BYU Football: Did you know? (No touchdowns scored)

Zach Wilson's athleticism may be underrated.

The BYU Cougars failed to score a touchdown against the Northern Illinois Huskies. It was the third game in the last two seasons this has happened.

Did you know that BYU failed to score a touchdown in just three games from 2005 to 2016? 

Those three games were: Boston College, 20-3 (2005); TCU, 31-3 (2010); and Michigan, 31-0 (2015).

Naturally, the last time BYU had three touchdown-less games in just a two season span was during the Gary Crowton era. In 2002, BYU did not score a TD against UNLV (24-3) and Utah (13-6). Then the Utes shutout the Cougars, 3-0, the following year.

Editor's Note: Because this site has not done a full game recap for the NIU game, it will follow below. If you don't feel like reliving the horror, you may stop reading now.

Failure to find the end zone undid the BYU Cougars against Northern Illinois (NIU) Saturday. Two field goals were not enough to win since the Huskies did score one touchdown.

The 7-6 loss overshadowed a strong defensive effort by the Cougars. NIU had just 204 yards of total offense. The Huskies averaged just 3.58 yards per play. They converted just 21 percent of their third downs (3 of 14), and possessed the ball a little over 25 minutes.

That is not a formula for success, but neither was what BYU did on offense.

BYU was even worse than NIU on third down (20%, 3 of 15). The Cougar offensive line allowed five sacks. The NIU defense came into the game as one of the nation's best in yards per play allowing less than five. BYU finished the game with an average of 4.49 yards per play. However, BYU had over 100 yards more total offense than NIU.

Ultimately, what kept BYU out of the end zone, or from kicking one more field goal, and lost the game, was critical mistakes at the worst possible moments.

BYU showed promise in the first quarter. On their second possession, the Cougars drove 72 yards on 13 plays and took a 3-0 lead on a Skyler Southam 35-yard field goal.

It was promising to see the young Cougar offense move the ball against one of the better defenses in the country. At the same time, the Cougar D was holding up its end of the deal.

NIU could not pick up a first down its next two drives following the field goal, and punted after four plays on its third drive. The Huskies were scoreless at the half. Their only productive drive in the first half ended in a missed field goal.

NIU started the second half, however, by driving 65 yards for a touchdown to go up 7-3.

That was the only let down by the Cougar defense. They regrouped and maintained composure the rest of the game. Three of the Huskies' next four possessions were three and outs.

The BYU offense wasn't without opportunities to retake the lead. Midway through the fourth quarter, Zach Wilson completed back-to-back passes to Talon Shumway (42 and seven yards) to get into scoring territory. An exciting five-yard run by Wilson that included hurdling a defender and delivering a blow to another defender when he returned to earth gave BYU 1st and Goal at the five-yard line.

Momentum was clearly on BYU's side. It was quickly lost with back-to-back false start penalties that moved the ball back to the 15. The Cougars had to settle for a field goal.

With about 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, BYU found itself at the NIU 30-yard line. That's within Southam's range. His game winning kick at Wisconsin was 45 yards, and he hit a 47-yard field goal the following week against McNeese State.

Wilson was sacked for a loss of four yards on third down forcing a long field goal attempt that was no good.

BYU got the ball back three minutes later, but the Cougars were 99 yards away from the end zone. However, BYU moved the ball out to the 40-yard line with ease. That's when another false start penalty crippled the Cougars. That penalty left BYU four yards short of a first down after Wilson scrambled for 11 yards on third down.

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake elected to punt, rather than go for it on fourth down near midfield. Although BYU forced a quick punt to get the ball back with just under two minutes to play, punting on the previous drive was still the wrong decision.

With less time, and now 13 more yards to drive (BYU was at the 33 following the punt as opposed to the 46), the stakes were higher. As poised as Wilson has been in his two starts, he is still a freshman. That inexperience came out as he rushed a pass on first down and threw an interception.

For those counting at home, BYU had four chances to take the lead in the second half. Penalties killed two of those, a sack and turnover foiled the others.

PLAY OF THE GAME: Zach Wilson's flying five-yard run that gave BYU 1st and Goal at the five-yard line.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Sione Takitaki - 11 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL.

Next: at Boise State, November 3

The Editor appreciates all feedback. He can be reached via email at bluecougarfootball@gmail.com