Unsung holder Gavin Fowler another hero of BYU's historic upset at Wisconsin

PROVO — Gavin Fowler could’ve walked away, and few would’ve blamed him.

The sixth-year senior defensive back had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in both of his knees during a five-year BYU career, and he had been with the football team since 2011.

Even more so, he had already graduated from BYU and was finished with the first year of his master’s program.

So he stayed, even if it meant contributing in a different way as a Cougar.

His contribution wasn’t forgotten Saturday during the Cougars’ 24-21 upset of then-No. 6 Wisconsin. It was Fowler’s hold on Skyler Southam’s 46-yard field goal in the fourth quarter that led to the stunning win that shocked the college football world and propelled BYU to its first AP Top 25 berth in three years.

“The support I got from them, I felt like I owed it to my brothers on the team to come back and fight as best as I could,” said Fowler, who wants to be a football coach.

“I didn’t know if my role would be different. But coming back to try to get the culture of the program in the right place, I feel like I owed it to my teammates and my coaches.”

There were plenty of heroes in BYU’s win at Wisconsin: Sione Takitaki, stepping up for injured linebacker Butch Pau’u to notch a career-high 13 tackles; Southam, who shrugged off a 52-yard missed field goal to nail the one final clutch shot in the final period; BYU’s defense, for stuffing the Badgers’ ground-and-pound game and keeping Heisman candidate Johnathan Taylor out of the end zone.

Even the entire BYU offensive line, which handled Wisconsin enough to allow Squally Canada to run for 118 yards and two touchdowns.

But few people may have noticed Fowler’s contribution to the win.

Few, except for BYU coach Kalani Sitake.

“Everyone has to relish their role, even if they get beat out,” Sitake said Monday. “You want to talk about a winner, that’s Gavin Fowler. He won the game for us with his hold … Skyler had a lot of faith when he put it down because we practiced that plays so many time.”

The snap wasn’t perfect from long snapper Mitch Harris; both players admitted after the game, though Fowler called it something that “just happens” from a uniquely specialist position as the long snapper.

Instead, Fowler just adjusted his catch and laid down a laces-out football with the angle to provide Southam a path to football glory.

“Our coaches had a lot of trust in our field goal unit, but especially in Skyler and his leg strength,” Fowler said. “He’s worked really hard for moments like that. We went out and executed the way we had done in practice hundreds of times.

“It was high pressure during a big time. But for the whole field goal unit, it was just like any other day.”

Ranking for the fans

BYU slid into the AP Top 25, and while the milestone achievement may seem like a standard from the outside, inside the halls of the Cougars’ student-athlete building, it was just another Monday.

“It means a lot,” defensive end Corbin Kaufusi said. “But I think it means more to the people that doubted us, and that’s big for us. A lot of people doubted us, and we’re unsure of things. I think we put a lot of that (uncertainty) to rest.”

You’re only as good as your next game, Sitake repeated during his media briefing. And the players are taking that to heart as they prepare to host FCS foe McNeese State at 4 p.m. MDT Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium (BYUtv, KSL Newsradio).

“McNeese State is a good program,” Kaufusi said. “They have some big boys on the defensive line, and my mindset is preparing for it just like Wisconsin. We’re going on, making sure we have focused and physical practices, and getting ready for them as if they were a Top-10 opponent.”

If that seems cliche, keep in mind that McNeese State is a top-10 team.

The Cowboys (3-0) moved up five spots in last week’s AFCA FCS coaches’ poll after a 20-10 win over No. 12 Nicholls State.

A team that is used to winning, McNeese State will bring a challenge that local college football fans are used to seeing — Weber State is ranked No. 8 nationally in the same poll after the Wildcats’ 27-10 win over No. 24 South Dakota.

Hazy Provo

Evacuation plans and pre-notice for pre-evacuation plans remain in force for residents of Utah County, including the area around BYU, ahead of Saturday's game against McNeese State.

Air quality concerns in Provo almost forced the move for the BYU women's soccer team to Salt Lake City for Monday's match against Long Beach State. But after it was assessed, re-examined and found worthy to uphold the BYU women’s soccer team’s home match against Long Beach State. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. MDT at South Field in Provo.

Also locally, the high school football game between Salem Hills and Corner Canyon was canceled last Friday night. Of course, Salem and the surrounding areas have been affected more by the Pole Creek fire than Provo — though air quality remains a high concern for all of Utah County, and residents of Provo have been urged to remain cognizant of the 70,000-acre fire that has already evacuated part of nearby Hobble Creek Canyon.

As of Monday, Sitake doesn’t expect any changes prior to Saturday’s kickoff.

“There’s a (device) that detects whether or not it’s healthy,” Sitake said. “If it smells like a campfire, I think you are OK … as long as you can see Mount Timpanogos.”

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