No. 9 BYU dominant in 51-17 win over No. 21 Boise State

PROVO, Utah – Behind quarterback Zach Wilson, No. 9 BYU took down No. 21 Boise State 51-17 in a Friday night matchup on the blue turf at Albertsons Stadium. 

In the Cougars first-ever win against Boise State on the blue turf, BYU continued its undefeated season going 8-0 for the first time since 2001. BYU handed the Broncos their worst lost since 2005 and worst in Boise since 1996. 

Wilson completed the game going 22 for 28 with 360 passing yards and three touchdowns. The junior also added eight rushing yards and one touchdown. Gunner Romney was BYU’s leading receiver with six catches for 133 yards with a long of 42 yards. Dax Milne had three receptions for 99 yards and Neil Pau'u added a career-best six receptions for 76 yards and one touchdown. Isaac Rex got in on the action catching five passes for 45 yards and two touchdowns.

Tyler Allgeier quickly made a statement with an 86-yard rushing touchdown on BYU’s first drive of the game. The sophomore finished the game with 123 yards on 14 rushing attempts with two touchdowns. Lopini Katoa added 66 yards on eight attempts with one touchdown. 

Keenan Pili, Isaiah Kaufusi and Bracken El-Bakri led the defense with nine total tackles apiece. Khyiris Tonga had four tackles on the night with a blocked punt, an assisted sack and a forced fumble while Pili recovered a fumble and Caleb Christensen grabbed an interception. 

BYU was dominant all over the field against Boise State, outgaining the Broncos 573 to 310 total yards. The Cougars also held Boise State to just 61 yards on the ground and forced two turnovers.

Box Score
Photo Gallery
Postgame Notes & Quotes 

First Quarter Review

The BYU offense came out flying, putting up points on only the second play of its first drive. A Boise State punt put the Cougars at the five yard-line. After a nine-yard pass to Isaac Rex, Tyler Allgeier dodged a Bronco player before making an 86-yard run down a wide-open field into the end zone. On the two-play, 43 second, 95-yard drive the Cougars went ahead 7-0. 

Boise State kicked for its first points of the game with a 39-yard field goal on the next drive. Both teams were unable to put up points for the rest of the quarter and the first quarter ended with the score at 7-3.

• Gabe Summers nabbed his second career sack forcing Boise State to punt the ball on its first drive of the game
• Tyler Allgeier’s 86-yard was a career-long and the longest touchdown run since Mike Hague ran for an 87-yards touchdown vs. UNLV in 2006. It was Allgeier’s eighth rushing touchdown of the season

Second Quarter Review

To open the second quarter, Jake Oldroyd connected on a 47-yard field goal to increase BYU’s lead to 10-3. After both teams traded multiple scoreless drives, BYU found its rhythm. A pass interference call on Boise State moved the Cougars to the two-yard line and two plays later Wilson ran the ball in for six points. With a missed PAT, the Cougars went ahead 16-3 to close out the first half 

• With the 47-yard field goal, Jake Oldroyd remained perfect on the season going nine for nine so far. 
• Caleb Christensen grabbed his first career interception during the second quarter returning it six-yards. 
• Late in the second quarter, Khyiris Tonga forced his second career fumble and Keenan Pili grabbed his first career fumble recovery. 

Third Quarter Review

The Cougars started the third quarter with long-yardage passes to its leading receivers. Two 38-yard passes to Dax Milne and Gunner Romney moved BYU to the five yard-line. Wilson found Rex on the next play for a five-yard touchdown pass and the Cougars increased its lead to 23-3 at the 12:48 mark. 

On the next drive, Wilson again found Milne this time for a 39-yard pass and capped the drive with a 20-yard pass to Rex for his second touchdown of the night. The Cougars opted to go for two points instead of kicking a PAT and Wilson found Pau’u on the goal line making the score 31-3 with just under seven minutes left in the third quarter. 

BYU continued its scoring momentum as Lopini Katoa ran the ball 20-yards into the end zone and the Cougars again increased its lead to 38-3 to close out the third quarter. 

• Isaac Rex recorded his fifth touchdown of the year, tying his father Byron who was a tight end for BYU from 1990-92. On the next drive, Rex caught a 20-yard touchdown for his second game of the season with two touchdowns. 

Fourth Quarter Review

On their first drive of the fourth quarter, the Cougars again found the end zone as Wilson hit Pau’u on a one-yard touchdown. With only 11:27 left in the game, BYU was ahead 45-3. 

Boise State put up two touchdowns on the ensuing drives cutting BYU’s lead to 45-17. However, the Cougars answered back with a three-play scoring drive. Wilson found Romney downfield for 42-yards to put BYU at the two-yard line and Allgeier finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run. The Cougars brought the score to 51-17 with eight minutes left in the game.

The Cougars finished the game running out the clock to take the win 51-17 for their largest win margin against the Broncos. 

• Bracken El-Bakri recorded a new career-high tackles with nine while Keenan Pili tied his career-high total tackles at nine.
• Khyiris Tonga blocked a punt in the fourth quarter. He blocked a field goal against No. 17 Utah in 2018. 

After a bye-week, BYU returns home for a game against North Alabama on Saturday, Nov. 21. The game at LaVell Edwards Stadium will be broadcast on BYUtv with a 1 p.m. MT kickoff.