Las Vegas Bowl 2015: Game Grades, Analysis for BYU vs. Utah
It's rare for rivals to meet in the postseason, but it's usually special when they do. On Saturday, Utah and BYU didn't disappoint in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Utes raced out to a 35-0 lead, and then the Cougars rallied before falling 35-28.
Bronco Mendenhall's team battled valiantly after falling behind, but BYU came up short as time just ran out. The Cougars defense completely shut out the Utes in the final three quarters, but the offense couldn't muster enough to complete the comeback.
Game grades from the thrilling seven-point matchup are below.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
| Pass Offense | F | C |
| Run Offense | D | F |
| Pass Defense | A | A+ |
| Run Defense | A | A |
| Special Teams | D | C |
| Coaching | C- | B |
Pass Offense
Tanner Mangum's day couldn't have started worse when he threw three first-quarter interceptions (two of which were returned for touchdowns) and lost a fumble on a sack. That helped Utah gain the big first-quarter edge that BYU couldn't fight back from.
Mangum caught fire in the second half, though, and finished with 315 passing yards, completing 25 of 56 passes for two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Run Offense
The consistent running game took a back seat when BYU fell in the big hole early, but even when the Cougars stuck to the ground, they didn't gain much traction. They ran for 47 yards on 16 carries in the first half, 45 of which came from freshman running Francis Bernard on four carries.
The Cougars finished with 66 yards on 26 carries. Bernard led the way with 58.
Pass Defense
Utah quarterback Travis Wilson has been erratic throwing the ball this year, so BYU wanted to gain a lead and force the ball in his hands as much as possible. The game didn't unfold that way, so the Utes didn't have to throw the ball that much. Wilson threw just six passes in the first half and 16 total for 71 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
Run Defense
BYU's best work of the day came against Utah's steady rushing attack that averaged 187.8 yards per game during the regular season. After surrendering 59 rushing yards in the first quarter, the front seven stiffened and pushed the Utes back seven yards in the second quarter.
The Utes finished with 126 yards on 47 carries, averaging 2.7 yards per carry.
Special Teams
The Cougars were down 35-0 when Trevor Samson got his first attempt of the game, but he missed badly from 44 yards out. That set the tone for an ordinary day from the BYU special teams units. Jonny Linehan averaged 39 yards on four punts, and Riley Burt and Michael Shelton failed to generate anything of substance in the return game.
Coaching
BYU fell flat early in Mendenhall's last game at the helm, but it's hard to put the loss solely in the lap of the coaching staff. A combination of bad breaks, bounces and decisions put the Cougars in the enormous first-half hole, and they just didn't enough left in the tank to come back from that. Mendenhall put his team in position to rally, though, and that alone was an outstanding piece of coaching.
| Pass Offense | C- | D |
| Run Offense | C | D |
| Pass Defense | A+ | B+ |
| Run Defense | A+ | A+ |
| Special Teams | A | A |
| Coaching | B | C- |
Pass Offense
It's a good thing the defense was able to help build a big lead, because Wilson struggled when he was asked to drop back and pass.
The Utes only attempted 16 pass attempts against the Cougars, but Wilson completed just nine of them for 71 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. With the injuries on the perimeter, Utah didn't have anyone to consistently challenge the BYU secondary down the field.
Run Offense
With Wilson's struggles in the passing game and the big first-quarter lead, Kyle Wittingham turned to his usually steady running game to grind out the victory. BYU's defense stood tall, though, as the Utes managed just 126 yards on 46 carries, averaging 2.8 yards per attempt. Wilson was bottled up, running for just 23 yards on 15 carries, 20 of which came on a touchdown run in the first quarter.
Joe Williams was the workhorse, running the ball 25 times for 91 yards and two touchdowns.
Pass Defense
Utah's pass defense was flawless in the first quarter as it forced three interceptions (with two returned for touchdowns) and a sack and fumble that helped the Utes build a 35-0 lead. But during the last drive of the second half, BYU found a rhythm in the passing game as Mangum heated up. The Cougars sliced up the Utah secondary for 315 yards, which triggered their rally attempt.
Run Defense
Utah's front seven didn't have to work that hard to defend the run game because BYU spent a majority of the game trying to throw its way back into contention. The Cougars ran the ball 25 times for 66 yards, and outside of Bernard, the Utes shut down BYU's rushing attack.
Special Teams
Tom Hackett won the Ray Guy Award for the second year in a row, and he put on an absolute show against BYU. The senior was sensational, averaging 49.5 yards on six punts while routinely pinning the Cougars at the goal line consistently in the first half to prevent a bigger rally.
The coaching staff also dialed up a fake on a Hackett punt attempt, and he came through with a huge 21-yard run.
Coaching
Wittingham established his aggressiveness early by bringing the house on BYU's first possession to force an early fumble, and then on the ensuing red-zone possession, he went for it on fourth down inside the Cougars 5-yard line. He kept the foot on the pedal in first quarter, leading to the five turnovers and a 35-0 lead.
But the Utes were outcoached for long stretches of the rest of the game as the offense failed to manage any kind of rhythm. The defense looked like it was satisfied with its work in the first quarter, as Mangum carved up the secondary in the second half.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
