Six Takeaways From BYU's Domination of No. 23 Colorado

Joe Wheat | Dec 29, 2024

BYU linebacker Isaiah Glasker in Alamo Bowl win over Colorado / BYU Photo

If you are from the state of Utah and were wondering what it looked like to cap off an 11-win season with an Alamo Bowl win, you just saw it. BYU shoved no. 23 Colorado into a proverbial locker from the first snap to the final whistle in a 36-14 drubbing that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. Most of all, the win validated what we all wanted to believe about BYU but wouldn’t allow ourselves: 2024 BYU was an absolute wagon. Here are a few other things I learned from the “People’s BIG12 Championship." Heaven knows you didn't hear any of this on the broadcast.

1. “THEY WANNA SEE THE DEFENSE BABY”

They wanna see the Defense 🔒 pic.twitter.com/Ah07FAqw5n

— Hype Train Podcast (@thehypetrainpod) August 26, 2024

However dominant you think this BYU defensive performance was, you are probably underselling it. On the surface, BYU held Colorado to season lows in yards (210) and first downs (9) while a garbage time touchdown kept it from being Colorado’s lowest point total as well. As you look deeper, it only gets better. 87% of Colorado’s total yards came on 5 plays. On the remaining 37 snaps, Colorado gained 27 yards for a whopping 0.7 yards per play.

For my money, this was the best defensive outing of the season. Holding SMU and Kansas State out of the endzone was incredible, but hear me out. Colorado has two top 5 NFL draft picks and BYU recorded a season high in sacks (4), a season low in available yards allowed against a P4 opponent (28.9 %), and nearly a season low in points allowed (14). BYU’s secondary held Shedeur Sanders to a season low passing yards (210), a season high in interceptions (2) and a season low in QBR (18.8). Colorado’s success rate was 27%, their lowest of the season by 11%. This means that 3 out of every 4 plays they ran constituted failure. LJ Martin averaged nearly 3 times in terms of yards per carry as Colorado rushed for the entire game (2).

BYU linebacker Isaiah Glasker in Alamo Bowl win over Colorado / BYU Photo

Every single player on that defense came ready to play. Credit to every single player and staff member. They deserve all the praise for turning the 109th ranked defense to the 13th ranked defense in one offseason. Whatever you have to pay to bring Jay Hill and company back will have been worth it.

2. I hope you enjoyed it, because we may never see a BYU secondary like this again

BYU cornerback Evan Johnson in Alamo Bowl win over Colorado / BYU Photo

In my preview of the game, I wrote that BYU’s ability to tackle in space would be vital as Colorado would try to get the ball to their playmakers in the screen game. BYU’s corners answered the bell better than I could have ever imagined. BYU’s secondary missed 3 tackles all game, two of which came on an electric 43-yard touchdown catch-and-run by Travis Hunter. You just have to tip your hat on that one. Otherwise, BYU’s corners essentially played a perfect game. Marque Collins, Jacob Robinson, Evan Johnson, and Mory Bamba all had PFF coverage grades above 68 against arguably the best WR room in the conference, if not the country. Robinson capped off his legendary BYU career with one of the best games of his career highlighted by 3 open-field tackles for little to no gain. BYU legend Omar Morgan called Robinson the best corner in BYU history after the game and it’s hard to argue on that.

BYU’s secondary finished the year 4th nationally in pass efficiency defense, 9th in completion percentage allowed, 15th in yards per attempt allowed, and 1st in interceptions. We may never see a season that dominant ever again.

3. Kelly Poppinga, take a bow

BYU punt returner Parker Kingston returns a punt for a touchdown against Kansas State / BYU Photo

I know I’m not one to refrain from hyperbole, but this has to be the best special teams season in program history, right? This season BYU returned 3 kickoff returns for touchdowns, 2 punt returns for touchdowns, ran a successful fake punt and fake field goal, recovered an onside kick, allowed zero return touchdowns of any kind, *deep breath* and Will Ferrin finished 22/25 on field goals, finishing the year making 15 straight, making 2 field goals over 55 yards and drilled 2 game-winning field goals, including one to beat Utah.

