No. 14-ranked BYU’s defense is in the top 10 in two of the most important statistical categories in college football, fewest yards allowed (308.9) and fewest points allowed (14.6).
It is No. 10 in total defense and No. 3 in scoring defense; the Cougars are also 19th in rushing defense (113.2) and 24th in passing defense (195.7). By any metric, it has to be considered a strong defense.
But a couple of defensive players — most notably linebacker Isaiah Kaufusi and safety Zayne Anderson — have said recently they still feel like they have something to prove to the rest of the country. Perhaps it is because the Cougars haven’t really been put to the test by a high-powered, balanced attack, or they haven’t gotten over a ranking by the College Football Playoff selection committee they feel is too low.
That test will certainly come Tuesday, when 10-1 BYU squares off against unranked but explosive UCF (10-1) in the Boca Raton Bowl (5 p.m. MST, ESPN) at FAU Stadium.
“The team is really excited to play, really excited to just kind of prove ourselves again and be able to work and fix the things we have been lacking the last couple of weeks,” Kaufusi said last Monday when the matchup was announced.
“They are just going to go quick. It will be different than anything we’ve seen this year. They have really good athletes (like) Houston and some of the Texas teams we have played. … Really good skill players and a great offensive line.” — BYU linebacker Isaiah Kaufusi about UCF
On paper, it looks like a classic matchup of powerful offense against stingy defense, but in recent weeks BYU’s defense was exposed a bit by Coastal Carolina in a 22-17 loss and San Diego State in a 28-14 win. The Cougars struggled to get pressure on the quarterbacks, and couldn’t efficiently stop the run, allowing the Chanticleers and Aztecs to put together prolonged scoring drives and win the time of possession battle.
Teams try to do that to keep BYU’s offense and fringe Heisman Trophy candidate Zach Wilson off the field. Central Florida is not one of those teams. The Knights play fast. They are averaging 85.7 plays per game, most in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
By comparison, BYU averages 66 plays per game.
“They are just going to go quick. It will be different than anything we’ve seen this year,” Kaufusi said. “They have really good athletes (like) Houston and some of the Texas teams we have played. … Really good skill players and a great offensive line.”
The Knights average 6.8 yards per play, the Cougars 7.7.
“This is going to be a really good test for us,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “They are an impressive team with tons of speed. They are disciplined and strong. It is going to be a lot of fun.”
Central Florida’s offense is arguably better than BYU’s, and that is saying something. The Knights are No. 2 in total offense (585.6 yards per game) and No. 8 in scoring offense (43.0 points per game).
A week of film study has the Cougars even more convinced. Central Florida not only has one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Dillon Gabriel, it has one of the top receivers in Jaylon Robinson and a pair of top-notch running backs in Greg McRae and Otis Anderson.
“They have a great quarterback, great running backs and great receivers,” Kaufusi said. “We’re just really excited about playing against this offense. They put up big numbers and a lot of points.”
Lefty QB Gabriel directs an offense that throws for 373.0 yards per game, second-best in the FBS. He will be without one of his top weapons, however. Senior receiver Marlon Williams (71 catches, 1,039 yards, 10 touchdowns) opted out of the remainder of the season after UCF’s last game, a 58-46 win over South Florida on Nov. 27.
UCF’s offensive numbers this year are better than in 2017 when it went undefeated (12-0) under coach Scott Frost and defeated Auburn in the Peach Bowl. Former Snow College player and Utah State assistant coach Josh Heupel leads the program now, and said he is familiar with BYU from his days playing and coaching in the West.
“BYU plays complementary football, in terms of offense, defense and special teams, as well as any team in the country,” Heupel said. “This will be a tremendous challenge for our football team — and certainly one our players are excited about.”
BYU’s motivation is to climb in the national rankings and earn the respect it is seemingly always trying to attain. UCF’s motivation is to finish in the top 25 for the fourth consecutive season.
“There has always been a question mark around BYU, that asterisk, the past couple of years. ‘Are they Power Five worthy?’” Kaufusi said. ‘“Can they compete with these teams?’ I think this season we have shown that we are, and that we can compete with the best teams.
“And so I think that comment about wanting to prove ourselves, is, ‘Hey, we are going to erase this question mark around BYU that we are a good team.,’” Kaufusi continued. “The program is in good hands, and the program will continue to be great. And so that is what we have to prove right now.”
But a really big test awaits in Florida.