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| Source: Ted Warren, AP. |
There are some cities where the BYU Cougars always seem to play well. San Diego and Las Vegas come to mind. Seattle, however, is the exact opposite.
After beating Wisconsin on the road, it seemed logical that BYU could hold its own against the rest of the teams on its schedule. That wasn't the case Saturday night in Seattle. The Cougars were thoroughly dominated by the Washington Huskies.
BYU had no answer for quarterback Jake Browning or the Husky ground game. Browning completed 23 of 25 passes for 277 yards and one touchdown.
The Cougar offense went well over two quarters without one snap on Washington's side of the field. After missing a field goal with 13:42 to play in the second quarter, it wasn't until Washington muffed a punt with less than five minutes to play that BYU was in Husky territory again.
If not for that late Washington miscue, then this is probably the third time in four years that BYU was shutout. However, on 4th and Goal from the one-yard line with 41 seconds to play, Lopini Katoa scored to avoid the shutout.
There seemed to be no eagerness, no sense of urgency, and no desire to score from the BYU players or coaches. That might be the most discouraging takeaway from this loss. It is one thing to lack the players to compete consistently with top teams. It is another to have no pride.
Tanner Mangum and other current players were part of the Michigan shutout in 2015. Most of this roster and half of the coaching staff was around a year ago when LSU shutout the Cougars. Yet, no one seemed concerned that late in the game the scoreboard had a 0 next to BYU.
BYU set a new standard for scoring and held the NCAA record for most consecutive games without being shutout for decades. However, there was little hesitation to punt on 4th and 1 from the BYU 41-yard line. Even after the Cougars recovered the fumbled punt, the play calling and body language of the BYU players didn't demonstrate that it was important to score.
Sure, a late touchdown wasn't going to win this game, but scoring points is how games are won. The better BYU can be at scoring points, the better chance the Cougars will have to win other games.
It was one of those nights for BYU. Very little went in favor of BYU, and when one thing did there was three or four other things that didn't.
Already shorthanded on defense, BYU lost two of its biggest weapons on offense, Moroni Laulu-Pututau and Squally Canada, to injury.
When replay officials overturned a ruling on the field of a BYU fumble, without there seeming to be indisputable video evidence, the Cougars couldn't capitalize because of several penalties.
Trailing 14-0 with under a minute to play in the first half, BYU made a conservative play call on 3rd and long deep in its own territory to run out the clock. The Cougar ball carrier fumbled, and Washington turned it into seven points.
With over five minutes to play in the third quarter, Austin Lee forced a Washington fumble. Three or four Cougar defenders had a chance to recover the ball near midfield. They all missed it, and Washington not only recovered the ball, but gained an extra 10 yards as a result of the fumble. The Huskies went on to score their final touchdown of the game on that drive.
Ending September 3-2, BYU is better off than most expected coming into this season, but that doesn't take away the sting of this 35-7 loss to Washington.
PLAY OF THE GAME: Mitch Harris recovering Washington's fumbled punt.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Tanner Mangum--18 of 21, 160 yards.
NEXT: Utah State, October 5.
The Editor appreciates all feedback. He can be reached via email at bluecougarfootball@gmail.com
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