That’s what I’m talkin’ bout! BYU beats #15 TCU
They were certainly due.
It all came together tonight for BYU at #15 TCU. No psychological blocks tonight. The Cougs outplayed TCU in basically every facet of the game. Sure, TCU made it hard for BYU to run the ball, but BYU figured out how to get first downs time and time again. BYU looked really good tonight. And with TCU down one of the biggest obstacles to winning a MWC championship this year is out of the way. Well done BYU.
Rise and shout Cougar fans, what did you think?
A really great performance all around. Not perfect, but refreshingly strong. This could have been a special season. Should’ve been.
Comment by Tom — September 28, 2006 @ 8:27 pm
Outstanding!
Comment by Guy Murray — September 28, 2006 @ 8:40 pm
I was worried when BYU started off with all those penalties. (Two offsides) However it wasn’t just BYU going up 10-0 that made me think BYU had it. Rather Beck looked so different. At halftime in the BC game Beck had that “deer in the headlights” look. Everyone watching the game with me thought, “oh boy, Beck’s going to blow it.” And he did. Tonight for the first time I can recall he looked confident. And that made the difference – especially in those 3rd down situations.
Admittedly TCU did a lot of damage themselves. A missed field goal and then being unable to convert well in the red zone. But then BYU had two runs where our defense looked horrible. (Some of that was TCU playing well but there were some stretches where BYU just wasn’t playing great defense) Our O-Line looked weak in the first half but really stepped it up the second half.
The biggest part was the 3rd quarter. We usually look horrible in 3rd quarters but we really rocked it tonight.
This was a huge win. The next two big games are Air Force and Utah. It’ll be interesting to see what Utah is made of this weekend since it’s the first real game they play after their UCLA loss.
Comment by Clark Goble — September 28, 2006 @ 9:03 pm
BTW – can I say how pleasantly surprised I was by Versus coverage? The replays were delayed a tad too much but the announcing was very good and even handed. I’d say the ESPN BC game had better camera work but this wasn’t that bad. And it didn’t have those annoying and pointless ESPN announcers. I was expecting coverage as bad as last week.
Comment by Clark Goble — September 28, 2006 @ 9:06 pm
It was an awesome game to bring the kid too. And can I say how impressed I was with the showing of BYU fans?!? There are lots of us here at DFW.
Comment by Jordan — September 28, 2006 @ 9:57 pm
Great game. This is what BYU is capable of when they don’t shoot themselves in the feet.
Comment by Rusty — September 28, 2006 @ 10:02 pm
That should have read kids. Because I was there cheering them on with all of my kids. Take that, hornfrogs!! (I will get to gloat at work tomorrow…)
Comment by Jordan — September 28, 2006 @ 10:49 pm
OK others griped about the announcers. I have to concede many of their complaints were valid. Personally all I want from announcers in a college game is to tell me team players names if they don’t have a clear shot (or don’t have it on their uniforms), can tell me what’s going on with injuries and penalties and don’t make too many mistakes. (I expect at few) So maybe I enjoyed this one more simply because my expectations were so low after the last few games. But I didn’t mind the announcing – especially since the camera work was good and they actually showed replays.
Comment by Clark Goble — September 28, 2006 @ 11:29 pm
I would be surprised if those announcers haven’t had any TV experience, only radio. They did the game just like a Radio broadcast–never shutting up. The play-by-play guy talked constantly. Otherwise, the coverage wasn’t too bad at all.
Many of you need to repent. I had a feeling about this one. The sad thing is we should be in line for a BCS bid had we pulled out the other two games.
Nobody really worries me until Utah.
Comment by Tim J. — September 29, 2006 @ 8:25 am
This is very upsetting. TCU needed to win in order for the U to beat them as a ranked opponent. Of course that assumes that the U beats Boise State tomorrow…
My guess is that none of the top three teams in the conference (U, TCU, BYU) are actually good enough to do anything too amazing this year and that none of them will get a BCS bid. Bummer.
Comment by a random John — September 29, 2006 @ 9:37 am
Gutsy performance by John Beck. He looked poised and confident out there. The entire team showed a real killer instinct in this game and I hope that it carries out for the rest of the season. I also thought that, beside the poor clock management at the end of the first half, Robert Anae called a very good game. I had predicted a loss and was on John’s case and Anae’s case and I’m happy to be proven wrong!
Comment by WaterCat — September 29, 2006 @ 11:48 am
What will be interesting is to see how this psychologically affects the team the rest of the season.
Comment by Clark Goble — September 29, 2006 @ 12:17 pm
Cool to hear you went Jordan! I was at the Tulsa game in Provo, which was fun until it started pouring on us.
