Saturday a chance for a statement game for BYU


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PROVO — A college football season has its ebbs and flows, and BYU knows that after narrowly missing a huge opportunity to beat UCLA at the Rose Bowl last Saturday, falling 24-23.

Fortunately for the Cougars, they have a chance to make amends as they visit yet another historic venue this Saturday at The Big House. Players are excited to show this team is no fluke when the Cougars square off against the Michigan Wolverines.

"It's a big chance to show we have some resiliency," BYU wide receiver Terenn Houk said. "We can bounce back and make a statement. It was a tough loss, but I feel like it's a chance to show we've moved on and we're ready to execute and make the best of our season."

BYU running back Adam Hine admitted he was disappointed to see some of the opportunities the Cougars left on the field against UCLA.

"It's a pity to see on film the little things we could have done better to possibly win the game," Hine said. "Overall, I think we got better from the week before, and we plan to get better this week."

For a team that has stepped up in the clutch so far this season, the Cougars will have to bring that swagger into college football's largest stadium if they hope to come out with a win. After a disappointing loss to the Bruins, playing in front of 110,000 fans on national television is a statement game for BYU.

"It would be one thing if we had an easy opponent, but an opponent like Michigan, it's a big game," Houk said. "It's a chance to show that we can bounce back."


It's a big chance to show we have some resiliency. We can bounce back and make a statement. It was a tough loss, but I feel like it's a chance to show we've moved on and we're ready to execute and make the best of our season.

–BYU wide receiver Terenn Houk


Playing before that many fans might rattle some teams, but BYU is used to it by now, having already played in front of two sellouts at Memorial Stadium and LaVell Edwards Stadium, and 67,000 plus in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. That experience, coupled with practice, is helping the Cougars to stay cool under pressure.

"We have these huge speakers that play this annoying music over and over again," Houk said of BYU's practices. "That helps us a lot. The trainers have earplugs in. We just have to deal with it and learn to not jump offside."

BYU's play-caller, quarterback Tanner Mangum, also has three games under his belt on the big stage. His teammates rave about his ability to instill confidence in them when they are backed up against the wall.

"I feel like Tanner is a great leader in those (big) opportunities," Houk said. "He'll look you dead in the eye, and there's no doubt in his eyes that we're going to score and get this done. There's no doubt in my mind that guy can lead us."

BYU is faced with another tough challenge with the Wolverines — one that may dictate the success or failure of the entire season. Resiliency is the word on the mind of every BYU player in practice this week. We'll all find out how resilient this Cougar team is when they step on the field in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. (MT), and the game will be broadcast on ABC and KSL NewsRadio. Blake Dorton is a student at BYU studying broadcast journalism and French. Blake hopes to pursue a career in sports broadcasting following his graduation. Follow Blake on Twitter @BlakeDorton.

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Blake Dorton

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