BYU Wins in Historic Fashion

by Candace Salima

Last night, the Brigham Young University Cougars saw a repeat of the week before, but this "delay of game" due to rain was much more serious than in Virginia. My phone was getting blown up with text messages from the National Weather Service and local news services. It looked like heaven decided to just open up the dams and let it pour. Sheets of rain were pouring down our window, the tree out front swinging wildly in the wind. And this is how the BYU football stadium looked during the game delay.

LaVell Edwards Stadium, Brigham Young University, 4:00pm MDT on 7 September 2013

Facebook was exploding with pictures of flooded homes, streets and this was the University Mall parking lot. People were out sandbagging the streets, bailing out the flooded basements of homes across the valley, and all the while, the people of Utah Valley were anxiously waiting for the game to start.

In our neighborhood, the wind was mighty and the rain torrential, but we had no flooding. And, if you go to the BYU Football Facebook Page, you'll see some stunning pictures.

Through all this, Bronco Mendenhall and Robert Anae managed to keep the team warm, loosened up and ready to play. And wow, when they came out, they came out to rule the field. There would be no repeat of last week's game against the University of Virginia.

Taysom Hill had a difficult first half. One incompleted pass after another, and it seemed as if BYU's defense was going to spend most of the time on the field. But that changed, and it did so toward the end of the first half.

First, Eathyn Manumaleuna and Kyle Van Noy ruled the field, with the BYU secondary owning it as well. They kept the #15 ranked team in the nation, the Texas Longhorns, to a measly 21 points while BYU's offense smashed the school's rushing record. Between Taysom Hill who is the quarterback, Jamal Williams and others, they racked up 550 unprecedented rushing yards against the Longhorns. Taysom Hill, alone, rushed for 259 yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, and just for kicks and giggles, he passed for 129 yards. (He needs to pick up the passing yardage.)

Play after play was delivered with clean precision, and the BYU football team marched relentlessly down the field, time and time again. If the Offense fumbled, the Defense took it right back. And the Defense rarely, if ever, had a misstep. It was a fun night for Cougar Fans all the way around. However...

In particular, I noticed an incident at the end of a Jamal Williams run and first down. In the pile, I saw a Longhorn football player take Jamal's shoulders and pull him backward into an almost 90 degree angle position. He could have broken Jamal's back and most certainly injure him greatly. As it was, Jamal stumbled off the field and nearly fell to his knees as he crossed the sideline. This was uncalled for and the NCAA should be issuing a fine to the player and the University of Texas Longhorns. This was above and beyond the rough and tumble of football, and edging into criminal assault.

All that aside, BYU took down the #15 ranked team in the nation in glorious fashion, spanked 'em and sent them home. Congratulations, to our BYU Cougars! I hope they bring this same A-game to the BYU/UofU game next week. 

BYU 40 - Texas 21

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Copyright 2013. All rights reserved by Candace E. Salima.