- Week 4 – #11 BYU (3-0) vs #8 Wisc (2-0) – Sat, Sept 16, 6:15pm EST – LES, Provo, UT – ABC
o Gameday is in Provo! Game moved to an early evening local kickoff. BYU opts for blackout and it looks pretty sweet for a night game, especially against the all-white Wisconsin unis.
o What many believe will be a defensive struggle turns out to be an offensive shootout at first. Tanner really starts to look comfortable back there and hits 7 different guys in the 1st Q for completions. Bushman grabs his 2nd TD of the season and Shumway also gets a long TD grab on a throw that really only Tanner could throw…falling away to his right, chucked downfield right over the entire secondary’s head.
o The second quarter sees Wisconsin score twice and the game ends up tied 21-21 at half time. Now Coach “I” makes his money by making a few quick adjustments. Even in only their second year, you see the benefits of recruiting and development as BYU is nearly able to go 2 deep on the D and stay fresh. Combined with an offense that isn’t afraid to eat up some clock and keep the D rested and it’s a great recipe for a healthy, attacking D for 4 quarters.
o Fred Warner makes his first “highlight” play of the season when he sheds a would-be blocker, leaps in the air to tip the QB’s check down to himself like a basketball player and takes it 66 yards to the house! Lavell Edwards Stadium absolutely erupts! 28-21 Cougs!
o The teams exchange stellar defensive plays and punts for the rest of the third. After Pau’u absolutely decleats the Wisc RB for a loss, Takitaki makes another key sack to kill a Badger drive and force a FG with 5:02 left. Tanner and the O can only muster a single first down but Linehan redeems himself by going for it on 4th and 5 from the BYU 45, gaining 15 yards. Sadly BYU can’t capitalize, misses a FG and gives Wisc one final chance. They have 1:38 to drive 80 yards…BYU’s D, which is becoming the dominate side of the ball, holds them at midfield as the hail-mary heave falls short. The thriller in Provo is over, BYU wins 28-24 and BYU is a legit top-10 team and some on ESPN and Fox already saying they are in the CFP and other teams have to dethrone them at this point.
o Player of the Game – Talon Shumway, 7 catches 144 yards, 1 TD