Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PROVO — On a night when Jaren Hall's top receiver re-emerged (and possibly left the game with another injury), two more wide receivers broke free for the BYU passing game in a key win over Wyoming.
Hall threw for 337 yards and four touchdowns, and No. 19 BYU pulled away down the stretch en route to a 38-24 win Saturday night over Wyoming in front of an announced crowd of 60,092 fans at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Keanu "Kebo" Hill hauled in five passes for a career-high 160 yards, including a career-long 68-yard catch for his second touchdown for the Cougars (3-1), who rolled up more than 500 yards of offense.
Miles Davis sparked a struggling run game with a career-high 131 yards, including a career-long 70-yard sprint in the fourth quarter to help BYU pull away for good. Kody Epps added a touchdown for the second-straight game, hauling in a 3-yard catch from Hall on the Cougars' first drive of the second half to go up 21-10.
One week after a humbling 41-20 loss at Oregon, the Cougars responded with a physical-first game plan against a Mountain West contender and struggled early. But it's not how you start; it's how you finish.
"We did enough to win the game," BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. "A lot of credit to Wyoming; Craig Bohl is an amazing coach, and he had his guys ready to play. They played tough, physical football, and we needed it.
"It was a good way to see our guys respond or fold."
Even without much of a run game — BYU ran for 188 yards, most of them as Davis pulled away late — the Cougars pulled away with a dynamic passing attack led by Hall and a cast of receivers that welcomed back Puka Nacua from an ankle injury.
Come along for the ride😎 pic.twitter.com/70yNN9n1HL
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) September 25, 2022
Nacua's biggest contribution of the night was a 14-yard run on a jet sweep (which BYU fans missed in the last two games?), but Epps, Hill and Brayden Cosper more than made up for the difference. The Orem High product left the game in the fourth quarter, being helped off the field after slipping on the turf and pointing to his left knee while medical personnel worked to diagnose him.
Sitake didn't have an update on Nacua's condition after the game, but mostly said the team doctors will perform an MRI on his knee Sunday to learn more. Nacua's status for Thursday's kickoff against Utah State is, at best, questionable.
More likely improbably, maybe even doubtful. But Sitake wouldn't confirm that much.
"I'm always hopeful," he said. "But I don't have many answers on it, too. Puka was a game-time decision tonight, as was Gunner (Romney, who didn't play for the fourth-straight week); there were a lot of guys we held off on with the plan to play next week."
His teammates carried plenty of the load, beginning with Hill, who caught all five of his targets, including a career-long 68 yarder where he dragged a Wyoming defender into the end zone en route to a 35-17 lead. That one didn't even require a Griddy, the popular dance move he busted out on the first touchdown that led to a penalty — one of 11 flags thrown against the Cougars for a total of 109 yards.
The one for the celebratory Griddy? Yeah, Hill probably deserved that, he admits.
"You know, we preach about not being selfish," Hill said. "And honestly, that's not part of our culture.
"I would say I had a great night, but I still see some flaws here and there," he added. "Every time I'm on the field, sometimes I would kind of take off, which I don't like. I just have to stay locked in and focused on every play, even the run games."
Former Utah State quarterback Andrew Peasley threw for 154 yards and two touchdowns for Wyoming (3-2), which got 78 yards on the ground from Titus Swen.
The duo were nearly unstoppable early in the first half, such as when Peasley handed off to Wyatt Wieland and the wide receiver turned a jet sweep into a 4-yard touchdown to go up 10-7 in the second quarter.
But on a night when Hall became the 20th quarterback all-time to eclipse the 4,000-yard mark at BYU, the redshirt junior signal caller gave all the credit to his supporting cast — from Hill to Davis to Epps and Cosper. Even Chris Brooks scored on a 6-yard run after big gains by Hill (47 yards) and Isaac Rex (32 yards).
After losing tight end Dallin Holker to a presumed transfer in the middle of the week, Hall showed he has more than enough ammo to succeed in what may be his final season at BYU.
"It was a lot of emotion, from the loss (at Oregon) to losing Dallin that we all love so much; we wish he was out there with us," Hall said. "It took us a couple of days to figure out how we were going to move forward. But we luckily have Kalani leading the way, and he reminded us to love and learn. Our love for each other is what got us back to being ready to play.
"But it was definitely a process."
BYU had just 36 rushing yards before the break, but out-gained the Pokes 206-155 through the first two quarters. But Swen was limited in the second half as Peasley and the Cowboys chased a deficit that swelled as high as 28-10 when Hall hit Hill for a 9-yard touchdown with 1:13 left in the third quarter, capping a 21-0 run.
Credit to that goes to Tyler Batty, who stuffed his first sack of the season; John Nelson, who added another; and a defensive effort led by Micah Harper's six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, and five stops each from Ben Bywater and Keenan Pili.
"It's about time, that's all I've got to say," Batty said, later adding: "We have a good D-line room. We have a ton of talent in there, and more importantly, a ton of hard workers. To see those guys get on the field is exciting, and when they make plays like that, it's a lot of fun."
