How in the world are these guys 5-2 and a win away from bowl eligibility with five games remaining on the schedule?
That’s the big question that is being asked about the BYU Cougars after they won in October for the first time since 2021, a 27-14 victory over reeling and injury depleted Texas Tech squad on Saturday night.
“I remember back in the beginning of the season. … There was just a lot of talk when I would go home from family and friends, ‘You guys have a hard schedule this year. Are you going to make a bowl game?’ It was kind of unsettling a little bit. I didn’t like people to talk like that. The expectation is to win every game.” — BYU safety Ethan Slade
BYU, 2-2 in Big 12 play and the owner of two-thirds of the wins the league’s newcomers have posted in conference games, will take its surprising record into arguably its toughest test of the season this Saturday, a 1:30 p.m. MDT showdown with No. 7 Texas (3-1, 6-1) in Austin.
It was announced late Saturday night that the contest will be televised nationally by ABC, putting BYU on a big stage against a blue blood program it has historically had success against.
The matchup begins a gauntlet of tough games for the Cougars, who are tied for sixth in the league standings. Of the five teams ahead of BYU, the Cougars face four of them in the next five games: Oklahoma, Texas, Oklahoma State and Iowa State.
The Cougars don’t face Kansas State (3-1, 5-2), which is probably a good thing for BYU considering that the Wildcats pummeled TCU 41-3 Saturday. Yes, that same outfit that crushed the Cougars 44-11 on Oct. 14 lost by 38 points a week later.
Welcome to the Big 12.
What isn’t in question for the Cougars is their thrill level with their 5-2 mark, especially considering where they rank in many of the key national offensive and defensive statistics — which is to say, near the bottom.
“Most definitely I would have taken it,” said walk-on safety Ethan Slade, who is shoring up that position with another walk-on, Crew Wakley, had his first career interception against the Red Raiders.
“I remember back in the beginning of the season. … There was just a lot of talk when I would go home from family and friends, ‘You guys have a hard schedule this year. Are you going to make a bowl game?’ It was kind of unsettling a little bit. I didn’t like people to talk like that. The expectation is to win every game.”
Slade prepped at Orem High with defensive star Jakob Robinson, who also got a pick Saturday and is now tied for fourth in the country with four interceptions.
“Not to say that it was expected we would be here, but it is a blessing to be where we are at. We worked really hard to be where we are at and it is kinda paying off,” Slade said.
Eastern Michigan transfer Darius Lassiter made what he called “probably the best catch I have had” for 32 yards and also hauled in a 4-yard touchdown pass from Kedon Slovis.
“Realistically, we want to be 7-0, but we can’t get those games back,” Lassiter said. “We just gotta keep moving forward. We love being 5-2. Our goal last week when we were 4-2 (after the loss to TCU) was to be 5-2. So we got that.”
How are they doing it?
Perhaps the stats that best explain it are turnover margin, red zone efficiency and net punting.
BYU is making the most of its scoring opportunities. The Cougars are No. 124 in total offense (301.9 yards per game) and No. 74 in scoring offense (27.6 points per game). That’s quite the disparity.
Head coach Kalani Sitake was asked what BYU’s identity is on offense after the Cougars got just 78 yards in the second half against Tech, and 277 in the game.
“Just do whatever it takes to win,” he said.
In BYU’s case, that means capitalizing on its turnover margin of plus-9, which is tied for third-best in the country, and scoring when it gets the ball inside an opponent’s 20. BYU was 3 for 3 in the red zone against Tech and is now 21 of 23, with 16 touchdowns.
“I feel like every week besides TCU and then Sam Houston, we just improving each and every week (on offense),” Lassiter said. “That’s what we are going to continue to do. That’s our goal, just to be one step closer to being the perfect offense that we want to be.”
Along with being No. 23 in red-zone offense, BYU is No. 14 in fewest penalty yards, No. 24 in fewest turnovers lost and No. 22 in net punting. Those are seemingly little things that are making a big difference.
BYU’s running attack remains a concern, although the Cougars picked up 150, a season-high, and are now No. 130 in yards per carry (2.78), up from No. 133.
“There is still some room for improvement in every phase and especially the run game, too,” Sitake said.
Defensively, the Cougars have been fantastic in forcing turnovers — they are fourth in the country in turnovers gained, with 16 — 11 interceptions and five fumble recoveries. That ballhawking partially makes up for the fact that they are No. 124 in sacks and No. 127 in tackles for loss.
Cougars on the air
BYU (2-2, 5-2) at No. 8 Texas (3-1, 6-1)
Saturday, 1:30 p.m. MDT
DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 100,119)
Austin, Texas
TV: ABC
Radio: KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM/1160 AM