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| BYU WR Aleva Hifo (Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo) |
It goes without saying the BYU Cougars' loss to the East Carolina Pirates was bad. In fact, this season has been full of bad losses for BYU. How bad was the ECU loss? It's likely to be the worst loss of this season. It's also in the running to be this generation's 1985 UTEP game.
In 1985, BYU went to El Paso with a 6-1 record and ranked seventh in the nation. The Miners were 0-6. UTEP pulled off the stunning upset, 23-16. It was the only game UTEP won all season.
It is still widely considered the worst loss in BYU history. However, many, if not most, BYU fans today either weren't alive, or weren't old enough to remember that UTEP game. For those Cougar fans, this ECU loss may end up being the loss that has them shaking their heads decades later.
ECU is now 2-6 on the season, but winning another game might not happen. The Pirates' remaining four games are Houston (4-3), Tulane (3-4), Cincinnati (2-6), and Memphis (6-1). With ECU's defensive deficiencies losing all four of these games is a distinct possibility.
That would leave ECU with a 2-10 record for the season. Since 1985, BYU has not lost to another one-win team, but there have been two, two-loss teams: UNLV in 2004 and Virginia in 2013. There are reasons that neither of these two losses were as bad as losing to ECU on Saturday.
UNLV had a 48-13 win over Nevada. BYU held a 449 to 259 advantage in total offense. Five turnovers were the reason the Cougars lost 24-20.
Virginia is from a Power 5 conference. It was the first game of the season, so nobody knew going into the game the Cavaliers were that bad. Also, BYU was, literally, one play away from winning the game.
BYU had one turnover on Saturday, and that came with the score already 26-10. It was well known the Pirate defense was the worst in the nation. Yet, the game wasn't even close.
Any debate about the BYU offense is over. It is as bad as the numbers say. Mangum has been back three games now, but BYU had just 61 yards passing in the first half. Going into the fourth quarter, BYU had just 218 yards total offense and 10 points against a defense giving up 600 yards and 50 points per game.
Unless ECU can pull off another win in the final four games, this loss is going to become the worst loss ever witnessed by the new generation of BYU fans.
The Editor appreciates all feedback. He can be reached via email at bluecougarfootball@gmail.com
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