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The Good and the Bad From BYU's Dominant Win Over Colorado State

A dominant first half was followed up by a sloppy second half for BYU
Casey Lundquist|
BYU wide receiver Legend Glasker hauls in a one-handed catch against Colorado State
BYU wide receiver Legend Glasker hauls in a one-handed catch against Colorado State | BYU Photo

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BYU Cougars

On Saturday evening, no. 11 BYU walked into Fort Collins, Colorado and dominated the Colorado State Rams in the first half, taking a 31-7 lead into the halftime locker room. Then, the Cougars put together a sloppy second half and walked away with the 41-23 victory. In this article, we will break down the good and the bad from BYU's win over the Rams.

The Good: BYU's Offense Dominated the Game with Explosive Plays

We predicted before the game that the BYU offense would be able to generate explosive plays against the Rams. The explosive plays came in bunches in this game, especially when the starting offense was on the field.

Whether it was through the air or on the ground, the Cougars were moving the ball with ease. Excluding the kneeldown in the first half, BYU averaged 13.5 yards per play. In the first half alone, the Cougars had five explosive pass plays and four explosive runs.

This offense came into the game as one of the more explosive offenses in college football, and they looked the part on Saturday. BYU finished with 559 yards of total offense.

The Bad: The Penalties

To say this game turned sloppy in the second half would be an understatement. True freshman Braxton Lindsey was called for roughing the passer when the BYU defense was about to get off the field. Tausili Akana was called for a roughing the passer penalty as well - Akana's hit on the quarterback was unnecessary. The BYU defense also gifted Colorado State a first down with a holding penalty deep in their own territory.

On the offensive side, Journee Tonga's touchdown run was called back by a holding call on Andrew Gentry.

It wasn't only the second half, either. The only thing that stalled BYU's drives in the first half were penalties. Every clean drive ended in a touchdown.

On defense, Colorado State was facing second-and-long in BYU territory when Hunter Clegg shoved Hauss Hejny out of bounds and gave the Rams a free first down.

This is the second consecutive week in which BYU's offense has been stalled by penalties. Against better opponents, these penalties could be the difference between a win or a loss. Cleaning up the fixable mistakes has to be BYU's top priority during the bye week.

The Good: The Offensive Line Was Dominant

BYU ran for 331 yards on 8.1 yards per carry in this game. There were multiple runs where BYU ballcarriers were untouched as they hit the second level of the defense. The BYU offensive line mauled the Colorado State front seven in this game and made life easy on the BYU running backs. On Preston Rex's touchdown run, Rex could have driven a truck through the hole created by the offensive line.

LJ Martin had one of the best halves of his BYU career in the first half. Martin had three rushing touchdowns before the end of the first quarter. He ended the night with 176 yards and 3 touchdowns on 11.7 yards per carry.

The Bad: Missed An Opportunity to Make a Statement

In the second half, BYU had a 38-7 lead and was marching deep into Colorado State territory. Bear Bachmeier telegraphed a pass to Kyler Kasper in the end zone that was intercepted by the Rams. On BYU's next possession, Treyson Bourguet threw an interception on a pass intended for Reggie Frischknecht.

Colorado State has a chance to be a bowl team, and the Cougars had a chance to make a statement in this game. Instead, the sloppy finish partially offset some of the good work that BYU did in the first half.

Let's face it, the AP Poll matters. The last two years, the College Football Playoff Rankings have been nearly identical to the AP Poll. Some AP voters were probably paying attention to this BYU game. Others might have been focused on the LSU-Ole Miss game and will read the box score before submitting their ballots.

BYU missed an opportunity to make a statement the voters in this game. It might not matter in the end, but if we've learned anything from the last two years, every positive impression counts.

The Good: Legend Glasker is a Superstar

Legend Glasker is a budding superstar for the BYU football prgoram. Glasker finished with a career high 131 yards on 5 catches. He also had 3 carries for 21 yards and a rushing touhdown.

We believe Glasker is the best deep threat to play for BYU since Puka Nacua or Austin Collie. When the ball is thrown his direction, he has a knack for coming down with it. In the first quarter, BYU took a deep shot to Glasker. Glasker's right hand was being held by the CSU defender and it didn't matter - Glasker hauled it in with one hand.

After the catch, Glasker is a weapon for BYU as well. He is just a true freshman, but he is looking more and more like BYU's go-to wide receiver. He is capable of taking it to the house whenever he touches the ball.

The Bad: The Derogatory Chants Are Back

Before the game even starter, the Colorado State student section started chanting derogatory chants about BYU's faith. This has, unfortunately, become a common occurence when BYU plays road games. Colorado State issued a statement after the game apologizing to BYU. "Mocking anyone's faith has no place at CSU," the statement read. "It runs counter to our community's values and to who we are. BYU's players, coaches and fans deserved better. We are addressing this with our students."

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Casey Lundquist
CASEY LUNDQUIST

Casey Lundquist is the publisher and lead editor of BYU On SI. He has covered BYU athletics since 2020. During that time, he has published over 3,500 stories that have reached millions of readers.

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