Show me a boxer who spends most of his or her fight up against the ropes and I'll show you a short night. A football team who does the same is in for a long one. In both settings, it's only a matter of time before they kiss the canvas.
Oklahoma
(5-2, 8-2)
at BYU
(2-5, 5-5)
Saturday, 10 a.m. MST
LaVell Edwards Stadium
TV:ESPN
Radio:102.7 FM/1160 AM
In the case of BYU, the 5-5 Cougars have been beaten up in three consecutive games and barring a Rocky Balboa-like resurgence, their postseason hopes will suffer a knockout blow on Saturday. While BYU's recent effort hardly makes a case for a bowl game, mathematically they remain in the equation.
The Cougars limped off the field Saturday against Iowa State , which left them black and blue in their blue-and-black uniforms, and they have five days to prepare for the Mike Tyson of the league — No. 14 Oklahoma. No team has won more Big 12 football titles than the Sooners (14) and a win in Provo (10 a.m., ESPN/ABC) keeps them right in the mix for another one before they bolt to the SEC.
The question is, do the Cougars have any fight left in them? Las Vegas doesn't think so. The boxing capital of the world has crowned Oklahoma a 24-point favorite. Looking at BYU's recent bouts, it's hard to blame them.
In the last three games, the defense has surrendered 1,364 yards and 117 points. On offense, BYU has mustered just three touchdowns and are a combined 6 of 35 on third down.
The Sooners come to Utah for the first time averaging 41.8 points per game, the most of any opponent BYU has faced all season. Oklahoma just dropped 59 on West Virginia . A week earlier, the Mountaineers stymied the Cougars , 37-7.
Boxing history shows the fighters who managed to stay competitive into the late rounds against Mike Tyson were the ones who beat him (James "Buster" Douglas, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Danny Williams and Kevin McBride).
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A similar thread runs through the Sooners wins and losses since Oct. 7. Teams that avoided an early TKO pushed them to the limit. Oklahoma beat Texas 34-30. It held off UCF 31-29 before suffering back-to-back defeats to Kansas , 38-33 and Oklahoma State, 27-24. Last week against West Virginia, the Sooners pounced early and blew them out.
For BYU to keep the game close early will require a significant course correction. The Cougars have trailed at halftime by a combined 72-10 over the last three weeks. They have turned the ball over six times in the last two games. Despite high aspirations, especially after a 5-2 start, they are one game out of last place.
Head coach Kalani Sitake believes there is still some fight in his boys. He and his staff have a few days to find it and then figure out a way to keep the Cougars off the ropes when the Sooners come swinging.
Never mind the last three weeks or the reality that BYU may be in over its head as a first-year member of the Big 12 — none of that matters this weekend. If the Cougars can hang around and give themselves a puncher's chance late in the game, who knows? Crazier things have happened.
Just ask Mike Tyson.
BYU Cougars fans watch as the Cougars trail the Iowa State Cyclones 31-7 just before halftime at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Iowa State Cyclones running back Abu Sama III (24) breaks free from the BYU Cougars defense to score a touchdown, putting the Cyclones up 31-7 after the PAT, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Iowa State Cyclones running back Cartevious Norton (5) runs the ball in for a touchdown, putting the Cyclones up 24-7 after the PAT, in the game against the BYU Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
BYU Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) passes under pressure during the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht (3) passes during the game against the BYU Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
BYU Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) runs the ball during the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
BYU Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake comes off the field at halftime as the Cougars trail the Iowa State Cyclones 31-7 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
BYU Cougars wide receiver Jojo Phillips (13) makes a touchdown catch, leaving the Iowa State Cyclones up 10-7 after the PAT, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell works the sideline during the game against the BYU Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Iowa State Cyclones running back Cartevious Norton (5) and tight end Benjamin Brahmer (18) celebrate after Norton ran for a touchdown, putting the Cyclones up 24-7 after the PAT, in the game against the BYU Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) hands the ball off to running back Aidan Robbins (3) as the team warms up before the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
BYU Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) warms up before the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) warms up before the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
BYU Cougars wide receiver Koa Eldredge (80) warms up before the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
BYU Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake and Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell talk after the Cyclines beat the Cougars 45-13 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
BYU Cougars wide receiver Jojo Phillips (13) celebrates after making a touchdown catch, leaving the Iowa State Cyclones up 10-7 after the PAT, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Iowa State Cyclones running back Abu Sama III (24) evades the tackle from BYU Cougars safety Ethan Slade (26) and runs the ball for a touchdown, putting the Cyclones up 43-13 after the PAT, during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Iowa State Cyclones running back Eli Sanders (6) evades the tackle from BYU Cougars cornerback Jakob Robinson (0) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Iowa State Cyclones running back Abu Sama III (24) celebrates after running the ball for a touchdown, putting the Cyclones up 31-7 after the PAT, during the game against the BYU Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
BYU Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) and defensive end Aisea Moa (58) embrace after the Cougars lost to the Iowa State Cyclones 45-13 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Attendance dwindles in the fourth quarter as Iowa State Cyclones leads the BYU Cougars 45-13 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Iowa State Cyclones running back Abu Sama III (24) and quarterback Rocco Becht (3) celebrate after Sama made a long run for a touchdown, putting the Cyclones up 43-13 after the PAT, during the game against the BYU Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
BYU coach Kalani Sitake is pictured here during a timeout during the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. The Cougars fell to the Cyclones 45-13. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Iowa State Cyclones running back Abu Sama III (24) celebrates after making a long run for a touchdown, putting the Cyclones up 43-13 after the PAT, during the game against the BYU Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Jaylin Noel (13) and tight end Easton Dean (87) celebrate after Noel made a long run for a touchdown, putting the Cyclones up 38-13 after the PAT, during the game against the BYU Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Dave McCann is a contributor to the Deseret News and is the studio host for "BYU Sports Nation Game Day," "The Post Game Show," "After Further Review," and play-by-play announcer for BYUtv. He is also co-host of "Y's Guys" at ysguys.com .
