MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia is currently a 5-point favorite over BYU, a team for which every point has been crucial and excruciating this season.
Among 128 FBS teams, the Cougars rank 119th in scoring (17.0 points per game), 119th in passing efficiency, 107th in rushing offense, 105th in total offense, and 124th in passing yards per completion. What in the name of Ty Detmer is happening out there?
Trailing 17-0 against UCLA on Saturday, first-year BYU coach Kalani Sitake considered switching quarterbacks. He stuck with senior Taysom Hill, who got the Cougars only close enough to lose 17-14, so this might be the week sophomore Tanner Mangum makes his return.
Mangum, you’ll recall, threw the game-winning Hail Mary at Nebraska last year in relief of Hill before going 8-4 as a starter.
Detmer, you’ll recall, owns a Heisman Trophy from his All-American days in Provo, A quarter-century later, fans are more inclined to judge him on this year’s offense, which has lagged and dragged and foots most of the blame for BYU’s 1-2 start.
The Cougars suffered three-and-outs on half their 14 drives against UCLA, and so far this season, only three FBS teams have punted more than BYU. (Remember when West Virginia fans thought Mizzou had an inept offense?)
The Lunch addresses BYU, plus our weekly tour “Around the Big 12 in 12 Seconds” in which the league probably kissed goodbye to the college football playoffs.