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PROVO — Jamaal Williams’ banner day in East Lansing, Michigan, paced BYU to a 31-14 upset of perennial Big Ten power Michigan State.
But the stunning win wasn’t won on Williams’ impressive haul of 163 yards and two touchdowns. The fifth-year senior is on pace for 1,732 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2016, but even if he doesn't reach that lofty standard, his offensive line is sure to help him to the 64 yards needed to become the Cougars' all-time rushing leader.
That mark is likely to fall sooner rather than later after the BYU offensive line played its cleanest game of the season. The hogs up front didn't allow a single sack and blocked their way to a rushing attack of 260 yards in the Cougars' fourth 200-yard rushing game of the season.
The star back took notice, too, immediately crediting his linemen for the big day.
“I just felt like we were playing our game, and our game is being aggressive, too,” Williams said. “Once you have a team like that, it’s all about imposing your will and seeing which team can get the upper hand.”
Don’t be confused, though, said modest tackle Tuni Kanuch after the game; Williams did plenty of his own work, breaking off runs like a 62-yarder in the fourth quarter and dragging Spartan defenders along for the ride.
“That dude is a beast,” Kanuch said. “Once you unlock the cage, that guy is out. You can’t stop him.
“You can’t tackle that man. You need a whole gang to tackle him.”
After struggling on offense and putting up just 16 points per game through a 1-2 start to the season, the Cougars are starting to click.
First, they put up 32 points in a loss to West Virginia, proving the offense can find rhythm — even in the Eastern time zone.
Then, 55 in a shootout win over Toledo at home.
The crowning achievement of the year, though, was the 31 points BYU scored against Michigan State. The Spartans are just a year removed from a Big Ten title and the College Football Playoff. But they’ve also lost three-straight games, including back-to-back Big Ten games for the first time since 2007.
“The reality is that we’re a 2-3 football team,” Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. “Should we handle ourselves with conviction? Those are the things we need to do to be able to turn this thing around.”
BYU (3-3) knows what it means to turn things around. After inching out results by a combined 12 points in the first five weeks of the season, Saturday’s 16-point margin of victory was a season high.
Quarterback Taysom Hill was efficient and smart, if not always flashy. The fifth-year senior completed 18-of-27 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown, and he was also the Cougars’ No. 3 rusher with 47 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.
Beyond Williams, Squally Canada ran for a career-high 50 yards on six rushes — and nearly broke into the end zone himself for the second-straight game.
“I feel like he was the spark plug for this game,” Williams said of Canada, a Washington State transfer. “The way he was running, I wanted to keep him in. You’ve got to keep that person in until they stop him. I’m proud of the way he was running.
“That’s my boy, right there. That really was my boy.”
But the offensive success started up front, with a unit that prefers to be noticed collectively anchored by center Tejan Koroma and starters Kanuch, Andrew Eide, Thomas Shoaf, Austin Hoyt and Keyan Norman.
“Our offensive line really set the tone for what we have been able to do the last few weeks,” Hill said. “Looking at the stats, we had no sacks, rushed for 263 yards, and any time you do that, it starts up front. Those guys did great, and really gave us an opportunity to win this game.”
You've gotta see the celebration in the locker room after beating Michigan State. @JackDamuni and @kalanifsitake got the moves 👀 pic.twitter.com/TvLsY8FjJA
— The Roar Of Cougars (@byuROC) October 9, 2016
On the other side of the trenches, Sae Tautu was a game-changer at defensive end. The senior emerged from a one-half suspension following a targeting ejection against Toledo to tally a team-high six tackles and two sacks.
When he got the chance to leave the press box and re-enter the field, he made sure not to waste any time with a tackle on his second play from scrimmage and a sack on the third.
“We watched a lot of film as a team, and they were exactly what we thought they would be,” Tautu said. “I think our preparation was better than their preparation. We were ready for the shots they took, and we won it then.”
Tautu wasn't the only Cougar defender playing with a shot at redemption.
"I know I played with a chip on my shoulder in this game, knowing they were going to try to run the ball on us, (and) just based on how we performed the last couple of weeks," linebacker Fred Warner said. "So we came ready to go and had that intensity that I wanted."
BYU survived the first half of its schedule with a .500 record against five Power-5 programs and one high-scoring Group of Five outfit. The remaining six games include one Power 5, three Group of Five programs (including No. 19 Boise State), independent UMass and Big Sky foe Southern Utah.
And they’ll go into the stretch with back-to-back wins for the first time this year.
“We just need this momentum,” Tautu said. “We had that three-game streak, but I think if we had won one, we would’ve had confidence. This win and last week’s win kicks us forward a bit and helps us going forward into next week.”
