The Good & The Bad from BYU's Victory Over SDSU

BYU improved to 10-1 on Saturday night with a win over San Diego State.

After a devastating loss to Coastal Carolina last weekend, BYU bounced back with a victory over San Diego State to improve to 10-1 on the season. Here is the good and the bad from BYU's victory on Saturday night:

The good

• BYU played their 11th game of the season on Saturday night during a global pandemic. That's worth celebrating!
• BYU received the opening kickoff. The Cougars put together a nearly perfect drive to go up 7-0. Zach Wilson was 5/7 on the first drive for 58 yards including a touchdown pass to Dax Milne.
• Lopini Katoa filled in very nicely for Tyler Allgeier throughout the night.
• Drew Jensen made a huge interception in the first half. BYU really needed a stop - SDSU was about to go up two scores before the Jensen interception.
• On 4th & 1 Katoa goes for over 43 yards to put BYU inside the five. Zach Wilson found Isaac Rex on the next play for a touchdown to tie the game at 14.
• BYU's defense struggled to get stops early, but they finally forced the first punt of the game with just under five minutes to play in the first half.
• Sitake aggresively used all three timeouts to get the ball back before the end of the half. Love the aggressive mindset from Kalani Sitake. It paid off - BYU's defense forced the three-and-out and BYU was able to get a field goal on the ensuing possession to take a 17-14 lead into halftime. Jake Oldroyd capped hit the 50-yard field goal.
• San Diego State was driving inside BYU's own 10 yard line when Max Tooley punched the ball out and forced a fumble. Seleti Fevaleaki recovered the fumble.
• On third & long, BYU was deep in their own territory when Zach Wilson did a little shovel pass to Katoa for a huge gain. BYU would eventually kick a field goal on that drive to go up 20-14.
• Great TFL by Khyiris Tonga who got their first, Keenan Pili and Zac Dawe assisted.
• Neil Pau'u had a career night against San Diego State. Pau'u had 103 yards on 7 receptions.
• BYU was up 20-14 when the BYU defense stopped SDSU on a massively important 4th & 2 in their own territory. Gabe Summers made the stop.
• On 3rd & 9, Zach Wilson found Dax Milne for a long gain and a first down. The throw was perfectly placed on the back shoulder and Dax Milne made a great adjustment to make the catch.
• Fantastic pitch and catch from Zach Wilson to Isaac Rex for  a touchdown. Zach Wilson placed the throw perfectly and Isaac Rex extended to make a fantastic grab.

• BYU's defense allowed a long drive (that bled a lot of clock) late in the fourth quarter, but they held SDSU inside their own five yard line to give the ball back to the offense. Cade Haws made a great play on third & goal to keep SDSU out of the endzone and force a fourth down.
• After allowing 14 points in the first quarter, BYU's defense held shut out SDSU for three quarters.
• George Udo had a sack coming off the edge on San Diego State's final drive of the game.
• This is BYU's first 10-win season since 2011.

The bad

• On the first drive of the game, San Diego State ran the ball at-will against BYU's defense. The Aztecs capped off the drive with a 25-yard touchdown run on third down.
• On the first play of BYU's second drive, Isaac Rex fumbled deep in BYU territory and San Diego state recovered.
• After BYU turned the ball over deep in their own territory, BYU's defense forced a San Diego State field goal. San Diego State faked the field goal and got a first down. The Aztecs would go on to score a touchdown and take a 14-7 lead.
• For a second-straight week, BYU's defense struggled to get off the field on third down. San Diego State possessed the football for 10 minutes in the first quarter.
• BYU was driving when a trick play put the Cougars behind the sticks. BYU would have to settle for a field goal
• BYU's defense struggled to get off the field on third & long. Jarom Jordan put out this stat that illustrated the issue:

SDSU is 6/9 on 3rd down. Average distance is 6.9 yards.

— Jarom Jordan (@jaromjordan) December 13, 2020