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The BYU Cougars enjoyed a 52-13 win over Idaho on senior night at Lavell Edwards Stadium. We all expected a blowout and that's exactly what we saw.
With BYU's defense playing at a high level every game, the offense needed to use these final games as an opportunity to improve. Despite Idaho's defense being below average, I thought the Cougar offense made strides today. The passing game improved; becoming more than just a series of short passes and screens. Riley Nelson spread the ball around and even went deep to Ross Apo.
The prize of the BYU offense is freshman running back Jamaal Williams. Williams became the first BYU freshman with three 100-yard rushing games in a season. Jamaal rushed for 104 yards on 10 carries in just two quarters. This kid is the real deal and has a bright future as the Cougars every-down back.
The defense was stingy as always. Really good offenses have had problems against the Cougar defense, so that fact that Idaho struggled all night long was not a surprise. No matter who BYU plays, the defense believes they are going to dominate; and in most cases they do.
While most of us thought bowl eligibility would come much earlier in the season, Saturday night's win means BYU will play in their eighth consecutive bowl game. That accomplishment alone is deserving of high praise. The Cougars will play in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego on December 20th.
This season hasn't turned out like we thought it would before the year began. That doesn't mean there aren't things to play for. Every team wants to finish a season strong because it sends you into the offseason feeling good and hopefully translates into the following year's preparation.
With bowl eligibility in-hand, BYU can now focus on ending the year on a high note. The Cougars will play at San Jose State next Saturday and then wrap up the regular season at New Mexico State on November 24th.
