco Mendenhall returned to his former employer of 10 years with his Cavaliers and top-rated QB Brennan Armstrong, fell short as Brigham Young “Bronco-busted” Virginia, 66-49. Both teams came into this evening’s contest with 6-2 records. In front of a welcoming but Cougar-charged college football crowd of 57,685, the game was tale of two halves. The halftime score with Virginia in front, 42-38, would have been close to what we expected as the potential final outcome going into this game.
Lots of yardage, lots of points
Up to that point the game got off to a big lead by the home team and a heroic comeback by the visitors. The Virginia Cavalier offense scored on big plays in six consecutive possessions led by the leading passer of total yards in college football. Armstrong led all passers coming in with 3,220 yards. He started off slow, but added another 337 yards to his total and four TDs against a stalwart BYU Cougar D before leaving the game late with a rib injury.
BYU’s QB Jaren Hall kept pace with 349 yards passing and three TDs. However, RB Tyler Allgeier’s rushing performance put BYU over the top gaining 266 yards on 29 carries and crossing the goal line five times. The individual grit among these playmakers made this game outstanding. In the meantime, fans have to wonder, whatever happened to good defense? In the annals of our history, the 115 points make this our third highest score since we started this in 1979 among 626 games to date!
Cougars explode early
BYU’s defense seemed in control to start the game holding the super-charged Virginia Cavalier passing attack at bay. In the first three series with tight pass coverage and some pressure on Armstrong, the Cougar defense sandwiched an interception between two three-and-outs. Each resulted in three TDs for 21-0 lead before the first quarter ended.
Hall ran in from the one. Allgeier scored from the three following LB Payton Wilgar’s INT to spot BYU on the UVA ten. WR Puka Nacua caught a 26-yard fade pass from Hall for the next six. Seemed like Brigham Young “Bronco-busted” Virginia already! Having seen Armstrong against Louisville several weeks earlier, with his receiving corps, we couldn’t imagine them being shut down. Referring to Armstrong, one nearby Cougar fan said, “Hit him hard. Beat him up.” Armstrong displays toughness. He started to show it.
Comeback Cavaliers
Armstrong capped a 75-drive in retaliation with a five-yard TD run before the first quarter ended to avoid the shut out. Going into the second period, Allgeier kept motoring to get BYU into the end zone again on a four-yard run. It didn’t look like the Cougs were ready to back down offensively at all. They commanded with a 28-7 lead. On the other side, the Cavs’ motors just got fired up. They started hitting – hard, fast, and often – offensively and defensively.
Next, Armstrong connected with Jelani Woods falling into the end zone for a 40-yard touchdown. Then came a significant defensive stand. UVA held BYU to a four-and-out! Armstrong connected with Dontayvion Wicks on a 70-yard catch and run to close the gap, 28-21. The Lavelle Edwards Stadium crowd suddenly got very quiet. The best BYU could do to counter came from Jack Oldroyd’s 32-yard FG midway through the second. Virginia countered three plays later on Devin Darrington’s quick exit through the defensive line and swerving downfield for a 49-yard TD jaunt.
The Cavalier defense forced BYU to punt a second time. Taking over from the 23, the Cavs drove to the BYU 30. Armstrong found no receivers open, broke out of the pocket and scrambled unscathed all the way for a touchdown and a sudden and unexpected UVA lead, 35-31. 1:46 remained to play in what seemed like the end of the game, but action was winding down for what was only the first half. Both teams made the most of the time remaining.
Still the first half?
Within only 32 seconds and three plays, Hall struck back again with a 40-yard TD pass to Samson Nacua (3 catches for 107 yards and a TD) to regain the lead. However, Armstrong did not intend to let the Cougars take the lead going into halftime with them getting the kick to start the second half. He brought the Cavs 75 yards downfield to score with 22 seconds remaining on a 12-yard TD pass to Billy Kemp IV. Surprisingly with time left, BYU ran out of gas to score. In what looked like a final score, Virginal led BYU at the half, 42-38. We love to find competitively, close games, but geez, can someone besides Georgia ramp up the defenses? Brigham Young “Bronco-busted” Virginia? No way!
Fans looking forward to move to Big 12
Prior to the game, the PA announcer welcomed the crowd to Lavell Edwards Stadium, “set in one of the most beautiful locations in all of college football”, basically that was his point. In the darkness with an 8:15 PM kickoff, I said to the season-ticket holder next to me, “I’m sure it’s nice, but I can’t see a thing!” He grunted, “Yea, we can’t wait to start playing in the Big 12. They avoid scheduling many late games. We hate these late starts. Most can’t make it home until late the next morning!”
We could sympathize with him. It’s all about the TV money. The atmospheres at Penn State white-outs are tremendous. Usually though, those games go down to the wire. No one leaves early. Thousands of vehicles leave in the dark sitting bumper-to-bumper for a long time. It’s generally cold by then. Local hotels are already booked in advance at exorbitant rates for minimum stays of two days. Closest hotels we could book take two hours to get to. By the time we roll in, it’s 3-4 a.m. We hope they do get more day games when the Cougars join the Big 12 starting in 2023. A day game would be great to see here to enjoy the scenery. We’ve seen pictures.
Seems like the third game for us today
After driving two hours from the Hawaii-Utah State game in Logan, which seemed extended due to numerous penalties, reviews, and typical lengthy TV timeouts, it seemed like we had seen two complete games already. This is as close as we had ever gotten to a “triple-header!” Hopefully, this wouldn’t go into overtime. Plans were in place already to get up at five to turn in the rental car by 6 am to catch an 8 am flight. We pondered just going to pick up what we left back at the hotel, and just going directly after that to Salt Lake City Airport.
