BYU football

Rock me momma like a wagon wheel. BYU football dropped a fun hype video to get ready for Thursday night's rivalry game against Utah State.

The BYU/Utah State game kicks off at 6 p.m. BYU leads the all-time series against Utah State 50-37-3. No BYU/Utah State matchup means no annual battle for the Old Wagon Wheel. BYU will look to have some Wagon Wheel celebration over the Aggies for the first time in Provo since 2016, Kalani Sitake’s first year as BYU’s head coach. A popular postgame celebration in those two wins for the Cougars was singing “Wagon Wheel” in the locker room. However, the hype video this time around took on a funnier approach.

The No. 19 ranked BYU Cougars football program return home and take on a familiar foe when they host the Utah State Aggies in a Week 5 college football ...

[How to watch DAZN on your TV: What is it, what does it cost and include? • [](https://www.directv.com/) You can also get this game on [Sling TV](https://www.sling.com/programming/sports/college-football) (promotional offers) if you are out of fuboTV trials, or simply prefer those platforms and their pricing plans. PT/8 p.m. What: The No. ET (6 p.m. • You can 19 ranked BYU Cougars football program return home and take on a familiar foe when they host the Utah State Aggies in a Week 5 college football showdown kicking off early off on Saturday, September 29 at 5 p.m.

The Cougars get ready for some mid-week action as they host the Aggies on Thursday night.

xid:fr1664225037114bfj), [DirecTV Stream](https://www.directv.com/stream/sports/), [Sling](https://www.sling.com/programming/sports/college-football) Through their opening games of the season, the Aggies have averaged just 12.75 points a game, including scoring only seven against Weber State almost two weeks ago. That began a spell of three-straight losses, including falling in their Mountain West opener against UNLV this past Saturday, where Utah State was unable to keep up with the Rebels’ offense.

SportsLine's model just revealed its CFB picks and best bets for Utah State Aggies vs. BYU Cougars on Thursday, Sept. 29 in the battle for The Old Wagon ...

- Utah State vs. [Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Utah State vs. He threw for 337 yards and four touchdowns in last week's win over [Wyoming](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/teams/WYO/wyoming-cowboys/), and tossed for 305 yards and two touchdowns in the loss at [Oregon](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/teams/OREG/oregon-ducks/) on Sept. [Brian Cobbs](/college-football/players/2961430/brian-cobbs/) is the team's leading receiver with 18 catches for 241 yards (13.4 average) and one touchdown. Here are the [college football odds](https://www.sportsline.com/college-football/odds/) and betting lines for BYU vs. He has carried 38 times for 204 yards (5.4 average) and three touchdowns, and has six receptions for 38 yards (6.3 average). BYU](https://www.sportsline.com/college-football/game-forecast/NCAAF_20220929_UTAHST@BYU/) and just locked in its picks and CFB predictions. The Cougars are favored by 24 points in the latest Utah State vs. They have losses to [Alabama](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/teams/BAMA/alabama-crimson-tide/) (55-0), [Weber State](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/teams/WBRST/weber-state-wildcats/) (35-7) and [UNLV](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/teams/UNLV/unlv-rebels/) (34-24) over the past four weeks. Utah State picks, BYU averages 457.5 yards per game in 2022, while Utah State averages 345.5. The Cougars (3-1) started the season off fast with wins over [South Florida](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/teams/SFLA/south-florida-bulls/) (50-21) and [Baylor](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/teams/BAYLOR/baylor-bears/) (26-20) before losing at Oregon (41-20) on Sept.

Both the Aggie and Cougar teams were led onto the field by "Live On" flags as the programs combine for suicide prevention awareness.

BYU/Utah State kicked off at 6 p.m. It will provide increased mental health and wellness counseling services, educational opportunities, training, and programming for student-athletes, coaches, and support staff. Anderson highlighted that he “grew up in an era at a time where as a man, you didn’t show that you were hurting you. “We have had a lot of good conversations about this something that we all feel very strongly about,” he began his comments. The population-oriented, evidence-informed effort brings together diverse partners to develop, launch, and evaluate powerful and effective content to: Call the lifeline.

Patti Edwards, wife of the late LaVell Edwards, ignited energy into the stadium by lighting "The Y" prior to kickoff between USU and BYU.

Before Sitake’s team exits the door at LaVell Edwards Stadium, there’s a sign that reads, “Protect LaVell’s House” with Edwards’ picture next to it. Sitake played for Edwards and was a member of the 2000 team in that final home game more than 20 years ago. Sitake played for Edwards during the 1994 and 1997 thru 2000 seasons. “Throughout camp, we’ve been really trying to have an emphasis on teaching them more about LaVell and the impact he had on College Football but also the person that he was, the father and husband that he was, and the mentor and coach he was,” Sitake in 2019. Before his storied coaching career, Coach Edwards played at Utah State from 1949-51. The No.

BYU Football has a short week with Utah State coming to visit Provo on Thursday night. The BYU Cougars last played on Sat. Sept. 24 at LaVell Edwards ...

