Game 7: BYU at TCU

Game 7: BYU Cougars at TCU Horned Frogs

BYU will play at TCU on Saturday, Oct. 16, at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast live from Amon G. Carter Stadium on VERSUS and KSL Radio 1160 AM and 102.7 FM.

BYU (2-4, 1-1 MWC) at TCU (6-0, 2-0)

Oct. 16, 2010

3 p.m. CT

Amon G. Carter Stadium

Fort Worth, Texas

THE BYU-TCU SERIES

The BYU series with TCU began in 1987 with the Horned Frogs winning the inaugural contest. BYU came back the following year to win behind Matt Bellini’s 202 receiving yards. After winning the next two games in the series by three touchdowns apiece, the two teams began playing each other regularly after the Horned Frogs joined the MWC in 2005. Since then, TCU has won three-of-five games, including the last two years when both teams have been ranked in the Top 25. BYU last won in Fort Worth in 2006 when the Cougars broke TCU’s 13-game win streak, the longest in the nation at the time.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

- No. 4/5 TCU (6-0, 2-0 MWC) is the highest-ranked team BYU (2-4, 1-1) has faced since going against No. 3 Oklahoma in last year’s season opener and is the highest ranked conference opponent BYU has played since meeting No. 5 Utah in 2004. The Horned Frogs are the fourth team BYU has played this season that is currently in the Top 25.

- TCU will be the fourth team BYU has played this season that is ranked in the latest national polls. The Cougars have already faced No. 16/17 Florida State, No. 19/21 Nevada and No. 23/23 Air Force. These four schools have a combined record of 22-2, with the two losses by Florida State and Air Force each coming against Oklahoma, currently ranked No. 6 in both polls.

- BYU looks to break a two-game losing streak to TCU, the longest current Cougar losing streak against a MWC opponent. BYU will attempt to win its first game at Fort Worth since 2006.

- Freshman quarterback Jake Heaps is just 13 pass completions away from setting the BYU freshman quarterback record in that category in just the seventh game and fourth start of his career. Heaps currently has 96 completions and would pass Matt Berry’s current record of 108 completions.

TOUGHEST SCHEDULE IN THE COUNTRY?

BYU’s 2010 schedule has proved to be one of the toughest among all 120 FBS schools. Three of BYU’s four losses this season have come to opponents ranked in the latest national polls, including No. 16/17 Florida State, No. 19/21 Nevada and No. 23/23 Air Force. Those three schools have a combined record of 16-2, with the two losses both coming to Oklahoma, currently ranked No. 6 in both polls. This week, BYU travels to play at No. 4/5 TCU (6-0) and will later visit No. 11/10 Utah (5-0) next month.

YOU CAN’T HAVE IT

Last Saturday against San Diego State, the BYU offense held the ball for a whopping 45:01 compared to the Aztecs’ 14:59 time of possession, an MWC record. The Cougars’ opening drive of the game lasted 8:28, going 19 plays and covering 78 yards for a touchdown, BYU’s longest drive of the season. SDSU had just one drive lasting over three minutes, with 9-of-12 Aztec drives lasting less than two minutes. BYU held the ball for at least 10 minutes each quarter of the game.

PULLING OUT THE CLOSE ONES

After defeating San Diego State last week by three points, BYU has won 13-consecutive games decided by seven points or fewer.

RUN, THEN RUN AGAIN

The BYU offense compiled 62 rushing attempts for 271 yards against San Diego State, both new season highs. The Cougars’ 62 rushing attempts are the most for the program since Nov. 23, 1996, when BYU rushed 63 times in a 37-17 win at Utah. It is also the 11th-highest number of carries by an FBS team this season. The last time BYU rushed for at least 270 yards as a team was last year against UNLV when the Cougars rushed for 291 yards. BYU’s top three runners each set new career highs in rushing attempts and yards against the Aztecs.

TREE GROWS IN PROVO

Sophomore middle linebacker Brandon Ogletree started for the second time this season against San Diego State. Ogletree made a key interception on the first play of San Diego State’s second possession, setting up BYU’s second touchdown of the game after returning the pick 11 yards to the SDSU 24-yard line. In the fourth quarter, Ogletree twice made critical plays to help BYU maintain its advantage, first bringing down the MWC’s leading rusher Ronnie Hillman for no gain on second-and three to set up a third-down incompletion and force a punt. Later, with SDSU trailing by only three with three minutes to go in the game, Ogletree broke up the SDSU third-and-10 pass attempt to force a punt and allow the Cougars to run out the clock for the win. He finished with one tackle, one interception and one pass breakup. His interception and pass breakup were both firsts for the sophomore.

RESULTS WERE NEGATIVE

The Cougars held SDSU to minus-2 yards rushing in the first half, holding Ronnie Hillman to seven yards on five rushes and sacking Ryan Lindley once for minus-9 yards. In the first quarter, the BYU defense held San Diego State to just under four minutes of possession, one first down, eight yards of total offense and minus-10 rushing yards in the first quarter, helping the Cougars to a 14-0 lead.

PAYNE SETS BYU RECORD

On his first of three PATs against San Diego State, senior kicker Mitch Payne passed former Cougar kicker Kurt Gunther (1980-82) for most PAT conversions in a career in BYU history, sending home his 163rd career conversion through the uprights. Payne is also currently 8 PAT attempts from passing Gunther’s mark of 179 in the BYU record books. He is also 56 points away from scoring the most points of any Cougar player in BYU history, a record currently held by kicker Owen Pochman (1997-00) with 333 points. In the MWC record books, Payne is 35 points away from passing his brother for first all-time in career kicking points.

For the complete BYU vs. TCU game notes, see the attached PDF file.