BYU quarterback Jaren Corridor tries to elude Baylor lineman TJ Franklin at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. The Cougars take their present on the highway Saturday for a matinee at No. 25 Oregon. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
EUGENE, Ore. — Plenty of kids, particularly within the West within the Nineteen Nineties and 2000s, grew up dreaming of taking part in faculty soccer for or in opposition to the USC Trojans.
Previously decade or so, nonetheless, plainly one other West Coast program has moved to the forefront within the hearts and minds of the present football-playing collegians: Oregon.
That appears to be significantly true for this crop of BYU Cougars, who will face the Geese at 1:30 p.m. MDT Saturday at Autzen Stadium in an early season sport with huge implications for each packages. No. 12 BYU (2-0) is trying to validate final week’s 26-20 double-overtime win over Baylor and preserve its dream alive of taking part in in a big-time bowl sport in its final season of independence; No. 25 Oregon (1-1) will attempt to restore some Pac-12 delight after the league went 0-5 in opposition to the Cougars final 12 months, and its personal self-confidence after getting drubbed 49-3 by now-No. 1 Georgia in its opener.
“Yeah, as a child, it was a brilliant cool program to have a look at, as a result of they acquired all of the cool jerseys and the good services and the Nike (sponsorship). Rising up you'll all the time watch Oregon and as a child you'll have a dream to play there each every so often.” — BYU linebacker Payton Wilgar
“Everyone is aware of about Oregon, watched Oregon rising up, considered what it will be wish to (put on) these jerseys,” stated BYU backup working again Miles Davis, who's from Las Vegas. “It's a dream come true to play them.”
Sure, the uniforms. They're what BYU gamers talked about probably the most this week once they had been requested the very first thing that involves thoughts in regards to the Geese. After all, the gamers inside these uniforms — among the most extremely recruited athletes within the nation, in lots of instances — have the Cougars’ full consideration, too.
“Yeah, Autzen has acquired a fantastic rep (as a terrific place to play),” stated BYU linebacker Ben Bywater. “I'm excited; the massive video games are what you play for. Nobody needs to play little small groups that nobody reveals as much as (watch). So, prime-time soccer, Saturday at 1:30 p.m., it's going to be huge time. I'm able to rock and roll.”
Mentioned security Malik Moore: “Oregon is clearly a superb staff. However we're going into the sport like it's one other sport. We don’t go into video games fearing anyone. … However every time I consider Oregon, I simply consider the cool uniforms.”
The Geese will probably be sporting what they name their “nightmare inexperienced” colour on their helmets, jersey tops and pants — with yellow trim. Additionally a Nike college in relation to uniforms, BYU will put on royal blue helmets, white jersey tops and bottoms, with royal blue trim.
“Yeah, as a child, it was a brilliant cool program to have a look at, as a result of they acquired all of the cool jerseys and the good services and the Nike (sponsorship). Rising up you'll all the time watch Oregon and as a child you'll have a dream to play there each every so often,” stated BYU linebacker Payton Wilgar. “However for me, it was all the time BYU as a result of my dad (Dana Wilgar) performed right here and whatnot.”
The Cougars haven’t simply ready for Auburn switch quarterback Bo Nix and firm, they’ve ready for a loud, raucous crowd at Autzen Stadium, which wasn’t fairly offered out noon Friday however carries the status as one of many hardest locations to play in all of faculty soccer.
“That is only a nice alternative,” stated BYU receivers coach Fesi Sitake. “I'm excited as a coach and a fan. However I'm extra excited for these gamers to expertise a cool ambiance in one of many nice venues within the nation. It is going to be a enjoyable one.”
Sitake, cousin of head coach Kalani Sitake, stated the Cougars spent the week simulating the group noise with audio system cranked to excessive throughout practices, however there's solely a lot coaches can do. Of larger concern, he and cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford stated, is Oregon’s expertise and velocity.
“It is going to be an enormous problem for my guys.” Gilford stated, alluding to cornerbacks D’Angelo Mandell, Kaleb Hayes, Gabe Jeudy-Lally and Jakob Robinson. “However my guys all the time are up for it. They look ahead to it. I've a veteran group, with the 4 that play. All of them work onerous, watch a ton of movie. They're all trying ahead to the problem.”
Regardless of BYU being the higher-ranked staff and its five-game profitable streak over Pac-12 groups, Oregon is a four-point favourite, which accounts for that home-field benefit. However additionally it is a nod towards the form of expertise, athleticism and velocity in inexperienced on Saturday.
“It's nonetheless Oregon,” BYU defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki stated. “We're excited to enter a hostile surroundings and battle and have one other robust, bodily sport. It's gong to take every thing we’ve acquired to win this one. Our boys perceive it and understand it, and we have now acquired to point out up.”
Hayes, the cornerback who went 0-2 in opposition to Oregon as a member of the Oregon State Beavers, stated the expertise is comparable, and that rankings and status don’t matter.
“I don’t actually care about rankings, to be sincere with you,” Hayes stated. “I believe that could be a loser’s sport when you concentrate on rankings, stats, all that. … I really feel like rankings are simply hype. I'm not actually a hype man. I'm not actually a hype prepare dude. I simply play soccer. … It's robust to win. I don’t actually chirp about rankings.”
One other storyline to the primary Oregon-BYU matchup because the 2006 Las Vegas Bowl — a 38-8 BYU win — are the well being of BYU receivers Puka Nacua and Gunner Romney and defensive finish Tyler Batty. All three are game-time choices, and all three will probably be missed if they'll’t play.
“We simply gotta observe this wave of confidence. It was nice to beat Baylor final week, however we have now one other robust opponent this week so we gotta play like we all know we are able to play and deal with this as a complete new week and have a short-term reminiscence and play bodily and simply take it one drive at a time like we did vs. Baylor,” stated BYU defensive lineman John Nelson.
As for the notion that the sport is a few kind of referendum on BYU’s latest success in opposition to the Pac-12 and its transfer to the Large 12 in 2023, BYU’s head coach spent the week downplaying that concept.
“I haven’t even considered it,” Sitake stated. “Our staff doesn’t assume like that. We're simply completely happy to play one other sport. So, I'm not going to enter all of the aspect tales and stuff like that. We're going to be centered on this sport, this opponent, this week, and what we see on movie.
“What we see is a extremely proficient soccer staff, with a extremely high quality (teaching workers). They're beginning to get issues (collectively). You could possibly see if from Week 1 to Week 2. And we expect their finest coming this Saturday.”
And that clearly contains the uniforms.
Cougars on the air
No. 12 BYU (2-0) at No. 25 Oregon (1-1)
Saturday, 1:30 p.m. MDT
Autzen Stadium
Eugene, Oregon
TV: Fox
Radio: KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM/1160 AM