Two of college football’s most pleasant surprises will square off in Provo Saturday afternoon, when No. 21 BYU hosts Virginia.
BYU vs. Virginia: Game time, TV schedule, live online streaming and more
Can the Cougars continue their undefeated run?
Jay Drowns
The Cougars opened the season with a pair of road victories, defeating Connecticut 35-10 and Texas 41-7. A quick turnaround saw them hosting Houston the Thursday following their Saturday blowout in Austin, but BYU managed to pull out the 33-25 victory in that one. The Cougars are running the ball well, to just about no one's surprise, but the defense has rebounded nicely from the loss of Kyle Van Noy. BYU is giving up just 14 points per game this season.
Virginia started the year with a significantly more difficult task than the Cougars did, playing host to then-No. 7 UCLA. Three early errors from the Cavaliers’ offense resulted in three second-quarter defensive touchdowns by the Bruins, and while Virginia pretty much dominated the rest of the game, it could not muster enough to mount the full comeback. The Cavaliers responded well over the next two weeks, beating Richmond 45-13 and Louisville (ranked No. 21 at the time) 23-21.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Our sites on these teams
The numbers
Rankings and records: BYU is ranked No. 21 in the AP Poll and No. 23 in the Coaches Poll. Virginia is not ranked in either poll. The Cougars are 3-0, while the Cavaliers are 2-1. Virginia has a 3-1 all-time lead in the series.
Vegas: BYU opened as a 13.5-point favorite. The line has moved to 14.5.
Weather forecast: 79 and sunny.
Two things at stake
BYU’s only chance at the playoffs is to stay undefeated. This is a football game, which means the Cougars have to win it.
Virginia’s win over Louisville could easily be written off as a fluke if the Cavaliers struggle down the stretch again. A win here, and teams will have to take them seriously.
One big matchup
Taysom Hill’s “unquestionable swagger” vs. Virginia’s defense. The BYU quarterback has been one of college football’s most explosive talents in 2014, throwing for 689 yards and four touchdowns while running for 356 yards and six scores. He caught national attention with a long touchdown run against Texas that ended with an incredible hurdle into the end zone, and he is quite possibly the best running quarterback in the nation.
Virginia’s defense has been strong all around this season, but especially so against the run. The Cavaliers went on an 11-possession stretch against Louisville without allowing a point, and have given up just 2.62 yards per carry this season. Virginia has already faced one dual-threat quarterback in UCLA’s Brett Hundley -- its defense held him to 39 yards on 15 attempts.
Further reading
For full coverage of BYU, head over to Vanquish the Foe. For more on Virginia, check out Streaking the Lawn.
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