UCF-BYU, One More Key

Each of the first three games were close at the end of the first half.  In each of those games, BYU had the ball with less than 5 minutes left in the first half.  At Ole Miss, it was 0-0, at Texas, BYU led 13-0, and against Utah, BYU led 10-7.  The offense has failed to do anything on those possessions, and their opponents have been able to take advantage and put points on the board, and gain momentum, going into halftime.

Against Ole Miss, BYU got the ball with 4:26 left and went three and out in 1 minute, 32 seconds.  Ole Miss returned a punt to near mid-field and went down and got a field goal just before halftime to take a 3-0 lead.  BYU's D was able to hold Ole Miss' O in the second half, but BYU's inability to move the sticks and at least get to halftime allowed Ole Miss' O to gain a little bit of confidence.  It also gave Zac Stoudt a possession he never should have had.  He got in a bit of a rhythm and it made it a close game in the second half because Ole Miss wasn't three and out nearly every time.

Against Texas, BYU held a 13-0 advantage when it got the ball with 5:04 left in the first half.  On the first play, Jake Heaps threw an interception.  Texas was able to manage a field goal on its way to scoring 17 of the final 20 points of the game.  That play entirely changed the momentum of the football game.  BYU's offense was pretty much completely stalled after that point in the game.

Against Utah, BYU led 10-7 as Kyle Van Noy intercepted a Jordan Wynn pass with 3:29 left.  BYU ran off only 46 seconds of clock, with two incompletions and a penalty.  It proved to be just pathetic enough of an effort to allow Utah a TD with 30 seconds left in the half.  BYU's 10-7 lead turned into a 21-10 deficit before the offense had another real crack at it in the second half.  BYU completely imploded as they tried to play catch up.

That possession that BYU gets with 5 minutes or fewer remaining in the first half has been critical in determining the outcome of the previous three games.  BYU still managed to escape with a win against Ole Miss, but the Rebels were easily the worst of the 3 teams BYU has played to this point, and is worse than the UCF team they'll see tonight.  BYU's O cannot allow a three and out (or turnover) at the end of the first half, leaving UCF a chance to swing the game in their favor before halftime.  UCF is just as opportunistic as Utah, Texas, and Ole Miss.  BYU may not be able to afford a fourth straight poor close to the first half.  It's cost them twice already this season.  A third time wouldn't exactly be the charm BYU fans are looking for.