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BOISE, Idaho — BYU quarterback Zach Wilson was a perfect 18-of-18 for 317 yards and four touchdowns in the Cougars’ 49-18 rout of Western Michigan in Friday’s Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, leading the Cougars to their first-ever win on the blue turf at Albertsons Stadium.
But he had a little help.
From triple-digit receiver Dylan Collie (124 yards, two touchdowns) to 100-yard rusher Riley Burt (110 yards, one touchdown) to the entire offensive line during a 28-0 third quarter, BYU’s offense was clicking in the second half.
The win gives BYU (7-6) a winning record a year after a disastrous 4-9 season, and sends off a senior class littered with talent like Sione Takitaki and backup quarterback Tanner Mangum into the sunset on a high note.
Here are three thoughts on Wilson’s perfect game, and some of the help he got around him in the Cougars’ season finale.
Zach Wilson was fantastic
First, the obvious: Wilson’s 18-for-18 performance for 317 yards set a BYU single-game record for completion percentage, breaking Steve Sarkisian’s mark set against Fresno State in 1995. The freshman from Corner Canyon started off perfectly, and after Western Michigan forced him to throw the ball more, he was plenty up to the challenge.
“They wanted to run the ball early on,” Western Michigan coach Tim Lester said. “We made them change their plan … and it came down to a throwing game. I don’t think either coach wanted the plan.”
Wilson tied a BYU bowl-game record with four touchdown passes, a group that includes Jake Heaps in 2010, John Walsh in 1994 and Jim McMahon in 1980.
That’s a group of quarterbacks that have one thing in common, and it’s a word that head coach Kalani Sitake used in describing his own QB: gunslinger.
“I’ve been trying to let Zach loose for a long time,” Sitake said. “I think an aggressive style of football is what we need to have on offense.
“If teams are going to be committed to stopping the run, it’s good to know that we can make it.”
For good reason, Wilson earned the bowl game’s most valuable player award — and set a high bar for himself going forward.
“To see an 18- or 19-year-old kid in Zach Wilson and what's going to happen in the next three years, he set the bar for himself — but I'll go ahead and set it even higher,” said wide receiver Dylan Collie, who caught six of Wilson’s passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns. “I truly believe this kid will be one of, if not, the greatest quarterback in BYU history, and he's going to do that. He knows that and that's his mentality.
“I love being around him and love watching him grow.
Don’t overlook Burt
BYU’s running back room looked more like an ER unit at the local hospital.
With injuries to Squally Canada, Lopini Katoa and Matt Hadley, the Cougars’ run game was forced to rely on some young players and seldom-used faces to get their seventh win of the season.
With backups beyond a redshirting freshman Tyler Allgeier, slot receiver Aleva Hifo and fullback Brayden El-Bakri, Riley Burt stepped up to the task.
The former Box Elder standout ran for 110 yards on 13 carries, including a 37-yard touchdown during a 28-0 third quarter that helped the Cougars pull away for good.
More importantly, Burt got his swagger back.
After a season when he ran the ball just 46 times for 213 yards prior to Friday afternoon, Burt was the go-to back on a winning BYU team. He’s struggled to see consistent minutes while being buried on the depth chart. But with Canada and Hadley both graduating, and the Cougars not having a running back signed from the current 2019 recruiting class, Burt’s carries may increase significantly next year.
“These guys, that’s where everything falls,” Wilson said, pointing to his teammates. “The success for your quarterback comes based on the team around you.”
As good as the offensive line goes
It wasn’t just that Wilson was making the throws (he was), or that the receivers were doing their job (they were). BYU’s offensive line, which is decided size advantage up front, was giving the freshman time to cycle through reads, find the open receiver, or simply take the easy play.
BYU’s interior linemen had time to “hold their water” in the second half, Lester said.
“There were much better protections in the second half,” he added. “Their guys did a good job … They wanted to run the ball early on. We made them change their plan, they made us change our plan, and it came down to a throwing game. I don’t think either coach wanted that plan.”
BYU’s offensive line held up under pressure — they allowed six tackles for loss and three sacks — and in pass protection, allowing eight players to catch a pass and five to come down with multiple grabs.
They also paved the way to Burt’s big night in the second half; the junior had seven of BYU’s 20 net rushing yards before the break.
And with a young offensive line returning next year — four of the Cougars’ five starters were true or redshirt freshmen — that can only benefit BYU.
“We wanted to build off the last game, but I think we wanted to win,” Wilson said. “I think this will build into our offseason, when we’ll come out with a lot of energy and be excited for the schedule.”
