Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
Playing time/channel: 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Spread: -7 (KSU)
Matchup history: Draw 4-4
For two teams that have spent nearly their entire existence in different conferences and fundamentally different levels of competition, they have a decent history. Of course, it’s the Cotton Bowl following the 1996 season that grabs the headlines. BYU entered the game 13-1 and ranked No. 5. The Wildcats entered the big bowl game 9-2 and ranked No. 14 in the country.
The Cougars trailed 15-5 in the fourth quarter. BYU QB Steve Sarkisian found James Dye for a 32-yard touchdown to cut the score to 15-12. The Cougars defense held firm and gave BYU another possession. Sarkisian took the lead with the game-winning touchdown pass, caught by KO Kealaluhi. BYU won the Cotton Bowl and finished with 14 wins.
Saturday night, Kansas State returns to Provo for the first time since 1977, when BYU won 39-0.
Head coach: Chris Klieman (6th year)
2024 season so far
After starting the season with a blowout win over FCS Tennessee-Martin, the Wildcats faced an uphill battle at Tulane. With the game tied 27-27 in the fourth quarter, Kansas State defender Jack Fabris recovered a fumble and scored the game-winning touchdown.
Kansas State then faced No. 20 Arizona at home in what many thought would be a tough test for the KSU defense. They embarrassed Arizona 31-7. Kansas State comes to Provo as the No. 13 team in the country and has one of the better records this young season.
When Kansas State has the ball
The offense is led by speedy quarterback Avery Johnson. He averages 6.7 yards per carry, totaling 187 rushing yards through three games. Running back DJ Giddens can also run well, averaging 6.6 yards per carry. In fact, they rank 16th among all FBS teams in rushing. This will be the toughest test for BYU’s defense so far this season.
The task of stopping the run will be BYU’s front seven. BYU’s linebacker trio of Jack Kelly, Isaiah Glasker and Harrison Taggart will need to be at their best. Kelly leads the team with 12 pressures and is tied for the team lead with 3 tackles for loss. If BYU’s front seven stays strong, the Cougars have a chance.
When BYU has the ball
The deciding factor in this game will be BYU’s offense. They face a Kansas State defense that currently ranks 31st in scoring and 24th in rush defense. Defensive end Tobi Osunsanmi is as disruptive as any in the Big 12.
BYU QB Jake Retzlaff will have to be on his toes. He can’t afford to put the ball in danger against a KSU defense that’s looking to take it away from him. Retzlaff has been careless with the ball at times. If he can avoid mistakes and use his legs to make plays, BYU will be in a good position. He has quality receivers at his disposal in Chase Roberts, Keelan Marion and Darius Lassiter. The biggest question mark is at running back, with LJ Martin potentially out again. Young Pokaiaua Haunga has shown promise. They need to run the ball effectively.
How BYU can win
Retzlaff can’t lose the ball. Kansas State will be happy if BYU is careless with the ball. The Cougars also need to be able to run the ball and control the clock to avoid tiring BYU’s defense while trying to keep up with KSU’s fierce running attack. The defense can’t allow Avery Johnson to run wild and make explosive plays. Most importantly, BYU needs to be smart and avoid costly penalties. They will likely need to have more turnovers and fewer penalties than KSU to win.
Prediction: Kansas State 28, BYU 23
