A near-perfect Max Hall threw four touchdown
passes in less than three full quarters of action, as 25th-ranked BYU pummeled
Wyoming, 52-0, at War Memorial Stadium.
Only two of Hall's 22 attempts through the air missed their intended targets
while the senior quarterback racked up 312 passing yards for the Cougars (7-2,
4-1 MWC), who hadn't played since a 38-7 loss at home to nationally ranked TCU
on October 24.
McKay Jacobson had 100 yards and a score on three receptions, while J.J. Di
Luigi caught two touchdown passes.
"We played very clean football and played well from beginning to end," said
BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall. "I was impressed with our team and the
preparation of our staff."
Harvey Unga accumulated 85 yards on 16 carries for BYU, which produced points
on each of its first seven drives. Manase Tonga caught a touchdown pass and
recorded another score on the ground.
Austyn Carta-Samuels connected on 14-of-23 passes for 108 yards for the
Cowboys (4-5, 2-3), who have dropped three straight.
"BYU is a very good football team and an established program," said Wyoming
head coach Dave Christensen. "My hat is off to them, they came out, executed
plays and did what they needed to do to stop us. I would certainly say that we
had a hand in making it easy for them. We didn't do much to slow them down or
move the football against them."
BYU got the ball to begin the game, and Hall floated a perfect pass to Di
Luigi streaking down the right sideline for a 44-yard touchdown. A 36-yard
Mitch Payne field goal capped a 12-play drive for the Cougars with 2:33
remaining in the first quarter.
Tonga's two-yard TD reception extended BYU's lead to 17-0 less than two
minutes into the second frame. After Wyoming was forced to punt, Hall and
Jacobson hooked up for a 79-yard scoring play on first down of the ensuing
possession.
The advantage ballooned to 31-0 on a six-yard dash by Tonga with 4:24
remaining before halftime. The score finished off a 10-play, 80-yard march.
BYU continued to pour it on in the second half as Bryan Kariya punched it in
from two yards out. Di Luigi's second TD of the game -- a 15-yard reception --
made it 45-0 with 7:17 left in the third quarter.
A 10-yard TD run by Riley Nelson accounted for all the scoring in the final
stanza.
Game Notes
BYU outgained the Cowboys, 543-225...Wyoming recorded just 13 first
downs...Di Luigi finished with 94 yards on five catches...Alvester Alexander
rushed for 49 yards on 10 carries for Wyoming...David Leonard made seven grabs
for 53 yards in the loss for the Cowboys...BYU visits New Mexico next
Saturday, while Wyoming travels to San Diego State.
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