Week 1 - BYU (0-0) @ Neb (0-0) - Sat Sept 5, 2015 – 3:30 p.m EST – ABC

Opening the year on an ABC at mid-day, in Lincoln is exactly what independence is all about…doesn’t get much better than this! The nation will be watching this game and especially the end as it is the game right before the Bama/Wisc prime time game.

The biggest story was supposed to be Mike Reily’s debut vs Taysom Hill’s recovery. But now it’s turned into who is not playing, or who is playing injured. Nebraska has several players sitting out, as does BYU. Taysom was lights out in spring and fall ball, and national media is starting to buy into Taysom Heisman hype…however, that was with zero contact though. This is live and many question how Taysom’s leg will respond. He claims it won’t change how he plays, but if the first quarter is any indication, it sure does. In addition, the “big 3” has been whittled down to “big 1.5” with Jamaal’s suspension and Mitch’s continued hernia struggles. Mitch plays but is limited. In the first quarter Taysom throws 13 passes and only rushes 3 times. His favorite target early is Devon Blackmon who already has 4 catches, but the two biggest plays were catches by Juergens (23 yards) to set up a 19 yard corner pattern TD strike to Nick Kurtz that was right on the money. Mathews’ post pattern drew the double team and Kurtz was left wide open for the first TD of the season.

BYU goes for it on 4th down three times in the second and Cougar Nation collectively gasps when Taysom is hit late out of bounds down low. Thankfully he jumps right up, the refs tag on the penalty and Taysom sneaks it in 2 plays later from 2 yards out for the score. The Nebraska faithful grow restless and really lead the Cornhuskers to clamp down on D. BYU doesn’t get close to the end zone again in the first half and Nebraska tacks on a FG right before half, down 14-3.

With so much focus on Reily and Taysom, people are forgetting that Bronco has taken over the D again, and they look sharp, despite the personnel losses. BYU is pressuring their new QB with a deadly combo of Bronson Kaufusi and Warner on the same edge and he never looks comfortable all game. Algie Brown makes a beautiful one-handed snag from Taysom out of the backfield for 34 yards to set up the “UConn play” (aka BYU triple option) for Blackmon who goes 12 yards for the TD. However, the BYU DB’s get beat twice deep late in the third to make things interesting…21-17 to start quarter #4.

Hill adds one more rushing TD from 38 yards out in the 4th to seal the deal. BYU shocks the Cornhuskers and gives them their first home-opening loss in 30 years. Nebraska had shots…they got into the redzone 5 times but had 2 turnovers (Kaufusi forced fumble, Preator INT) and a TD got called back due to holding which led to their made FG, then there was a blocked FG by BYU. BYU 28 – Nebraska 17.

Player of the Game – Taysom Hill – 32/49, 345 yards, 3 TD’s, 1 INT, 10 rushes, 101 yards, 1 TD. (FYI – Brown – 12 rushes, Carter – 8 rushes, Hill 12 rushes, Hine 5 rushes, Juergens 1 rush)