Field Level Media
Nov 7, 2020
Zach Wilson passed for 359 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a score as No. 9 BYU rolled to a convincing 51-17 road victory over No. 21 Boise State in nonconference play on Friday night.
Tyler Allgeier scored on an 86-yard run as part of a 123-yard, two-touchdown outing and Isaac Rex caught two touchdown passes for the Cougars (8-0), who continued their best start since the 2001 squad won its first 12 games.
BYU had five touchdown drives of at least 72 yards -- including excursions of 95 and 96 yards -- while winning at Boise State (2-1) for the first time in six visits.
Wilson, who initially committed to the Broncos in the summer of 2017 before later reneging, completed 21 of 27 passes as the Cougars outgained Boise State 573 yards to 310. Lopini Katoa also rushed for a touchdown for BYU.
The 34-point margin of defeat represents the worst home loss for Boise State this century.
Broncos quarterback Jack Sears departed with an apparent head injury with 8:25 left in the first quarter. Sears completed all four of his passes for 41 yards before leaving.
Usual starter Hank Bachmeier missed his second straight game for undisclosed reasons. Boise State announced that four players missed Friday's game due to COVID-19 protocols but didn't divulge identities.
Cade Fennegan replaced Sears and completed 15 of 26 passes for 182 yards with two touchdowns, one interception and one fumble. Fennegan tossed fourth-quarter touchdowns of 52 and 46 yards, both to Khalil Shakir, who had 10 receptions for 139 yards.
BYU wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as Allgeier shed a tackler at the line of scrimmage on the team's second offensive play and raced down the center of the field for the 86-yard score. It was the Cougars' longest run since Mike Hague ran for an 87-yard score against UNLV in 2006.
Sears left three-plus minutes later during a 16-play, 53-yard drive that ended with a 39-yard field goal by Jonah Dalmas with 3:27 remaining in the first.
Jake Oldroyd booted a 47-yard field goal at the outset of the second quarter to give BYU a 10-3 lead. Wilson scored on a 4-yard run with one minute left in the half to cap an eight-play, 96-yard drive. Boise State's Scott Matlock blocked the extra point.
The Cougars drove 86 yards on five plays to start a 22-point third quarter. Wilson tossed back-to-back 38-yard completions to Dax Milne and Gunner Romney (six receptions, 133 yards) before hitting Rex on a 5-yard scoring pass to make it 23-3 with 12:48 left in the third quarter.
Wilson connected with Rex on a 20-yard touchdown and tacked on a two-point throw to Neil Pau'u with 6:57 left in the stanza. Katoa scored on a 20-yard scamper to make it 38-3 with 1:26 remaining in the third, and BYU went on to the victory.
--Field Level Media