(Photo Credit: Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
RB Tyler Allgeier, RB Lopini Katoa, WR Neil Pau’u, WR Gunner Romney, TE Isaac Rex, OC James Empey, OG Clark Barrington, DE Tyler Batty, NT Caden Haws, LB Drew Jensen, LB Keenan Pili, LB Max Tooley, LB Payton Wilgar, CB Keenan Ellis, DB George Udo, KR Caleb Christensen, PR Hobbs Nyberg, and PK Jake Oldroyd, and PT Ryan Renkow.
Key Players Departing:
QB Zach Wilson, WR Dax Milne, OG Tristen Hoge, OT Brady Christensen, OT Chandon Herring, DT Zac Dawe, DT Bracken El-Bakri, DT Khyiris Tonga, LB Kavika Fonua, LB Isaiah Kaufusi, FS Zayne Anderson, and SS Troy Warner.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: WR Puka Macua (Washington transfer).
3 Star Recruits: DE Logan Fano (Provo, Utah), ATH Raider Ramuni (Provo, Utah), ATH John Henry Daley (American Fork, Utah), OG Elia Migao (Temecula, California), DE Mufi Hunt (Utah transfer), DE Enoka Migao (Temecula, California), WR Samson Nacua (Utah transfer), ATH Bentley Redden (San Clemente, California), and OT Dylan Rollins (Missoula, Montana).
2020 Results:
G01 at Navy W 55-3
G02 TROY W 48-7
G03 LOUISIANA TECH W 45-17
G04 UTSA W 27-20
G05 at Houston W 43-26
G06 TEXAS STATE W 52-14
G07 WESTERN KENTUCKY W 41-10
G08 at #21 Boise State W 51-17
G09 NORTH ALABAMA W 66-14
G10 at #18 Coastal Carolina L 17-22
G11 SAN DIEGO STATE W 28-14
BOWL vs. UCF W 49-23
Team Info:
2020 Overall: 11-1
Home: 7-0
Away: 3-1
Neutral: 1-0
Head Coach: Kalani Sitake
BYU: 38-26
Career: 38-26
Bowls: 3-1
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Baylor Romney (24-35, 261 yards, 68.6%, 7.5 avg., 1 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: Tyler Allgeier (150 car., 1130 yards, 7.5 avg., 6 TD)
Receiving: Neil Pau’u (45 rec., 603 yards, 13.4 avg., 4 TD)
TD’s Scored: Tyler Allgeier (13)
Sacks: Tyler Batty (4)
Tackles: Keenan Pili (72)
Interceptions: 4 Tied (1)
Pass Deflections: Payton Wilgar (4)
Tackles For Loss: George Udo (5.5)
Forced Fumbles: Drew Jensen/Uriah Leiataua/Payton Wilgar (1)
Kick Returns: Caleb Christensen (16 ret., 329 yards, 20.6 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Hobbs Nyberg (11 ret., 60 yards, 5.5 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Jake Oldroyd (13-13 fg/fga., 100%, 60-62 xp/xpa., 99 pts.)
Punting: Ryan Rehkow (28 punts, 1264 yards, 45.1 avg., 16 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 3 Jaren Hall (RS SO)
RB: 25 Tyler Allgeier (RS SO)
WR: 18 Gunner Romney (JR)
WR: 2 Neil Pau’u (RS JR)
WR: 12 Puka Nacua (GR/TR)
TE: 83 Isaac Rex (RS FR)
LT: 71 Blake Freeland (SO)
LG: 56 Clark Barrington (RS SO)
OC: 66 James Empey (RS JR)
RG: 70 Connor Pay (FR)
RT: 76 Harris LaChance (RS SO)
KR: 4 Caleb Christensen (FR)
PK: 39 Jake Oldroyd (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 92 Tyler Batty (FR)
DT: 91 Earl Tuioti-Mariner (RS JR)
NT: 62 Atunaisa Mahe (RS SO)
DE: 58 Uriah Leiataua (RS SR)
LB: 45 Pepe Tanuvasa (RS JR/TR)
LB: 49 Payton Wilgar (RS SO)
LB: 41 Keenan Pili (RS SO)
CB: 5 D’Angelo Mandell (RS JR)
CB: 2 Keenan Ellis (RS JR)
FS: 12 Malik Moore (JR)
SS: 3 Chaz Ah You (RS JR)
PR: 23 Hobbs Nyberg (FR)
PT: 24 Ryan Rehkow (FR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: A
Punters: A
Schedule:
09/04 vs. Arizona Wildcats | BYU trails the series 11-12-1. The Cougars won (28-23) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
09/11 UTAH UTES | BYU trails the series 31-59-4. The Cougars are 0-8 since 2011, and they lost (12-30) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
09/18 ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS | BYU trails the series 7-20. The Cougars won (26-6) the last meeting between schools in 1998.
09/25 USF BULLS | BYU lost (23-27) the only prior meeting between schools in 2019.
10/01 at Utah State Aggies | BYU leads the series 49-37-3. The Cougars are 6-3 since 2011, and they won (42-14) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/09 BOISE STATE BRONCOS | BYU trails the series 4-7. The Cougars are 4-5 since renewing the series in 2012, and their last series loss (16-21) was in 2018.
10/16 at Baylor Bears | The series is tied 1-1. The Cougars won (47-13) the last meeting between schools in 1984.
10/23 at Washington State Cougars | BYU leads the series 3-1. The Cougars won (30-6) the last meeting between schools in 2012.
10/30 VIRGINIA CAVALIERS | BYU trails the series 2-3. The Cougars won (41-33) the last meeting between schools in 2014.
11/06 IDAHO STATE BENGALS | BYU leads the series 3-0. The Cougars lost (10-42) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
11/20 at Georgia Southern Eagles | First meeting between schools.
11/27 at USC Trojans | BYU trails the series 1-2. The Cougars won (30-27 OT) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Away: 1-4
Neutral: 0-0
Overall: 6-6
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