- Week 7 – #4 BYU (5-0) @ BSU (3-1) – Fri, Oct 6, 8:15pm – LES, Provo, UT – ESPN
o Of course Hair Thompson perfectly placed BSU’s bye week the week before the BYU game…anything to get back at the Cougs! BSU is 3-1 but their W’s are all at home against Troy, mighty UNM and a nail-biter against Bronco’s UVA team. They have hardly been tested at all and have not looked like the Boise of recent past.
o ESPN targets this game every year as a classic Friday night showcase game and this year continues the trend of “must-see” football. BYU trots out in their all-whites and BSU in their hideous “blue out” everything.
o Last year BYU had TWO pick-sixes and still couldn’t move the ball well enough to win. Johnny Linehan is tweeting daily about his nightmares from the “fake punt” from last year. It really was a game to forget…and…quite frankly, most recent trips to Boise have been pretty forgetful for the Cougar faithful.
o After BSU drives down and scores and we botch the ensuing kickoff handing the Bronco’s the ball back on our own 12 yard line…it appears that the 2017 version of this game is going to be the same.
o Thankfully the D buckles down and saves the drive forcing a BSU FG. Takitaki makes 2 key tackles, one stuffing the run and another TFL on a fly sweep attempt.
o After spotting BSU 10 points Tanner seems a bit nervous and forcing things. A few tipped balls and dropped passes aren’t helping either. The team just needs to relax but looks tight at halftime down 13-7…enter Johnny Linehan.
o He sensed the team’s nervousness and stripped down and sang a country song (Garth Brooks “Friends in Low Places”) at half time. Somehow the ESPN camera’s caught a portion of it and it’s going viral. BYU comes out with the looseness and swag that has begun to define the Kalani era. After Tanieula forces a fumble, Tanner finds MLP over the middle for a 14 yard TD pass and within 2 minutes of third quarter BYU is up.
o BYU’s defense continues to smother opponents and Boise can only manage another TD later in the third. But BYU counters and Tolutao, who has taken over as the primary RB, rumbles into the endzone from 21 yards out, taking out 2 BSU would-be tacklers in the process. BYU leads 21-20 entering the 4th.
o Kicking woes continue as BYU misses 2 FG opportunities after drives are stalled due to a penalty and a near pick of Tanner’s pass to Davis. That’s when BSU gets cute and does their trick play that, sadly, fools Nacua’s replacement at safety. The freaking spuds are up 27-21 with only 2:37 left.
o Later in the year Tanner points to this moment as the defining moment of his career up to this point (which is saying something given his 2 hail mary’s and record setting freshman season). Tanner looks poised and methodical in the 2 minute drill…carving up the Spud’s coverage with the precision of the fry slicer at In-n-Out. MLP for 5 yards, Bushman for 10, Simon for 8, QB scramble for 5, Hall out of the backfield for 11, Simon again for 4 yards, draw to Tolutao for 6…time out! 2nd and 4 from 24 with :45 seconds left.
o After Davis drops a perfectly thrown TD out of the timeout, Tanner is sacked for a loss of 6 on 3rd and 4…setting up 4th and 10 with now only 30 seconds left. Tanner does his best John Beck impression and scrambles around forever…just waiting for someone to break open. He pumps fake to Bushman at the first down marker and sees in the corner of his eye, MLP break to the corner of the endzone…Tanner goes for the kill and tosses a perfectly placed ball right to MLP…TOUCHDOWN! The booth reviews it to make sure both feet were down…they were. Extra point good…BYU escapes 28-27.