Is that good?

There is a real argument that BYU loses at least two additional games without special teams heroics. For as long as I can remember, BYU special teams were about not losing games. Under Kelly Poppinga, they have become a legitimate weapon that won games for the Cougs. Take a bow Kelly. Glad you came home.

4. Colorado was a microcosm of the offense’s season

BYU Offensive Coordinator Aaron Roderick / BYU Photo

Saturday night was an Aaron Roderick masterclass. It still blows my mind that a large chunk of the fan base wants him gone. And yet BYU only scored 29 offensive points because Saturday was a microcosm of the season. BYU moved the ball at will throughout and situational execution cost BYU at least 18 points and over 130 yards of offense. BYU had guys open all night long despite missing their top 2 receivers most of the game. If you are going to criticize Roderick for BYU’s abysmal 3rd down offense the first half of the season, then he should get credit for BYU going 19/34 on third down over the final 3 weeks. BYU converted multiple third and longs including a brilliant screen to Parker Kingston who made Travis Hunter look silly en route to a first down.

This is pretty clever from BYU

It looks like it's going to be Mesh Rail, but it ends up being a WR Middle Screen 👌 pic.twitter.com/hUB2kg1Xs5

— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) December 29, 2024

Of the three phases, the offense was certainly the week link this season, but that isn’t saying a lot. BYU’s offense still finished 30th in offensive efficiency according to FPI despite its November struggles. BYU’s offensive execution and decision making has to get better if they want to get to and advance in the playoff, but it was so much better than the average fan thought. With another offseason of Retzlaff development, the entire skill position groups returning, and a bolstered offensive line (please come back Etienne), this offense is poised for a massive step forward.

5. The Alamo Bowl got the MVP’s right

BYU running back LJ Martin against Colorado in the Alamo Bowl / BYU Photo

Isaiah Glasker and LJ Martin are absolute menaces. A lot of other programs want these dudes, and all indications are they want BYU more. LJ Martin routinely turned 3 yard losses into 10 yard gains all season, but especially against Colorado. Watching him drag the Heisman winner 5 yards into the endzone was a thing of beauty. Had he stayed healthy for all 13 games, he would have been on pace for a 1,000 yard season. On the flip side, Glasker is a freak of nature as a pass rusher and in coverage. Glasker pulled off one of the most athletic interceptions I have ever seen from a linebacker and has all the upside of BYU’s next great NFL player. These two should be considered the face of BYU football going into 2025.

6. Saturday capped off a top 5 season in BYU history… so far

BYU warms up for the Alamo Bowl against Colorado / BYU Photo

Winning 10 games is awesome. Winning 11 is special. Only 8 programs have more 11-win seasons than BYU (13). 2024 BYU has the unique distinction as the only one that came with 9 wins against P4 teams. 1984, 1996, and 1990 are on their own tier (Natty, 14 wins, Heisman). 2024 might have to lead out the second tier with 1980, 1983, 2006, 2009 and 2020 given the gauntlet BYU went through. BYU went 4-1 against teams with 8 wins or more and 2 wins over teams ranked in the final CFP rankings. They finished with the no. 7 strength of record, the highest finish of the last 20 years by 7 spots and higher than 6 teams that made the playoff. Missing out on the conference championship game is a major bummer, but 7-2 was enough for the other two teams that made it. None of that takes away from what was a remarkable run. BYU was a playoff-worthy team robbed by bias. Did I mention that this was only year two in a Power Four league?

This is the least amount of resources, least amount of talent, and least amount of money that BYU will ever have again and they won 10 games for the third time in the last five seasons. Oh, and they could reasonably bring back 13 of their top 19 offensive players in terms of snaps and 12 of the top 20 on defense. That should terrify everyone. BYU should be on the short list for Big 12 title contenders going into next season. Hard stop. There is no question that is is one of the greatest seasons in the history of the program, and it might only be just the beginning.