Instant Takeaways From BYU’s Statement Big 12 Victory At UCF
Oct 26, 2024, 5:20 PM | Updated: Oct 28, 2024, 3:06 pm
ORLANDO, Fla. – No. 11 BYU football improved to 8-0 this season after taking down the UCF Knights in Big 12 Conference action in Orlando. The Cougars ran for 252 yards, and the defense forced two turnovers in a 37-24 win.
8-0 vibes for #BYU pic.twitter.com/JLfWvzeTB7
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) October 26, 2024
BYU football came out aggressive on offense
Every week, BYU looks to make a statement. The eighth statement of the season was coming out aggressive on offense.
They started by handing the ball off to LJ Martin, who ran with the aggressive mindset the offense was looking to deliver.
The option pitches had UCF guessing, then QB Jake Retzlaff would hit the Knights through the air.
It was an aggressive, balanced approach that left UCF defensive coordinator Ted Roof guessing at every turn.
BYU’s first five scoring drives took at least 72 yards to get down the field. Those long, efficient drives ate up a lot of time to keep the ball away from UCF.
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Kept UCF’s high-powered ground attack in check
BYU allowed one 54-yard run from RJ Harvey, which set up one of the Knights’ three touchdowns in the game. But for the most part, BYU kept UCF’s running game in check.
Entering the game, UCF had the third-best rushing offense in college football. Limiting the number of plays UCF ran helped BYU’s efforts.
How was BYU an underdog?
BYU football opened this week as a favorite. But then, the prognosticators leaned in favor of UCF. Why? Yes, UCF had a good ground attack, but at some point, people have to recognize BYU is a good football team.
Earlier in the week, on an Orlando sports radio station, a college football analyst called BYU “a fraud.”
BYU has done nothing so far to show that it is a fraud. What’s impressive is that more than half of its Big 12 wins this season have been by two scores or more.
Second quarter touchdown to Chase Roberts shows BYU always has an answer
Throughout this season, BYU always has an answer whenever momentum or a game looks to be slipping away from them.
UCF was gaining momentum after cutting BYU’s first half lead of 17-0 down to 17-10. BYU took over possession after UCF’s field goal with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter.
That was music to the ears of Jake Retzlaff, who loves the two-minute drill.
Retzlaff had a third-and-8 with 37 seconds remaining in the half, and he connected with Chase Roberts. Initially, the completion looked to be a chain mover, but Roberts was able to break free down the sideline, and he scored a 67-yard touchdown.
The touchdown took away any of the momentum UCF had built.
Then to follow it up, BYU’s defense forced the UCF offense to a three-and-out to begin the third quarter.
No matter the circumstances, BYU football has always found answers this season.
Another example of BYU always having an answer was in the fourth quarter. BYU was up 34-18 on third-and-nine from its own territory, Jake Retzlaff picked up the first down on a QB run.
BYU appears destined to reach Big 12 Championship Game
At 8-0 overall, 5-0 in Big 12 play, and with four games remaining on the schedule, BYU looks destined to reach the Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, Texas.
BYU has two games remaining in Provo and two on the road, one of which is at rival Utah. However, BYU should be favored in its remaining four games. Iowa State looked vulnerable against this same UCF team last week, and BYU still holds the tiebreaker over Kansas State.
After seeing how BYU dominated UCF on Saturday, I think it’s time for BYU fans to start considering potential travel plans for Arlington, Texas, on December 7.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
