BYU Football Questions Answered In Loss Against Iowa State
Nov 11, 2023, 11:55 PM | Updated: Nov 13, 2023, 3:30 pm
PROVO, Utah – The BYU football team was soundly defeated by Iowa State 45-13.
Let’s answer some questions from a game where Iowa State became bowl eligible.
Who was the MVP for BYU football?
Although it’s hard to say any single player was the most valuable after 32 point home loss, I’ll give the nod to Isaac Rex.
He’s been waiting a long time to set the career record for most touchdown receptions by a tight end.
The first BYU offense drive of the third quarter ended in a beautiful trick-play touchdown pass to Rex from Parker Kingston.
Isaac Rex passes TE Gordon Hudson with 23 career receiving TDs for No. 1 among BYU tight ends with his second of the year (26-yards) #BYUFootball
— BYU Game Notes (@BYUGameNotes) November 12, 2023
Rex tied the record previously held by Gordon Hudson in the second game of the season against Southern Utah University.
Eight games later, he holds a record that will be very difficult to beat.
What was the most impactful play of the game?
Midway through the second quarter, the BYU offense faced another third-and-long situation.
Quarterback Jake Retzlaff tried to pick up the first down with his feet.
Instead, he was ripped down by Joey Peterson of Iowa State before the marker.
It was an awkward tackle because it was an obvious face mask on Iowa State.
Big 12 refs missed a facemask. #BYU fans are not happy.
Drive stalls near midfield and BYU has to punt.#BYUFootball
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 12, 2023
Had the penalty been called, the BYU offense would have had a first down situation within field goal range.
Instead, they were forced to punt the football away.
It would have been a great opportunity for the Cougars to cut into the Cyclone lead.
Iowa State then ripped off 21 unanwered points in the second quarter to take a 31-7 halftime lead.
What was the most interesting stat from the game?
Third down has hurt BYU football on both sides of the ball this season.
It wasn’t any different against Iowa State.
At one point in the game, the Cyclones had converted six consecutive third downs.
Meanwhile, the BYU offense couldn’t keep drives alive.
They went 1 for 11 on third down.
It was just as bad on fourth down where they only converted once on four attempts.
Numbers like that will result in beatdown losses in conference play.
When was the game lost for BYU football?
BYU scored for first touchdown of the third quarter, cutting the Iowa State lead down to 18 points with plenty of time left.
Unfortantely, the defensive woes that hurt BYU in the second quarter continued in the third quarter.
On the third play of the ensuing drive, Cyclone quarterback Rocco Becht threw a quick pass to Jaylin Noel who took it the house.
It was a 66-yard touchdown pass on a ball that traveled eight yards in the air before Noel took to the distance.
Tough night for #BYU and an even worse night for the grass at Lavell Edwards Stadium. #BYUFootball @kslsports
— Matthew Baiamonte (@baiamontematt) November 12, 2023
Any momentum BYU briefly gained on the previous scoring play to Isaac Rex was gone.
The same might be true for the Cougars chances to go to a bowl game.
You can hear Matt Baiamonte every Saturday on KSL Newsradio for Cougar Sports Saturday from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. or you can find him on Twitter here.
