BYU should have won this game going away. The defense actually played well overall other than allowing way too many 1st downs on 3rd and long. The offense really should have put up a lot more than just 13 points. The extremely long drive at the start of the 2nd half resulting in only a BYU FG ended up being a killer.
However, the following 3 plays factored significantly in the outcome of the game:
• Egregious Offensive PI that wasn’t called against Kansas receiver that kept their 1st TD drive alive and contributed significantly to that 1st Kansas TD.
+7 for Kansas

• Failure of BYU to score a TD at the end of the 1st half due to a bad fade pass leading to an INT.
-7 for BYU

• Quick punt by Kansas QB that hit BYU player resulting in Kansas getting possession inside the BYU 5 yard line, leading to easy Kansas TD.
+7 for Kansas

Final score was 17-13 Kansas. From just the 3 situations above, if you take 14 points away from Kansas and add 7 to BYU you end up with an adjusted score of BYU 20 Kansas 3.

Frankly, this loss doesn’t really change much for BYU. They now have to beat ASU, Houston, and Colorado in the CCG to gain a spot in the CFP. They probably would have had to win the CCG to get a CFP berth even if they had beaten Kansas. Hopefully, this loss helps to focus the team and the coaches. There will no longer be any glowing national media reports filling their minds with delusions of grandeur. Now BYU has to go out and prove it on the field, as it should be for every team. I still believe this team has the talent to win their next 3 games, but it will take focus, execution, and grit.

Here’s the really positive thing. Before the season started everyone was thinking this team would be doing well to win 6 games and earn a bowl berth. They’ve significantly surpassed that and have been a big topic of the national media for weeks now.

This loss was a punch in the gut, but everything is still in front of BYU. They still control their own destiny. They just have to go out and take it.

Go Cougars!