The USU Aggies (1-3) also played on Saturday, against UNLV. BYU won the last one, 34-20. [byutvsports.com](http://byutvsports.com/)) Utah State has just one victory on the season, against UConn on Aug. The Aggies lost in Logan, 34-24. 19 in the AP Poll this week.

That reality should give Cougar supporters pause as they get ready to see No. 19-ranked BYU host the Aggies at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Thursday night — and if ...

I played in it and now I get to coach in it, and so it’s been a lot of fun.” BYU won the last meeting, a 34-20 victory in Logan in 2021 … We will get to play a lot of new teams in the Big 12 and that’s really exciting.” The highest ranked team USU has ever defeated was when BYU was ranked No. “I think here in Utah we have a lot of good teams between all the universities,” Batty said. But personally I played in this game and I remember being a fan cheering for BYU in these rivalry games. I have a ton of respect for Utah State, for their fans and their football program and their coaches and those players. According to BYU, in 1948 the Blue Key fraternities at both institutions came together and created the Old Wagon Wheel trophy to deliver to the winning team each season. With BYU joining the Big 12 conference, there are only so many non-conference game opportunities and Sitake knows that. Then Hill suffered a fractured left leg late in the second quarter and BYU’s offense never recovered. The Aggies, on the other hand, had been just OK to start the year. Led by quarterback Taysom Hill and running back Jamaal Williams, BYU had romped to big wins at UConn and No.

After the offense scored a quick touchdown to take a 24-17 lead three minutes into the half, Kalani Sitake tried to get cute and sneak an onside kick by Utah ...

It just looked like a different unit in the second half. The Cougars came out angry in the second half, scoring within the first three minutes and then running away with a double-digit win. They allowed only a field goal on that gaffe by the coaching staff and didn’t let Utah State score again until the final minute of the fourth quarter.

What is it about big tipped passes in the BYU-Utah State football rivalry? The most famous of those took place in 2011 when Cougar quarterback Riley Nelson had ...

BYU senior running back Chris Brooks finished the drive with an 18-yard TD run to extend the lead. He sprinted to the middle, then cut behind the block of junior Brayden Cosper for a 31-yard TD and just like that the game was tied. BYU got the kickoff to start the second half and marched down to take the lead on a 14-yard TD pass from Hall to freshman tight end Ethan Erickson (Erickson’s first catch of his career). BYU just missed retaking the lead late in the half but Romney couldn’t quite cradle a touchdown pass in the end zone and the Cougars had to settle for a 45-yard field goal by junior kicker Jake Oldroyd. The defensive tipped ball was in the first half and helped the Cougars withstand a great effort by Utah State in the first half. Two big tipped passes — one on offense and one on defense — changed the game in Thursday night’s showdown between the Cougars and the Aggies, enough that BYU was able to secure the 38-26 victory.

After a two-game homestand, the Utah State Aggies will be on the road. They will square off against the BYU Cougars at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday at LaVell ...

But BYU comes into the matchup boasting the ninth fewest thrown interceptions in the nation at one. BYU should still be feeling good after a win, while the Aggies will be looking to get back in the win column. The Aggies are now 1-3 while the Cougars sit at a mirror-image 3-1. Utah State have to know they'll be fighting an uphill battle given the 24-point spread they are up against. They came out on top against the Wyoming Cowboys by a score of 38-24. After a two-game homestand, the Utah State Aggies will be on the road.

Jaren Hall led the BYU Cougars to another second surge offensively to secure a win against in-state rival Utah State.

[KSL Newsradio](https://kslnewsradio.com/) for [Cougar Sports Saturday](https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2003&n=Cougar%20Sports%20Saturday%20(BYU)) from 12:00 p.m. They were out gained by the Aggies on the ground 204 to 117. BYU has good running backs. [#BYU]DE Tyler Batty comes up with a big stop on the Cooper Legas keeper. PROVO, Utah – The No. Time to close out the game.

Brigham Young Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake celebrates a play in Provo on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News. 1 ...

It was an ugly first half and in saying that you cannot take away from the brilliance of what the Aggies brought to the energized atmosphere. “We made adjustments and played better in the second half,” said Sitake. “We need to come out and play to have fun out there.” But the BYU coach was not happy with what he said was a failure to play clean. It worked and sent BYU reeling for the entire first half as USU hogged the ball, dominated in time of possession, and plays run, 52 to 19. His TD passes went to Epps,

Slow starts are becoming a trend for this BYU football team, and especially for the defense. For the third consecutive game, BYU's defense got off to a slow ...

