BYU (2-0) has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2020 college football season so far and is doing so in dominating fashion.
The 22nd-ranked Cougars have outscored their opponents (Navy and Troy) by a combined score of 103-10. Those numbers would even be more lopsided if the Cougars didn’t take a knee near the goal line in both games late in the fourth quarter to show good sportsmanship.
The Cougar offense has been putting on a show as the team is currently averaging 51.5 points and 622 yards per game. And it’s not like BYU has played a bunch of cupcake teams either as USA TODAY statistician Jeff Sagarin ranks BYU’s schedule as the 32nd most difficult in the country so far.
Navy finished 11-2 last year with a Top 25 ranking. Meanwhile, Troy finished 5-7 last year, after a 10-3 season the previous year, which included a win over Nebraska. Troy also beat LSU in 2017 and gave Clemson all it could handle in 2016.
That’s pretty good right? https://t.co/YDD281IzgI
— Allison Williams (@AllisonW_Sports) September 27, 2020
To put things in perspective of just how dominate BYU has been this year, the total margin of victory (+93) is the second most through the first two weeks of play in program history. The current point margin record (+98) came in 1977 when BYU beat Kansas State (39-0) and Utah State (65-6).
Here’s a breakdown of how BYU has fared on both sides of the ball compared to past years.
Team Offense
2020 — 51.5 points and 622 yards per game
2019 — 28.5 points and 443.8 yards per game
2018 — 27.2 points and 364.9 yards per game
2017 — 17.1 points and 325.2 yards per game
Turnovers
Based on current trends — and if BYU was playing a 13 game schedule — the Cougars would finish the season with just 13 turnovers.
2020 (2 turnovers) — 1 fumble, 1 interception
2019 (26 turnovers) — 15 fumbles, 11 interceptions
2018 (23 turnovers) — 16 fumbles, 7 interceptions
2017 (32 turnovers) — 13 fumbles, 19 interceptions
Team Defense
2020 — 5.0 points allowed per game, 165 yards of total offense allowed
2019 — 25.6 points allowed per game, 393.5 yards of total offense allowed
2018 — 21.3 points allowed per game, 324.1 yards of total offense allowed
2017 — 24.6 points allowed per game, 372.8 yards of total offense allowed
Sacks
Based on current trends — and if BYU was playing a 13 game schedule — the Cougars would finish the season with 58 sacks for a loss of 344 yards.
2020 — 9 sacks for a loss of 53 yards
2019 — 17 sacks for a loss of 108 yards
2018 — 27 sacks for a loss of 160 yards
2017 — 17 sacks for a loss of 106 yards
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Field Goals
Based on current trends — and if BYU was playing a 13 game schedule — the Cougars would finish the season with 26 made field goals and 100% accuracy.
2020 — 4-4 (100%)
2019 — 17-27 (63%)
2018 — 11-16 (69%)
2017 — 14-20 (70%)
Punts
Based on current trends — and if BYU was playing a 13 game schedule — the Cougars would finish the season having punted the ball just 13 times.
2020 — 2 punts, 47.0 yards per punt
2019 — 53 punts, 41.7 yards per punt
2018 — 63 punts, 40.1 yards per punt
2017 — 60 punts, 42.9 yards per punt
Penalties
Based on current trends — and if BYU was playing a 13 game schedule — the Cougars would finish the season with just 19 penalties for 130 yards. The offense has been so efficient because penalties are not continuously killing drives.
2020 — 3 penalties for 20 yards, 10 yards per game
2019 — 79 penalties for 668 yards, 51.4 yards per game
2018 — 74 penalties for 633 yards, 48.7 yards per game
2017 — 59 penalties for 509 yards, 39.2 yards per game
Red Zone Scores
Based on current trends — and if BYU was playing a 13 game schedule — the Cougars would finish the season with 78 red zone scores and 58 touchdowns.
2020 — Red zone scores (12-14) 86%, red zone touchdowns (9-14) 64%
2019 — Red zone scores (44-60) 73%, red zone touchdowns (31-60) 52%
2018 — Red zone scores (44-52) 85%, red zone touchdowns (36-52) 69%
2017 — Red zone scores (28-38) 74%, red zone touchdowns (17-38) 45%
Note: The red zone scores and touchdowns include the two kneel downs at the goal line. Adjusting for the good sportsmanship, the Cougars would be 100% in red zone scores and 75% in red zone touchdowns this year.
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