alt=Jay DrewPROVO — It is starting to look like 2016 all over again for the BYU football team.
Remember that year?
Coach Kalani Sitake’s first team defeated Arizona 18-16 in its opener, then lost to Utah, UCLA and West Virginia by a combined seven points. Its only other loss was at Boise State, 28-27.
Almost every game was a close thriller; BYU finished with an 8-4 record, with four of those wins by a touchdown or less, highlighted by a 28-21 overtime win over Mississippi State at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
“I could do this (all day),” Sitake said Saturday after the Cougars upset No. 24 USC 30-27 in overtime, its second straight extra-session game. “If we win the game, I am good. It was a lot of fun. Obviously, you don’t want this to be a habit, but I will take it.”
“It was a lot of fun. Obviously, you don’t want this to be a habit, but I will take it.” — BYU coach Kalani Sitake
Amazing what a pair of come-from-behind OT wins will do for a program. The Cougars (2-1) could easily be 0-3 and looking at a possible 0-8 start with No. 22 Washington at home on Saturday, followed by difficult road games at Toledo and South Florida and then No. 20 Boise State at LES to close out October before the trip to Utah State on Nov. 2.
Sitake said they began preparing last spring for close games, knowing that a play here or there against the caliber of opponents they are facing could make the difference.
“We worked on these situations a lot in (training) camp and spring ball, and red zone defense, red zone offense,” he said. “So we feel really comfortable with what we are doing as a group and we have a bunch of leaders on this team that really believe in each other, and they demand a lot from each other.”
Linebacker Kavika Fonua said practices always include special situations, such as goal-line stands and red zone work, and those are paying off in tight games.
“Man, we live for this,” he said. “It is an amazing feeling to be with your brothers out there, going into the final minute.”
The stakes continue to get higher.
Don’t look now, but a win over nationally ranked Washington, which improved to 2-1 with a 52-20 pounding of Hawaii on Saturday in Seattle, would surely vault the Cougars into the Associated Press Top 25. They received a few votes in Sunday’s poll.
“I thought (the offense) did well, but there are always so many things you can get better on,” said sophomore quarterback Zach Wilson, who was off-target early but heated up and finished 20 of 33 for 280 yards and a touchdown. He also gained 37 rushing yards (sacks took it back to 10 net yards) and ran 16 yards for a score. “I am glad we came out with the W, but it was a great learning experience, too.”
“I am glad we have the opportunity to learn for the next one, too, because we have another big-time opponent coming to town and I am really looking forward to that one.” — BYU coach Kalani Sitake on Washington
The Cougars’ confidence is soaring.
“Just knowing that we can make plays against these guys, against a super talented team, is big,” Wilson said. “We know that no matter what happens, if we give up a touchdown or whatever, what we are capable of as an offense and we know we can make plays rushing, passing, whatever. We know what we have to do.”
Then-No. 11 Washington pummeled BYU 35-7 last year in Seattle and has already been installed as nearly a touchdown favorite in Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. rematch. It will be UW’s first road game of the season, but the Huskies have a more experienced quarterback than USC’s true freshman, Kedon Slovis, who made several critical mistakes against the Cougars.
Georgia transfer Jacob Eason completed 18 of 25 passes for 262 yards and three TDs against Hawaii for the Huskies.
“I am glad we have the opportunity to learn for the next one, too, because we have another big-time opponent coming to town and I am really looking forward to that one,” Sitake said.
BYU announced Sunday that the game will be shown on ABC or ESPN2 in a split national telecast. A coverage map showing areas of the country that will receive the game on which network will be released midweek.
It will be interesting to see if the Cougars can sell out their 63,725-seat stadium, after drawing 62,546 for the Trojans.
Fans stepped up “big time” against USC, said cornerback Dayan Ghanwoloku, whose interception sealed BYU’s first-ever win over the Trojans and touched off a wild celebration.
“You could feel LaVell’s house rocking,” he said. “That was fun.”
Saturday’s game
At LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo
No. 22 Washington (2-1) vs. BYU (2-1), 1:30 p.m.
TV: ABC or ESPN2