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PROVO — Cougar fans are still in shock over their victory over Nebraska, highlighted by what's become known as either "The Mangum Miracle" or "The Miracle at Memorial." The terrible news about Taysom Hill's season-ending injury still hasn't completely sunk in, but will have to once the Cougars and Broncos take the field Saturday, Sept. 12.
The Broncos come in fresh off surviving a scare from former coach Chris Petersen's Washington Huskies. The Broncos scored all of their points in the first half and needed a missed Huskies field goal to come away with the 16-13 victory.
The Broncos and Cougars face each other for the fourth year in a row. The Broncos hold the advantage in those games leading 2-1. Each team has won their home contests.
Here are the key stats heading into the clash between the Cougars and Broncos:
Boise State's 185 rushing yards against the Huskies
The Broncos ran all over the Huskies with two solid running backs. Jeremy McNichols finished with 24 carries for 89 yards and two touchdowns, and Kelsey Young complemented well with 13 carries for 48 yards. Boise State's rushing attack played a prominent role in its first-half success.
The Cougars' defense was advertised as one of the best in the nation as they held the Cornhuskers to 126 rushing yards. The Cornhuskers averaged 240.2 rushing yards/game in 2014. Holding them to half their average is a huge success.
If the Cougars can hold the Broncos to under 100 rushing yards, the Cougars have a great shot of leaving the game 2-0.
Tanner Mangum's 22 total collegiate snaps
The new BYU starting quarterback came into the season hoping he wouldn't have to start a game until his sophomore season. Hill's injury thrust him into a situation many thought a true freshman quarterback couldn't handle under pressure.
Wrong.
On Mangum's 22nd collegiate snap, he not only won the game on a 42-yard Hail Mary, but he may have also solidified himself as BYU's next great quarterback.
Even with only 22 snaps to work with, Mangum finished the game 7 for 11 for 111 yards and the game-winning touchdown. He also had a key 11-yard scramble for a first down on the eventual game-winning drive.
Mangum hasn't seen much action yet in his young career, but in those 22 snaps, he proved he can run the Cougar offense efficiently.
19 feet, 4 inches of starting BYU receivers
Mitch Mathews (6-foot-6), Nick Kurtz (6-foot-5) and Terenn Houk (6-foot-5) are giants in the receiving corps. Against Nebraska, Mathews had the most memorable game of the three, finishing with three receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning TD. Kurtz, quietly, had an amazing game, finishing with five receptions for 123 yards including a 38-yard reception on a fourth-and-1 in the fourth quarter. Houk dropped his first ball but played well the rest of the way, finishing with four receptions for 59 yards.
The three towers at receiver for the Cougars face a Bronco secondary that allowed only 150 receiving yards against the Huskies. Mangum could have a tough time against the Bronco secondary, but his tall receivers will make his job easier by out-reaching the smaller Bronco defenders.
Protect the quarterback! BYU quarterbacks were sacked 3 times in Lincoln
Giving up only three sacks to a Nebraska front seven loaded with NFL talent was a huge success. The BYU offensive line did an excellent job of providing both quarterbacks with enough time for plays to develop.
The Broncos don't have the most formidable pass rush so expect more blitzes against the Cougars. The Broncos need to make Mangum feel uncomfortable in his first career start, and the best way to do that is to get him on his back often.
BYU running backs finished with a total of 27 rushing yards
Adam Hine, third on the depth chart, led all BYU running backs with four carries for 37 yards. Algernon Brown, first on the depth chart, had three carries for one yard. Nate Carter, second on the depth chart, had four carries for minus-11 yards. The loss of Jamaal Williams proved to be substantial in the first game of the season.
BYU will try to improve its rushing attack against a Boise State defense that held Washington to 29 yards rushing in its season opener, proving that the Broncos defense will be one of the best in the nation. Can BYU exploit it with a steady dose of the run?
Nathan Harker is a sports writing intern currently enrolled at Brigham Young University majoring in broadcast journalism. Nathan can be reached at nathan.harker32@gmail.com or via Twitter @nharker3207.
