BSU Football: 5 Keys to the Game vs. Brigham Young

With its loss to Utah on Sept. 8, Brigham Young fell out of the Top 25 rankings. That takes a bit of the luster off Thursday night’s game on the blue turf at Bronco Stadium. Still, this is a game that Boise State needs to win—not only on the scoreboard but statistically as well.

The Broncos, currently ranked at No. 24 in the AP Top 25 and in the ESPN Power Rankings, didn’t get help from Michigan State, which got dominated by Notre Dame. The Spartans, which had been ranked at No. 10 in the AP poll, fell to No. 21. So much for getting help from MSU.

The Broncos’ poll fate, which goes a way towards possible bowl considerations, rests solely in the hands of the blue-and-orange; it’s a simple equation—win in a manner that speaks to the voters.

Here are some of the keys for Boise State when it takes on BYU…

Stay Tough Defensively

Until the Utah game, BYU had been averaging 479 yards of total offense with a pass-heavy attack. The Utes held the Cougars to just 312 yards of total offense—206 yards passing and 106 yards rushing. The Broncos’ defense, by contrast, has allowed 703 yards of total offense over two games—277 on the ground and 426 through the air.

That is a bit deceptive because Michigan State accounted for 461 yards of that total in Week 1. In addition, the Spartans (courtesy of Le’Veon Bell) had 213 yards on the ground.

The main thrust of the Cougars attack comes in the passing game. BYU quarterback Riley Nelson is 60-for-100 with five touchdowns and two interceptions. Continuing to get pressure on the quarterback will be key. Don’t let Nelson get comfortable throwing the ball.

Much like Miami RedHawks’ Zac Dysert, Nelson can be mobile. He has 29 carries on the season for 71 yards (108 total yards but -37 in tackles for losses). Nelson was sacked four times by Utah, and has been sacked six times total so far. Boise State will need to bring the heat.

The BYU running game had a field day against Weber State in Week 2, but against Pac-12 foes Washington State and Utah, the Cougars only managed an average of 114.5 yards per game.

Run the Ball Well

Boise State didn’t have a running game against Michigan State. The Broncos found their running game in Week 2 against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks. Boise State had only 39 total yards rushing against a stout MSU defense, but pounded Miami’s defense for 295 yards of rushing offense.

If the running game is working, the passing game will excel. Boise State needs to keep D.J. Harper and company running the football well to help the passing attack. If the Broncos can establish a ground game against BYU, it will go a long ways toward winning Thursday night’s game.

Torch the Secondary

This goes hand-in-hand with the notion of the ground attack. Against Miami, quarterback Joe Southwick hooked up with Aaron Burks for a 53-yard reception. Southwick’s average per completion was a shade over 12 yards per catch, but the long ball really helps soften the cushion for the shorter routes.

There is little doubt, watching the Burks’ completion, that Southwick has a strong arm. Completing longer passes creates opportunities for success on the shorter routes and keeps the defensive secondary on its toes.

Southwick also had success in finding sophomore standout receiver Matt Miller. Miller hauled in seven catches for 71 yards. Overall, Southwick completed passes to nine different receivers, and five of those completions went for 17 yards or more. That only helps the aerial bombardment.

Manufacture Takeaways

Boise State should have had a pair of interceptions against Miami in Week 2, but the ball slipped through the hands of the defense. Against Michigan State, Boise State picked off three passes and recovered a fumble.

Pressure on the quarterback can yield bad or hurried decisions throwing the ball. BSU needs to get a couple of takeaways against the Cougars and then get points off the turnovers. Manufacturing turnovers makes an offense nervous and it can respond by either forcing the passes or playing a bit tentatively. Either of those works to BSU’s advantage.

Brigham Young has fumbled the ball six times but only turned it over twice. BYU QB Riley Nelson has also tossed two interceptions. BSU needs to add to those totals.

Control the Field Position and Clock

Against Miami, BSU did not have a single punt attempt. Boise State ran 76 offensive plays to Miami’s 51 and held the edge in possession by a 34:09-to-25:51 margin. Boise State also had an average gain per play of 7.9 yards. That’s controlling the ball and the tempo of the game.

Keeping the offense on the field means times for the defense to rest. And if the defense has time to recover and hits the field rested, it could mean a very long night for the Cougar offense.