BYU vs. Idaho State Postgame Notes

The following notes and quotes are from BYU's 42-10 win over Idaho State on Saturday. 

ATTENDANCE:  57,379
TEAM FLAGS: JJ Nwigwe, Austin Kafentzis, Talon Shumway, Moroni Laulu-Putuatu, Batchlor Johnson
ALUMNI FLAGS: Jamaal Williams (RB, 2012-14,16), Brian McKenzie (RB, 1996-87)
GAME CAPTAINS: Micah Simon, Dayan Ghanwoloku, Moroni Laulu-Pututau, Austin Lee

TEAM NOTES
Bowl Eligible
With the win, BYU is bowl eligible for the 14th time in 15 seasons and has accepted an invitation to the 2019 SoFi Hawai’i on December 24. The Hawai’i Bowl will be the 37th bowl game for the Cougars.

Against the FCS
BYU improves to 14-0 against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision since 1979. The Cougars also moved to 6-0 all-time against Idaho State.

Senior Day
BYU honored 19 seniors prior to the game. In the game, senior wideouts Micah Simon and Talon Shumway led the offense with a rushing touchdown from Simon and a pair of receiving scores from Shumway. On defense, Austin Lee had a pick-six and Dayan Ghanwoloku added an interception of his own.

200+ passing games
With 245 passing yards against Idaho State, BYU has thrown for more than 200 yards in 12 consecutive games. It is the longest stretch since BYU had 12 games in a row spanning the 2011-12 seasons.

You get a score!
In three straight games, BYU has had at least four different players score touchdowns. Five scored against Idaho State with Talon Shumway, Sione Finau, Micah Simon Khyiris Tonga and Austin Lee all making it into the end zone. Against Liberty, Simon, Matt Bushman, Aleva Hifo and Moroni Laulu-Pututau all scored touchdowns. The Cougars had five different players score against Utah State as well.

Spreading the ball around
The Cougars had nine different players catch passes in the game against the Bengals. Micah Simon led the team with seven receptions for 76 yards. BYU also had eight different players with a rushing attempt with Sione Finau leading the group with 16 attempts for 102 yards.

PLAYER NOTES
Zach Wilson
In his return after suffering an injury, quarterback Zach Wilson went 19-31 for 187 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. In the game, he passed the 3,000 career passing yards mark. He is the 21st BYU quarterback to throw for more than 3,000 yards. Wilson also added seven rushing attempts for 19 yards.

Sione Finau
Finau ran the ball 16 times for 102 yards and a touchdown. He also had two receptions for 22 yards. It was the first 100-yard game for Finau and the first 100-yard rusher at BYU this year.

Austin Lee
In the first quarter, Austin Lee intercepted a pass and returned it 26-yards for a touchdown. It was his first touchdown as a Cougar and his third interception. Lee finished the game with five total tackles with three solo stops and one TFL.

Micah Simon
Senior Micah Simon scored his first rushing touchdown of his career from 12 yards out in the second quarter. With the touchdown, he now has a rushing touchdown, a receiving touchdown and a passing touchdown this season. He finished the game tying his career-high seven receptions which he tallied last week against Liberty as well as against Tennessee.

NOTABLE CAREER HIGHS and FIRSTS
First career touchdown: Austin Lee (1st quarter, 26-yard interception)
First rushing attempt: Jackson McChesney (1st quarter, 6 yards)
First rushing touchdown: Micah Simon (2nd quarter, 12 yards), Khyiris Tonga (3rd quarter, 3 yards)
First blocked punt: Kyle Griffitts (2nd quarter)
First career reception: Keanu Hill (4th quarter, 17 yards)
Career high rushing yards: Sione Finau (102 yards)
Career high rushing attempts: Sione Finau (16)