And BYU has won a lot of football games over the last three years. Once BYU knew what Utah State was trying to do on offense, BYU's staff was able to make the right adjustments and get consistent stops. But BYU needs Hall to be 100% to have a chance to beat Notre Dame and Arkansas. The Cougars are in the middle of the best stretch of the independence era, having won 25 of their last 30 games. Everyone in the stadium knew they were going to run, and BYU still struggled to make adjustments and get off the field. In the third quarter, Jaren Hall took a late hit that was flagged for roughing the passer. Slow starts are becoming a trend for this BYU football team, and especially for the defense. Utah State dominated the first half in terms of moving the football, but two timely turnovers helped BYU go into the locker room with a 17-17 tie. For the third consecutive game, BYU's defense got off to a slow start against Utah State. Both Utah State and Wyoming struggled to throw the football. Slow starts are becoming a legitimate concern for this BYU football team. A Thursday night game against an in-state rival is the perfect formula for a flat performance.

BYU football: No. 19 Cougars wake their offense in second half, claim 38-26 win over instate rival Utah State in Battle for the Old Wagon Wheel in Provo.

But he missed 33- and 35-yarders in the second half and is now 0-for-4 with the north goal posts this season and has made only one of his last six attempts. After BYU’s third-straight three-and-out, the Aggies drove 57 yards to take a 17-14 lead. The Cougars caught a big break the next time they got the ball, after Connor Coles’ 33-yard field goal cut the BYU lead to four. “We can’t abandon our mindset and (we need to) make sure we play with a better mind,” Sitake said. We have to play better than that, as far as clean football.” After that miserable first half in which they gained just 107 yards of offense and gave up 246, the Cougars turned it around in the second, and they should be commended for that. But against either of the two foes they will face in the next two weeks — Arkansas visits LES on Oct. It was the first catch of Erickson’s career. The Cougars were that bad early, falling behind 7-0 and 17-14 to the heavy underdog. Legas, an Orem High product, played a serviceable game in throwing for 182 yards and two touchdowns, the final one meaningless as head coach Kalani Sitake said he would trade getting his backups some experience in favor of the points. “We played a little bit tight,” Sitake said. In other words, it was just another drama-filled matchup between the instate foes, even if nobody this side of Logan figured the Aggies (1-4) would put up much of a fight.

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Brigham Young Brigham Young Cougars pose for a photo with the Wagon Wheel, after they defeated the Utah State Aggies 38- ...

They went up against each other before anyone thought about TV money, before anyone called for a college football playoff, before anyone positioned themselves for advantageous league affiliation, although both BYU and Utah had been known in the long-ago past to stab Utah State in the back when it came to earlier conference arrangements. Doesn’t matter if the series is lopsided. The Big 12 came calling and the Cougars started leaning away, even before that invitation. Doesn’t matter if the games are lopsided. It’s the ultimate trash talk, putting the other guys in their lowly place. The other stuff must be corrected as the Cougars head into games against Notre Dame and Arkansas. They can take teams in opposite realms and slam them together, kicking talent to the side, tossing out what should be automatic and making it uncertain. The quarterback has reached a point where he knows his team’s success is draped over his shoulders, especially his right one, and he’s comfortable with that. In the second half, other than ongoing missed kicks, BYU tamped those down considerably, in some cases fully correcting them. It was revealing, at others. It wasn’t a question mark, was it? It was sloppy, at times.

On Thursday night, BYU took care of business in a 38-26 win over Utah State. Following the game, Pro Football Focus reviewed every snap and graded BYU's.

Stops are defined as "tackles that constitute a 'failure' for the offense." He was also credited with four stops. That was the first catch of Erickson's career at BYU. The next highest grade was Blake Freeland with 70.3. On those 10 carries, he racked up 92 yards for an average of 9.2 yards per carry. He tallied six total tackles including one tackle for loss. Epps tallied 5 receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown. Harper has made his case to be the clear-cut starter at safety. Micah Harper has taken full advantage of his reps over the last two weeks. Here are the 10 players that received the highest grades (minimum 15 snaps played). Harper was the best tackler on the defense according to PFF, receiving a 87.6 grade. Following the game, Pro Football Focus reviewed every snap and graded BYU's performance.

It was ugly, but its better to learn from a win than a loss. What can we takeaway from BYU's performance?

These kinds of wins are frustrating because they make us feel like BYU might lose a game in the future, but BYU has not lost them yet. On the final five drives of the last two games, BYU ran 13 plays. This is more in line with what we’ve expected from this BYU team so far this season, but alas, it’s only half of the time. BYU has looked like a top 15 team this season, but only 50% of the time. Hopefully that fixes itself once BYU moves to the Big 12, but they aren’t in the Big 12 yet. #19 BYU struggled to pull away from Utah State in what was a massively up and down night for the Cougars.

BYU football: Receiver Gunner Romney and several other Cougars returned to action Thursday night after injuries sidelines them in previous games.

“We kinda talked before this game happened that Utah State was going to come out firing, and we weren’t prepared for it,” Romney said. Those are catches that are routine for me and I need to haul that one in.” We said we gotta go out and bring a lot of energy, but we really didn’t. The Cougars didn’t have a turnover for the fourth straight game. I was tying to get in as many reps as I could and still stay fresh. “We kinda talked before this game happened that Utah State was going to come out firing, and we weren’t prepared for it.