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Game of The Week: Rocky Mountain Duel



#3 BYU vs #13 CSU



For the last five seasons, BYU has dominated the Rocky Mountain Conference. Since joining the Rocky Mountain Conference in 2018, they are undefeated and have won five consecutive conference titles. This weekend, an up-and-coming CSU team will look to put an end to the undisputed reign of the Cougars. 

Just a look at their respective seasons so far, CSU sits at an impressive 6-0. CSU has notched convincing wins against their rival Colorado as well as solid UVU and Air Force squads. The Rams average 47 points per game and allow 15 points per game. For the most part, they seem to have a pretty loose style of play. They are at their best when they are in open space with the ball. If CSU can make sure their offloads all go to hand, they could be really dangerous tomorrow. In terms of set pieces, I wouldn't be surprised to see them steal a few of BYU's lineouts. 

CSU's biggest strength, in my opinion, might be the left-footed boot of Sam Masterson. CSU should look to kick for touch on every possible penalty. If they can play for penalties and gain territory that way, CSU can keep BYU under pressure. Life succeeded with such an approach last season. BYU committed an absurd amount of penalties and Life absolutely dominated field position. 

Keys to the Game for CSU:

- Don't miss tackles, the Cougars are dangerous off of broken tackles

- Take advantage of penalties, patience on attack

- Offloads to hand



On the other side, BYU has put together a respectable season of its own. The #3 team in the nation is 3-0 on the season. They average 65 points a game on attack, which is second-best in the nation. Their attack has been consistent this season but has taken a step back from last season. It's nearly impossible to pick up where you left off after a summer break. Excuses aside, the Cougars have looked a little sloppier than they did in that amazing post-season run in the spring. They've left some points on the board this season. 

Defensively, the Cougars have not missed a beat. Defense has always been a point of emphasis for the Cougars since Coach Steve St. Pierre took over the program. I guess that's what you get when you have a #8 as your head coach. BYU has only allowed their opponents an average of 3 points per game this season, which is the best in the country. 

BYU has a very strong squad this season with tons of returning starters. The scoreline of this game will hinge on the discipline of the BYU squad. BYU could easily run away with this one if they avoid penalties and ball-handling errors. If BYU falls victim to undiscipline, I predict a slugfest. I wouldn't be surprised to see big games from wing Tielu Sagala, midfielder Cole Semu, and flanker Brook Viatohi. I would really love to see BYU use multiple layers of attacks (backs behind pods) to find the width and exploit the CSU defense. 

Key to the Game for BYU:

- Limit handling errors

- Patience on attack, string together 10 plus phases

My score prediction for this match is 48-22 in favor of the Cougars. 



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