Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Florida State did the Cougars no favors last night in losing a lead and the game to Miami, 38-34. Assuming BYU gets past Tulane, a top 15, 2-0 BYU team facing a top 15, 2-0 Seminoles squad on September 19th would have been the best case scenario.
Now, with the 'Noles home loss, just staying in the Top 25 this week would be a victory for FSU. Considering the nature of last night's game and the national attention it garnered, Florida State just might stay in the poll, while the Hurricanes may enter the rankings. If that is the case, BYU can still count on playing a ranked FSU at Lavell Edwards Stadium, and in the battle to win strength of schedule points, it's imperative the Seminoles win as many games as possible after their trip to Provo. Considering how they played last night (despite their miserable last minute), the 'Noles can win a lot of games in the ACC.
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The first week's NCAA stats are out, and contained in the landslide of data is this nugget..
Only four of 110 FBS teams recorded less than a yard per carry in their weekend games. Those teams:
Akron (31-7 losers to #8 Penn State; 4th loss in a row): 28 yards on 30 carries.
New Mexico (41-6 losers to Texas A&M; 5th loss in a row): 21 yards on 24 carries.
San Jose State (56-3 losers to #4 USC; 4th loss in a row): 9 yards on 31 carries.
and...
#20 BYU (14-13 winners over #3 Oklahoma): 28 yards on 33 carries.
YET...
BYU had the 5th best time of possession on the weekend, at 37:02.
...proving, sometimes it's not always how well you run, but that you run just enough. Of course, BYU also has one of the best ball control pass attacks in the country.
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Tulane has the nation's second longest current losing streak at nine games (Washington has lost 15 in a row).
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Check back here later this morning for Bronco Mendenhall's Weekly Press Conference remarks and player interviews. KSL Newsradio's Doug Wright also plans to carry the first few minutes of the recorded presser on his show at around 10:50 am.
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