In Jake's 12 starts at QB he's thrown 10 INTs and fumbled it 10x (5 lost to the other team). If we just look at the 8 games so far in the 2024 season, that's down to 7 interceptions and 3 fumbles (2 lost). And if we just look at the 5 conference games in 2024, it's to 4 interceptions and 1 fumble (1 lost).

As a team this season, BYU has thrown 8 interceptions and fumbled it 7 times (3 of which were lost). On the flip side, BYU's defense has generated 14 interceptions and forced 5 fumbles, recovering 4 of them. So BYU is +7 in TO margin on the season (+6 in INTs, +1 in fumble recoveries).

For Utah, their offense has thrown 12 interceptions and fumbled it 9 times (2 of which were lost). And on the defensive side, Utah has generated 8 interceptions and recovered 2 fumbles. So Utah is -4 in TO margin on the season (-4 INTs, 0 in fumbles).

It's concerning to me that BYU's TOs seem to come in bunches. In Jake's 12 starts, half of them have 2+ TOs. Of the remaining 6, 4 were TO-free, and only 2 had just 1 TO. So Jake is either boom or bust in the TO department. Jake can't afford to get rattled by Utah's defense/RES and cough up the football multiple times, but if he turns it over once, chances are, another turnover or two is coming.

If BYU's offense can limit the TOs to 0-1, I don't see Utah scoring more than 14 points. If BYU's offense can generate 2+ TOs, I doubt Utah limits BYU's scoring to fewer than 17 points.

Learning from the past, in 2021, Jaren Hall only threw for 149 yards, and Tyler Allgeier only ran for 102 yards on 27 carries. But BYU had 0 turnovers, while had both an INT and a lost fumble. Aside from TOs, most of the other stats look pretty even from the 2021 game, except one: Jaren Hall ran for 92 yards on 8 carries.

Jake is the key in tomorrow's matchup. As much of a gunslinger as he is, Jake needs to be okay tucking the ball and just picking up yards here and there with his legs. It'll be okay to take a few sacks or throw the ball away at times and punt the ball away. Just play the field position battle with Utah, take FGs where available, and force Utah's offense to drive the field for every point they put up, because w/o a healthy Rising, their offense haven't shown they can score enough points on their own to win games. And they'll likely cough it up a time or two themselves in the process.

Go Cougs.