BYU defensive linemen Lorenzo Fauatea (55) and Bruce Mitchell (96) have a good time a giant play throughout recreation at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Saturday night time in Las Vegas the Cougars face Notre Dame. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser directs a play throughout recreation in opposition to North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Saturday night time among the many vibrant lights of Las Vegas, Notre Dame and BYU will battle on the gridiron. Related Press, Chris Seward
BYU and Notre Dame will personal Las Vegas on Saturday night time. The biggest venue within the metropolis, Allegiant Stadium, will probably be filled with soccer followers who paid good cash for a ticket to observe what they hope will probably be a basic battle.
Identical to Las Vegas itself, the sport comes with no ensures and no reimbursements. What we see is what we get. It’s not not like the buildup to a heavyweight boxing match. Having spent 20 years working in tv in Las Vegas, I've witnessed firsthand the joys when a battle lives as much as its billing — and the frustration when it doesn’t.
The important thing think about a memorable match is the model of the fighters. If two brawlers’ step into the ring, a brawl is what we'll get. If a pair of defensive-minded fighters duke it out, we’ll possible see a snoozer.
The excellent news for Saturday is the No. 16 Cougars and Irish carry related types to the battle. Neither crew runs a selection offense and the core success for each hinges on the line of scrimmage.
The Irish run first and move second. Notre Dame rushed 51 instances two weeks in the past at North Carolina, however 5-foot-11, 198-pound sophomore quarterback Drew Pyne, enjoying for the injured Tyler Buchner, additionally threw three landing passes in a 45-32 win.
BYU would like to run first and move second, however to date this season, the Cougars have opted to throw first, with 6-1, 205-pound junior quarterback Jaren Corridor finishing a shocking 70.2% of his 171 move makes an attempt with only one interception.
These two heavyweights tip the stat scale with a number of similarities. The Irish common 4 yards per rush try and 11.6 yards per reception. Audic Estime, a 5-11, 227-pound working again, leads the crew with 4.9 yards per carry and 4 touchdowns, and 6-5, 265-pound tight finish Michael Mayer spearheads the passing assault with 22 receptions for 233 yards and three touchdowns.
BYU’s offense averages 4.9 yards per run and 12.0 yards per catch. Corridor has thrown for 1,438 yards and 12 touchdowns. Chris Brooks, a 6-1, 235-pound grad-transfer averages 6 yards per carry with 4 touchdowns. The Cougars additionally characteristic 4 receivers, Kody Epps, Keanu Hill, Chase Roberts and Brayden Cosper, who've 15 catches or extra for a mixed 9 touchdowns.
The addition of Gunner Romney, who made his season debut final week in opposition to Utah State, and presumably Puka Nacua, who's nursing a strained hamstring, will present added power to BYU’s receiving group.
Defensively, the Irish are permitting 142 speeding yards (4 yard common) and 213 yards passing. BYU is permitting 162 yards speeding (4 yard common), and 175 passing.
When weighing the power of schedule, the Irish (2-2) have victories at house in opposition to Cal and at North Carolina. They've defeats at No. 2 Ohio State (21-10) and at house in opposition to Marshall (26-21).
BYU’s (4-1) victories got here at South Florida, at house in opposition to No. 9 Baylor, Wyoming and Utah State with the lone defeat at No. 25 Oregon (41-20).
The one true statistical separation between BYU and Notre Dame is within the kicking recreation. Grad-transfer Blake Grupe has made three of his 4 subject objective makes an attempt. BYU junior Jake Oldroyd is simply 5 of 10, having missed 5 of his final six makes an attempt with all 5 misses from 39 yards or much less.
When the offensive and defensive numbers are shut, the figuring out issue, each in boxing and in soccer, is commonly left to the opponent, who has essentially the most self-discipline and competes with essentially the most vitality.
In a metropolis the place something goes and it typically does, there may be additionally the issue of the sudden. It exhibits up in sporting occasions all the time. It’s why we watch.
I can always remember seeing a paraglider crash into the ring on the out of doors enviornment at Caesars Palace whereas Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield have been in the midst of their heavyweight title battle in 1993.
On one other battle night time, in 1996, I watched in shock as Mike Tyson bit off the decrease a part of Holyfield’s ear on the MGM Grand Backyard. I additionally witnessed when Diego Corrales, who was knocked down twice solely to stand up and seconds later and knock out his opponent, Jose Luis Castillo, at Mandalay Bay in 2005 in a flip of occasions that left the world delirious.
BYU has its personal historical past of the sudden in Las Vegas, together with Jimmer Fredette’s 52-point night time on the Thomas and Mack Middle to defeat New Mexico, 87-76, within the 2011 Mountain West Convention basketball match and break Danny Ainge’s all-time scoring file.
Ethan Pochman kicked a subject objective in time beyond regulation to steer No. 6 BYU previous No. 20 Wyoming 28-25 within the inaugural 1996 WAC championship recreation that despatched followers streaming onto the sphere and despatched the 13-1 Cougars to the Cotton Bowl.
Lengthy earlier than my time in Las Vegas, there was BYU’s 92-90 time beyond regulation win over Jerry Tarkanian’s vaunted Runnin’ Rebels and star Sidney Inexperienced on Jan. 3, 1981, within the sold-out Las Vegas Conference Middle (6,393).
In all three historic BYU occasions in southern Nevada, the model of the opponent, whether or not it was New Mexico, Wyoming or UNLV, made for an electrical occasion in a metropolis that's illuminated by neon lights.
Saturday’s BYU-Notre Dame recreation (5:30 p.m. MDT, NBC) has all of the makings of one other basic, as a result of in Las Vegas, the leisure capital of the world, types make fights and there will probably be a full home watching with lofty expectations.
Dave McCann is a contributor to the Deseret Information and is the studio host for “BYU Sports activities Nation Recreation Day,” “The Submit Recreation Present,” “After Additional Overview,” and play-by-play announcer for BYUtv. He's additionally co-host of “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com.
Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser directs a play throughout recreation in opposition to North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Saturday night time among the many vibrant lights of Las Vegas, Notre Dame and BYU will battle on the gridiron.
Related Press, Chris Seward