Comment by john f. — September 29, 2006 @ 12:46 pm
Re: 10
Amen, I would have preferred TCU to stay ranked in order to bolster the U in order to (possibly) defeat two ranked teams in a row.
Thats assuming that we’ll beat Boise and that TCU will fall out after this loss. If they stay ranked then all is well.
Comment by Jon in Austin — September 29, 2006 @ 12:48 pm
I enjoyed the game a lot. Looks like BYU has a good shot at the conference title this year.
Comment by Eric James Stone — September 29, 2006 @ 6:58 pm
Thats assuming that we’ll beat Boise
Ummmm… BSU 36 Utah 3
Comment by Geoff J — September 30, 2006 @ 5:27 pm
One thing I’ve loved from Bronco lately is his mantra that he no longer cares about any stats except for the W and L stats. I think it is starting to show. TCU had more yards than BYU this game but the BYU doesn’t seem to mind at all.
Comment by Geoff J — September 30, 2006 @ 5:29 pm
Yeah, I think that BSU game shows that Utah was a paper tiger like many have been saying. Say what you will about BYU loses – and they did hurt – but they were typically close games.
It’s unfortunate as it would have helped the conference to have Utah win. I expect TCU to cream them next week. The best Utah can hope for now is a win over BYU at the end of the year.
Comment by Clark Goble — September 30, 2006 @ 5:35 pm
ouch…
add to this the fact that the school I actually root for is 0-4…
Comment by a random John — September 30, 2006 @ 10:46 pm
In the hopes of counteracting whatever bad mojo is coming Cal’s way (Oregon, maybe) — I’m going to predict that Cal is going to end up facing Boise State in some lame December bowl game.
Comment by William Morris — October 1, 2006 @ 2:30 am
Not going to happen, William. Well, the part about Cal going to a lame December game might. But Boise State is going to the Fiesta Bowl. I’m guaranteeing it right now.
Comment by Eric Russell — October 1, 2006 @ 3:42 am
I’m glad to hear that BYU played well. Also glad to hear they played well in the third quarter.
My biggest concern with BYU is that they seemed to lose themselves towards the end of the game and not get a comeback win. I hope they are finding themselves and will continue to do well.
Comment by danithew — October 1, 2006 @ 8:23 am
Rrrowr!
Comment by Adam Greenwood — October 2, 2006 @ 3:59 pm
Not to brag or anything, but
http://www.bloggernacle.org/?p=436#comment-11584
Comment by Adam Greenwood — October 2, 2006 @ 4:01 pm
BTW – but can I just say how lame Utah fans are? They booed their quarterback. Now BYU Fans have had a rough 5 years. But by and large there has still been good attendance and I can’t recall any booing. Yeah BYU fans are notoriously critical of our quarterbacks. But we keep supporting our team through good times and bad.
Utah fans came on board (outside of the “beat BYU mentality”) when they had that undefeated seasons. Yet last year they were fairweather fans. And this year, despite that UCLA loss, they were still inexplicably talking about breaking the BCS barrier. While I didn’t think they would play as bad as they did, I thought fans were living in a bit of a dreamworld. Then when the unsurprising happens suddenly I hear fans saying they’ll stop going to games and nonsense like that.
Makes me glad to be a BYU fan. (Although there are some lame BYU fans as well – but nothing like Utah fans)
Comment by Clark Goble — October 2, 2006 @ 4:17 pm
Hehe. I actually thought of your bold prediction when we went up 31-10 Adam. No, I really did. Good call amigo.
Interestingly, with Utah looking so bad right now I think BYU will be favored to win every game for the rest of the regular season. That makes a 10-2 or a 9-3 season seem legitimately possible now. But a lot can happen in seven games so I’ll be happy to first beat the reeling Aztecs this Saturday…
Comment by Geoff J — October 2, 2006 @ 4:21 pm
Clark,
BYU fans have been known to boo a bit too. Wasn’t there a controversy a season or two back about it? If I recall the AD or school president actually made some statement calling for fans to refrain from booing (even though the team was stinking it up en route to a losing season). But I suppose that shows that BYU fans booing is so rare that when it happens it becomes newsworthy…
Comment by Geoff J — October 2, 2006 @ 4:25 pm
Clarke,
Wow, gotta love generalizations there. Now before we digress into fan-bashing let us take a step back and see if a couple claims make sense.
They booed their quarterback. Now BYU Fans have had a rough 5 years. But by and large there has still been good attendance and I can’t recall any booing. Yeah BYU fans are notoriously critical of our quarterbacks. But we keep supporting our team through good times and bad.
