All you need to know about Virginia’s game at BYU tonight

By Jerry Ratcliffe

If you’re looking for a key to tonight’s Virginia at No. 25 ranked BYU, look no further than the Cavaliers’ run defense.

BYU features a strong running game with Tyler Allgeier, a powerful, 5-foot-10, 221-pound running back, who ranks seventh nationally in rushing. He already has 866 yards in eight games and 166 attempts (about 21 carries per game). Look for the Cougars to try and dominate the line of scrimmage, eat the clock through their running game and keep Virginia’s offense off the field.

It’s a good strategy. Virginia is ranked No. 113 in the nation in run defense (out of 130 FBS schools). Opponents have rushed for 1,605 yards this season. Last week, Georgia Tech ran it 34 times for 270 yards.

The last time the Cavaliers faced one of the nation’s top rushers, Duke’s Mataeo Durant, who came into the game ranked No. 4 nationally in rushing yardage, they held him to 82 yards and only 17 carries. Virginia has been gashed several times over the last six games, giving up large chunks of yardage.

Even if Virginia manages to harness Allgeier, BYU coach Kalani Sitake, believes they can stay with the high-scoring Cavaliers if they get into a shootout. BYU quarterback Jaren Hall has passed for 1,348 yards and nine touchdowns (three interceptions).

Virginia has the No. 2 passing offense in the country and the nation’s No. 4 total offense. The Cavaliers have scored less than 30 points just once this season, while BYU’s highest scoring game came against South Florida when the Cougars topped out at 35.

GAME INFO

• Virginia (6-2) at Brigham Young (6-2)
• Time: 10:15 p.m., Eastern
• TV: ESPN2
• Odds: BYU favored by 2-½ points

Weather: 51 degrees at kickoff, dropping to 47. Humidity 51 percent, winds at 4 mph, 2 percent chance of precipitation

“We’ve won games various ways this year,” BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick said in a video conference earlier in the week.

Hall, in his first year as the Cougars starter, agreed with his OC.

“You look at our roster, top to bottom, we’re set to do something like that,” Hall said when asked about getting into a firefight with UVA. “Now we’ve just got to go and do it.”

Meanwhile, the Cougars are concerned with containing Cavaliers quarterback Brennan Armstrong, the nation’s leading passer, and his myriad of playmakers.

“They’re very difficult to defend,” Sitake said. “[Armstrong] fits exactly what they’ve been doing (offensively). You can see he has a great presence about him, a certain moxy. All that combined, you’re going to make a lot of defenses look silly. They really [put] stress on the defense. The quarterback finds the one mistake you make and makes you pay.”

Senior defensive end Uriah Leiataua is well aware of what Armstrong can do to a defense.

“We have to pressure the quarterback,” Leiataua said. “He throws on timing a lot. He’s very athletic. We have to make him feel uncomfortable. We’ve noticed they love to dump off passes on the check down.”

Easier said than done. Armstrong generally gets good protection, giving him time to find one of his many targets. A smarter quarterback now, Armstrong will take a sack or throw the ball rather than force a throw. Now that his knee is 100-percent healthy, he’s more apt to scramble out of a situation and gain a first down.

In addition, Armstrong has proven that he’s good under pressure. In fact, he is actually more effective against the blitz than under non-blitz situations.

BYU moved back into the Top 25 (at 25th) this week after breaking a two-game losing skid. The Cougars defeated Washington State on the road, its fourth win over a Pac-12 team this season.

BYU’s players look at facing Virginia as another statement game for the Cougars, who are an independent (they will be going to the Big 12 next season).

Offensive lineman Joe Tukuafu said he and his teammates are looking to the challenge.

“We all recognize this is a huge game and we are playing a very good team,” Tukuafu said. “We have been through some battles already. We have already beaten four Power Five teams and this is going to be another game just like those games. It is going to be another four-quarter game. It is going to be physical and we know what we are in for.”

There is another aspect of tonight’s game that can’t be overlooked.

The contest is being called the “Bronco Bowl,” with UVA coach Bronco Mendenhall returning to his former school for the first time since taking over Virginia’s program in 2015. Mendenhall spent 13 seasons at BYU, 11 as head coach.

Coaches from both staffs have remained friends and Sitake even noted that BYU’s coaching staff watches Virginia games when they can and root for UVA. They know this game means a lot to Virginia’s staff as well.

“I am sure [UVA’s] players are going to play their butts off for Bronco when he comes back here,” said running backs coach Harvey Unga, who played for Mendenhall from 2006-09. “There’s a lot of excitement for this game. We can feel it. Our guys will be ready.”