SAN DIEGO — The final game of BYU’s 2016 season will be played in a pretty familiar location — San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium. The Cougars have spent many postseasons (13 as of Wednesday) in the building previously known as Jack Murphy Stadium. Kalani Sitake will be looking for his first bowl win as a head coach, and BYU will hope to earn its sixth bowl win at the Southern California venue.
The Cougars will face off with a familiar foe as well as they take on the Wyoming Cowboys for the 78th meeting between the two schools this week. Here are seven important numbers for the Cougars' third game in an NFL stadium this season, this time at the home of the San Diego Chargers:
46
The passing portion of BYU’s offense has performed well enough to get the job done this season, but has been slightly disappointing for stretches as well. As Cougar sage Greg Wrubell points out, BYU is currently on track for its lowest output by a leading receiver since 1980. Through 12 games, Nick Kurtz is the leading receiver with 482 yards. If Kurtz doesn’t catch passes totaling 46 yards or more, he won’t pass Cody Hoffman’s 2010 stat line of 527 yards. This could also mark the first season since 2013 where BYU doesn’t finish the year with two or more receivers who finish the season with at least 500 yards receiving.
5,109
The Cowboys haven’t struggled in the passing game as much as the Cougars have, but these two schools are both led by above average rushing attacks — combining for 5,109 total yards rushing on the season. One running back for each school has shouldered the majority of the load on offense. Wyoming junior Brian Hill has rushed 323 times for 1,767 yards and 21 touchdowns (an astonishing 65 percent of the Cowboys' rush yards and 70 percent of the Cowboys' rushing touchdowns). BYU senior Jamaal Williams has accounted for 1,165 yards on 208 attempts and 11 touchdowns (48 percent, and 42 percent of touchdowns). Hill is averaging 135.92 yards per game on the ground, which is good enough for No. 4 in the country. Williams is averaging 129.45 yards (35th).
347.25
After beginning the season really well against the run — the Wyoming defense allowed more than 150 yards on the ground only twice in the Cowboys' first nine games — the last four games have been a struggle for the Cowboys. Since Nov. 12, the Cowboys have given up 1,389 yards on the ground and 15 rushing touchdowns. The Cowboys only won once during that stretch and were giving up an average of 347.25 rushing yards/game, which dropped them to 88th in the FBS in rush defense. Meanwhile, the Cougars' rush defense has given up less than 100 yards per game in their last four wins, and they are giving up only 108.42 yards/game (ranked ninth) on the season. The Cougar defense has only give up 150 yards or more rushing three times this season.
36.5
Another area that has hurt Wyoming this season has been third-down conversions. On offense, the Cowboys have converted 80 of 184 — a 43 percent conversion rate (No. 40 of 128 FBS teams in that category). The brown and gold defense though has given up 82 third-down conversions on 190 attempts for a conversion rate of 43 percent (98th in third-down conversion defense). Conversely, BYU has been very good at converting on third downs and extending drives, having gone 89 of 185 (48 percent, ranked 13). The Cougars' third-down conversion defense has also been a big storyline this season, only allowing 58 conversions on 159 third downs (36.5 percent).
+12
BYU has been one of the best teams in the country at forcing turnovers all season. Going into the bowl game, the Cougar defense has registered 29 takeaways (10 fumble recoveries and 19 interceptions). Wyoming has also been good at taking away the ball (11 fumbles, 14 interceptions) for 25 total takeaways. The difference in the turnover category is on the offensive side of the ball. BYU’s offense has lost six fumbles and 11 interceptions for a +12 turnover margin (ranked fifth). Wyoming’s offense has given up 22 turnovers (nine fumbles, 13 interceptions) for a +3 margin. BYU is averaging one more takeaway per game than its opponents. The Cougars are also top four in total number of interceptions.
5
Another similarity between BYU and Wyoming has been the defense’s ability to score points. The Cowboys have scored five touchdowns (two fumble returns and three interceptions) on the defensive side of the ball. These five defensive scores are good enough for third best in the country as a unit. The Cougars' defense has scored four touchdowns (one fumble, three interceptions), which ranks it seventh best.
4
BYU has become a top 15 team in yet another statistical category that may surprise some fans. The Cougar special teams have blocked four kick attempts — field goals and point after touchdown attempts — which is tied for 11th best in the country in blocked kicks. The Cougars have also added one blocked punt on the season. Wyoming hasn’t registered a blocked kick or punt so far this season.