Utah State at BYU: Mo's Reaction

BYU did it again.  They got everyone believing.  They even got the national media asking the "what if" question and can Taysom get to New York.  Then they ripped the hearts of the fans out.  At least they got it all in during one night.  It wasn't a prolonged demise.

On a night honoring Jim McMahon, they needed a less spectacular comeback than he led in the 1980 Miracle Bowl.  They never even came close.  The ball LITERALLY didn't bounce their way tonight.  Multiple times.  But, besides that, the front 7 made no plays on D.  Yes, the game is different if Taysom doesn't get hurt.  If he leads a game-tying TD drive before halftime, it's 21-21 at HT.  I have Taysom Hill as my QB, I feel good about BYU turning it around.  Or at least him putting up points until the D figures it out...if they ever figure it out.

As it was, a backup QB went 14/17 for 257 yards and 3 TDs against BYU's D.  And that was just the first half.  The O didn't help, never really establishing the running game.  The best defense for BYU tonight would have been an offense that was committed to running the football.  As with Virginia, they looked shell-shocked.  I'm not sure they were prepared to stop a power-running game led by a LB, but if you aren't prepared for a slow RB running into the strength of your defense, what are you prepared for?  Not getting a pass rush.  Not covering WRs.  I think the only think they were prepared to do was try to get the crowd amped up by waving their arms pre-snap.  And then letting the fans down time and time again.

They flirted with disaster twice before this season and Taysom put the team on his back.  Tonight, no one was able to pick up that mantle.  But, then again, they didn't give anyone a chance with a helter-skelter offense the 2nd half trying to get 30+ yards every pass play followed by a dive up the middle.

So, BYU managed to trick their fans again.  Fool me once, shame on you, fool me 7 times in the past decade, shame on me.  I'm not sure BYU can satisfy their fans again this season.  I'm not sure even 11-1 will restore the passion.  I've long feared that BYU is on the verge of losing their fan base.  Then they were poised for a "special" season until tonight.  Tonight was the first game they managed to break 60,000 fans this season.  They may not break 55k the rest of the season...

There's a lot to analyze with this game, especially as it relates to what we've seen the rest of the season, but, what's the point?