The title is a perfect way to show how this week has gone. It hasn’t been a great week or so for BYU football AND basketball. There have been some good news here and there, and we will dive into it, but it hasn’t been the best week. But, we do have a lot to talk about in BYU sports including the upcoming game for football against West Virginia and basketball against Houston Christian, so lets get to it!

BYU vs #7 Texas Game Recap

This game was very similar to the TCU game. BYU was out of it in the first 5 minutes. On Texas’ first drive of the game, BYU got a 3 and out and a punt, and the game seemed to be going in BYUs direction. But a punt return TD for Texas switched that real quick. BYU got an interception on Texas’ next drive and ran it all the way down to the 10 yard line but a penalty called it back to about the 45. BYU threw an INT right after to give the ball right back and Texas went down and scored a TD. And it was basically over. The closest BYU got was 11.

Turnover Problem

BYU has had problems with turnovers. They lost the turnover battle again this last week. They had 2 interceptions and 1 fumble lost. Texas had 1 fumble lost and 1 INT. BYU also couldnt stop Texas’ run game. You can only do so much to scheme against a run game and try to stop it, but when you just dont have the talent, depth, or size, its pretty noticeable. That was the case against Texas. They were overpowering and dominant.

Player Stats

In terms of stats for some players, Kedon Slovis had 197 passing yards for an average of 4.9 yards per pass. 4.9!!! He also had 2 INT giving him a 27.9 QBR. Thats 3 straight games that Slovis has been BAD and people are starting to question whether we see another QB soon. A player can keep their redshirt if they play 4 games or less, so Retzlaff, a highly touted QB, could see some action in these last couple of games. Hes a dual threat QB, similar to Jaren Hall and Zach Wilson, that seems to flourish in this offense. Aidan Robbins had a pretty good game. LJ Martin was banged up so he got the start giving BYU 56 rushing yards on 17 carries. Darius Lassiter also had 5 receptions for 75 yards. The Cougars lost the game 35-6 and it was a huge swing and miss.

BYU vs West Virginia Game Preview

BYU travels to Morgantown this weekend to finish their road trip. West Virginia has been surprising this year in the Big 12. Many people thought they would be at the bottom of the league, but they are 5-3, just like BYU, and 3-2 in conference play, better than BYU. Last week West Virginia beat UCF, 41-28. They had 450 total yards, with 286 of those, rushing.

West Virginia Player Preview

They have a very good RB. CJ Donaldson Jr., whos only a sophomore. He had 121 yards last game with 1 TD. He has 574 rushing yards this season with 7 TDs. Donaldson has only topped 100 yards twice this season, but he has scored a TD in every game except one. He has to be the focal point of the BYU defense. Their QB is pretty good as well. They dont through a lot so hes not a huge asset, but he has thrown for over 300 yards once this season, and had one game with 4 TDs. He has 8 TDs and 2 INTs overall this season. Their receiving core is pretty even. They do have one receiver who is usually their main guy, Devin Carter. He doesnt have great stats this year with only 1 TD, but he is averaging 17.9 yards per catch. Hes their big play guy.

BYU Player Preview

For BYU, LJ Martin is still banged up with an undisclosed injury that they have not given a lot of information about. If he cant go, we will see Aidan Robbins going. Lassiter has also started to be a good receiver for Slovis. If he can get going while still having Epps and Roberts, that would be very helpful. But my main point of emphasis for BYU has to be the offensive line and running game. The offensive line has severely underperformed this year. They have to play well and Robbins has to run hard like he usually does. Slovis also cant make stupid decisions. Slovis panics A LOT, and when he does, he throws bad interceptions. If he can have a turnover free game, or maybe only 1 INT that doesnt change the momentum of the game, BYU has a shot.

Game Preview Stats

BYU is currently an underdog by 10 points. The line started at 7 and has gone all the way up to 10. It is a road game, but a night road game, which I think gives BYU some help. ESPN analytics also only gives BYU a 28.7% chance of winning. This game is going to be tough but if Slovis can have a good game and BYU can limit West Virginia’s running game, they will win. I actually think BYU wins this game as they have something to prove to everyone after a 1-2 October. Give me BYU, 31-24.

BYU is rocking their all white look with white helmets, jersey, and pants with royal trim this game against West Virginia. I like this look since West Virginia will most likely be navy and yellow.

BYU 2024 and Beyond Big 12 Football Schedule

The Big 12 just released today, the Big 12 football schedule from 2024-2027. This is very interesting as it wasn’t slated to come out till late November or December. But its also fun because it involves the 4 new members coming to the conference next year in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State.

Here is a link to the schedule release to see all the teams. But if you cant go to the link the schedule for BYU is:

Home

• Arizona
• Houston
• Oklahoma State
• Kansas
• Kansas State

Away

• Utah
• Arizona State
• Baylor
• UCF

This is exciting! I am happy that we are playing more home games next year since we are playing more away games this year in conference. I was hoping for the Utah game to be in Provo but it’ll be in Salt Lake for the first year in the Big 12. We also get to travel to Waco and play Baylor. That always seems like a fun game.

BYU Basketball News

BYU basketball starts in less than one week! The home opener is on Tuesday, at 7pm MT, against Houston Christian. This week, BYU held a private scrimmage against Stanford, and won the game, 77-72. That is a good sign! Stanford isnt a powerhouse in the Pac 12 conference but to beat another P5 team is always good. BYU will have a pretty good team this year, its just that we are playing in the best basketball conference in the nation, the Big 12. BYU will most likely not do much in conference play, but should do pretty good in non conference play. I am excited to see if they can exceed some expectations!

BYU Basketball Player Preview

Noah Waterman has received some high praise out of preseason as an improved player. He will be important to have if that is true. I am also excited to see if Dallin Hall, Fouss Traore, and Jaxon Robinson have taken another step this year. They will be huge in BYU’s success. Also excited to see Spencer Johnson and his leadership this year. And then lastly, excited to see how the new transfers do this year and how they fit into the equation. Aly Khalifa is an impact big and should be starting right away along Fouss. That could be a really fun front court. Dawson Baker is also a sharp shooting guard/forward. I am interested to see where he fits with a pretty crowded guard roster with Robinson, Hall, Johnson, Saunders, etc. But he should get some playing time. He can score in a hurry and shoots the ball really well. Marcus Adams has still not received an answer yet on his request to play after transferring from Kansas and Gonzaga. He can practice with the team and is practicing with them, but we should get that answer in the next week before the first game on Tuesday.

BYU Basketball Recruiting News

In some disappointing news, Brody Kozlowski, a 6’7 SF/PF from Draper, UT, listed BYU in his final 5, along with USC, California, San Diego State, and UCLA. He made his announcement this last week and chose USC. He has a top 150 ranking for the 2024 class and number 2 overall for Utah. It was a huge swing and miss for BYU. They couldn’t even get someone like this caliber in their own backyard. To make matters worse, his mom is a basketball analyst for BYUtv. He has a lot of ties to BYU. He will serve a mission first, and wont even start playing for the Trojans till 2026. Maybe he will have change of heart and switch over to BYU when he comes back! One can hope.

Big 12 Conference Update

In the biggest shocker and upset of the season so far, Kansas beat Oklahoma 38-33. That was a huge game and the Kansas RB had 146 rushing yards. Texas throttled BYU, 35-6. Kansas St looked dominant in their 41-6 win over Houston. West Virginia beat UCF, 41-28. Iowa St beat Baylor on the road, 30-18. Iowa St has really started to make a comeback and are now tied for the top spot in the Big 12 standings. Oklahoma St beat Cincinnati 45-13, and are also tied for the top spot in the Big 12.

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