So booing your team when they’re playing like the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked isn’t called for? Don’t tell me that BYU fans never booed their team after a pathetic first half filled with inept QB play, the D getting destroyed and Crowton’s play calling resembling something a 6-year old put together during your 5-year stretch of pew tressance.
Yet last year they were fairweather fans.
Granted, talk of BCS-busting was way overblown and there are too many bandwagon U fans as a result of the undefeated season, but I’m guessing there was some dropoff in 2002 after the Y went downhill fast after the 12-2 2001 season. I give props to the Y for looking like a superior team against TCU. At least both games were on OLN so I could get a chance to see both play and compare.
Makes me glad to be a BYU fan. (Although there are some lame BYU fans as well – but nothing like Utah fans)
You and me, flagpole, after school.
Here’s hoping a better showing against TCU on Thursday. Maybe our D-line and linebackers will show up this time.
Comment by Jon in Austin — October 2, 2006 @ 4:38 pm
I honestly don’t recall BYU fans booing even during the darkest years. They were upset, but didn’t boo and kept coming to games.
Comment by Clark Goble — October 2, 2006 @ 5:03 pm
I did a little searching and it was Engemann and the Cougs that got booed in an inept home perfomance against UNLV in 2002. There were other times too.
See a snide Ute editorial here
Beck quoted here saying: “I remember homecoming my freshman year, walking off the field and the fans were booing us,â€
Comment by Geoff J — October 2, 2006 @ 5:24 pm
I’m afraid Geoff is correct about the booing. It was the 2002 season, right after we had come out of the 12-2 2001 season, and we were losing terribly. Crowton was switching back and forth between Engemann and Berry, often within the same game. Both quarterbacks got booed at times, but Engemann especially got the booes pretty harshly a number of times, thus triggering the statement from BYU reminding students of good sportsmanship.
In my apartment “Engemann!†became a curse along the lines of Seinfeld’s “Newman!â€
Comment by Eric Russell — October 2, 2006 @ 5:25 pm
Heh, Geoff. You beat me to it.
Comment by Eric Russell — October 2, 2006 @ 5:26 pm
Both 2002 and 2003 my brother in law was on the BYU team. I went to most games. They got booed a lot. The last of the tortilla throwing was actually in response to a poor BYU first half where they failed to score a TD. Fans through the tortillas at that time instead of in celebration. It was awful, like a bunch of spoiled kids.
It is great how much more even mediocre wins are appreciated now at the Y.
Comment by Sam — October 2, 2006 @ 7:21 pm
‘threw’ not ‘through’ the tortillas—my bad.
Comment by Sam — October 2, 2006 @ 7:22 pm
Ah well. I concede defeat. I’ll just say I don’t think any better of such BYU fans. (Although Engemann was a by-word around our apartment too)
Comment by Clark Goble — October 2, 2006 @ 8:33 pm
Ok, the events of last weekend don’t look quite as great now, do they?
Comment by a random John — October 6, 2006 @ 10:52 am
I’m not sure John. TCU suffered a lot of major injuries after the BYU game. I don’t think Utah was really playing the same team. I only saw a few minutes of the game so I can’t comment on how TCU was playing. But I know their QB was hurt pretty bad in his throwing arm and their main rusher was pretty injured as well. Plus Utah was playing at home. So it’s not entirely commensurate.
Don’t get me wrong it was a huge win for Utah who really needed it after last week. And I think the BYU – Utah game will, baring some stupid loses, end up determining the conference. But I don’t think that game tells us much.
Let’s be honest though, both BYU and Utah are reasonably weak still. And we’re in a horribly weak conference. Of course I called this as still an other building year. I think BYU is making the changes they need and finally getting some confidence. I don’t expect them to really be ranked for an other two years though at best. But Bronco *appears* to be avoiding some of Crowton’s mistakes. Let’s see if BYU can hold off some of the weak opponents and maintain the composure they had last week. I’m not sure they will. But I honestly think that if BYU can stop all the stupid penalties and stupid errors that they will be a strong team.
With Utah I’m a bit more up in the air about Ratlif and Utah’s defense. But we’ll see. Even if Utah is the paper tiger I think they are they still can and most likely will bring their A-game for BYU.
Comment by Clark Goble — October 7, 2006 @ 12:03 am
BTW – I should add that I think the *real* game for both BYU and Utah will be Air Force. I’m not at all convinced Utah will win that game. It’s a game I’ll probably watch. (Unless it is on The Mountain of course)
Comment by Clark Goble — October 7, 2006 @ 12:05 am