Beginning of the end of a great football Saturday in Utah
BYU got off with another fast start. Allgeier broke off a 49-yard TD run, his third of the game, to take back the lead from UVA, 45-42. UVA’s offense sputtered. BYU’s FG attempt at the end of the next drive caromed off the upright, no good! This quarter, the clock moved quicker. Virginia scored on its next drive with only 2:10 left in the third. WR Keytaon Thompson, the most impressive receiver we’ve seen all season, caught a two-yard scoring pass to take back the lead for UVA, 49-45.
Still listed as a QB on the roster shown on the internet, the senior Keytaon Thompson stands 6-4, 190 lbs. We’ll refer to him as an H-back. He’s the toughest receiver we’ve seen to bring down. Watch for this guy at the next level. He’s something! He stood out at the Louisville game we attended, and he stood out again yesterday. BYU fans commented how impressive he is. He had this one short TD catch, but with 8 other catches for 89 yards, he fights for every yard he gets, punishing tacklers, but also just sliding off for more yards as well. Write down his name and see where he ends up in the draft next April. We say that he’s going to be around for a while and make an impact in the pros.
End zone entertainment
Up until this point, in the thin mountain air in Provo, every kick-off sailed into, through, or over the end zones. UVA’s ball boy and ball girl both actually caught kicks from there kicker behind the end lines. The pretty blonde ball girl had impressed first with her catching capability, but the ball boy made a one-handed catch while holding a ball under his other arm. He received enthusiastic applause from BYU fans, and a replay was shown on the video board. However, the next UVA kickoff rolled out of bounds. BYU started for the first time for either team on its 35 after a kick-off. Maybe it signified the Virginians were being affected now by the altitude in the Rockies.
Big Cougar Finish
Eleven seconds into the final period, BYU finished a scoring drive with Neil Pau’u grabbing a Hall pass from 10 yards out while keeping his feet inside the left goal line pylon for the score. The Cougs led again, 52-49. UVA’s next possession was turned over on a tremendous play by DL Uriah Leiataua. He made the hard tackle, and recovered the fumble he caused. BYU took over with the ball at Virginia’s 31. From there off left tackle, Allgeier took it in for the score right away, their biggest lead since the second period.
The ensuing Cavalier drive started typically again from the 25. At midfield, Armstrong’s pass got picked by LB Drew Jensen. The Cougar defense drove 65 yards with Allgeier doing the honors from three yards out for his BYU record fifth rushing TD of the day, now leading 66-49, with 7:12 left. Plenty of time for Mr. Armstrong? Finally, had Brigham Young “Bronco-busted” Virginia? Well, we weren’t ready for what happened next.
Brigham Young “Bronco-busted” Virginia
When UVA’s offense came on the field, Jay Woolfolk came on replacing Armstrong at QB. He got the same pass protection Armstrong was afforded. He completed two passes and ran twice to get down to the BYU 35. Three incompletions later, the ball went back to the Cougars. With 4:56 left, Allgeier converted two first downs and BYU ran out the clock. Game over! Exciting, explosive, offensive game. After all that, who knows how the game could have ended if Armstrong remained healthy. Finally, Brigham Young “Bronco-busted” Virginia. BYU came out 7-2. With the win, the Cougars climbed to No. 17 in the Top 25. UVA fell to 6-3, but even worse, what’s with Brennan Armstrong? They have three critical games remaining.
Next up!
BYU hosts FCS Idaho State next Saturday. After that, it’s got road games at two struggling teams -Georgia Southern and USC. Ironically, today. GSU announced it’s hiring former USC HC Todd Helton. We’re interested to see where BYU will go bowling and who they’ll play. Hopefully, they will get to play another Power 5 Team. As an Independent, they’ve beaten five now. They deserve a shot at somebody else.
Questions now linger regarding Brandon Armstrong’s health. They have another big game next week at home hosting No. 8 Notre Dame, 7-1. After that they travel to 6-2 Pitt, critical to their bowl bid considerations within the ACC. They end at home against rival Virginia Tech.
Is it OK to use the word “Hate”?
For Collegefootballfan.com, we don’t have to travel as far to this weekend’s game. We’ll be attending the traditional rivalry unofficially known as “100 miles of Hate”. What choice do we have? We live right in between the two schools now. Middle Tennessee (4-4, 2-2) lies southeast of us, and Western Kentucky (4-4, 3-1) is to the northwest. Members of ConferenceUSA now, these two have played for years moving within conferences and divisions. They don’t like each other.
Both come off wins a week ago, MTSU over Southern Miss, and WKU over Charlotte. The game will boil over at WKU in Bowling Green where we saw the Hilltoppers fall to Indiana this year, 33-31. WKU QB Bailey Zappe stands at No. 2 currently behind Brenna Armstrong of Virginial in passing yardage in the FBS. He has 3,407 yards to his credit and 33 TDs.
Extra points:
These two teams are scheduled to meet again on September 9, 2023 in Charlottesville, VA. This could change, however, since the Cougars supposedly start Big 12 competition that season.
The win for BYU was the 600th for this football team since it started play back in 1922. Cougar HC Kalani Sitake recorded his 46th win this evening to reach that goal. Bronco Mendenhall recorded 99 wins during his tenure with the Cougars. Lavelle Edwards for whom the stadium is named led the program to 257 victories. They are the top three winningest coaches in BYU history. That’s 402 from this trio alone.
Whatever bowl BYU gets invited to this season, it will be their 39th. Their first was in 1974. From 1978-1980 they played in the Holiday Bowl losing to Navy and Indiana before defeating SMU. An OG for BYU those three years was Andy Reid, sixth winningest coach in the NFL history at Philadelphia and now at Kansas City.
Steve Koreivo, ed. Author of “Tales from the Tailgate: From the Fan who’s seen ‘em all!” Click on the title to buy our book! Great short-stories for Man Caves or bathroom reading!
