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Boise State Edges BYU

Cougars fail to convert unnecessary 2-point attempt

by Dave Congrove
CollegeFootballPoll.com
September 21, 2012

BYU failed to convert a 2-point pass attempt after scoring the only offensive touchdown of the game with 3:37 remaining in the Thursday night contest at Boise State and the Broncos ran out the clock for a 7-6 victory.

Defensive end Michael Atkinson scored the lone touchdown for the Broncos when he intercepted a Riley Nelson pass and rumbled 36 yards to paydirt, breaking a scoreless tie on the third play of the second half. Nelson was intercepted again four plays later and was retired to the bench after completing just 4-of-9 passes with 3 interceptions and a fumble.

RB Michael Alisa contributed a fifth BYU turnover when he fumbled on his own 1-yard line after Nelson's last two picks, but the Cougars managed to keep the Broncos out of the end zone after they eschewed a short field goal attempt that would have given them a two possession lead.

BYU's only sustained drive of the night was engineered by freshman QB Taysom Hill who capped off the 11-play, 95-yard march with his own 4-yard run. He completed 3-of-5 passes for 39 yards on the drive and ran 5 times for another 39 yards. The drive began with a 21-yard completion and a 15-yard personal foul on Boise State.

Needing only to kick the extra point and likely push the game into overtime, BYU opted for a pass. Atkinson's rush forced Hill to roll out to his right and throw incomplete into a crowded endzone.

The Cougars fall to 2-2 with back-to-back losses while Boise State improves to 2-1.

The college football week began on Wednesday night with Kent State taking a 23-7 MAC win at Buffalo.

FBS vs. FCS:
Last week, FBS teams went 20-1 versus their FCS counterparts to improve to 74-9 (.892) on the season. Since 2003, FBS schools are 712-64 (.918) in such games.

FBS teams have already lost 3 more games this season to FCS schools than in all of 2011 when they were 91-6 (.938).

This year, 101 FBS teams play a total of 108 games against FCS foes. UTSA is in its first year of transitioning from the FCS and plays 4 such schools. Cincinnati, Florida State, Pittsburgh and Texas A&M each play two such games.

Last week, Wyoming was the only FBS team to fall victim to an FCS school as the Cowboys dropped a 24-22 decision to Cal Poly which improved to 4-12 versus FBS teams over the last decade.

Here are the results of the FBS losses to FCS schools this season:
9/15: Cal Poly 24, Wyoming 22
9/8: Sacramento State 30, Colorado 28
9/8: North Dakota State 22, Colorado State 7
9/8: Illinois State 31, Eastern Michigan 17
9/8: Northern Arizona 17, UNLV 14
9/1: Youngstown State 31, Pittsburgh 17
9/1: Tennessee-Martin 20, Memphis 17
8/30: McNeese State 27, Middle Tennessee 21
8/30: Eastern Washington 20, Idaho 3

STREAKS:
TCU - 10 straight wins overall. 25 straight conference wins (1 in Big 12). Hosts Virginia on Saturday.

Northern Illinois - 8 straight conference wins and 16 straight home wins. Hosts Kansas on Saturday.

LSU - 20-game home winning streak. 40-game non-conference winning streak. Visits Auburn on Saturday.

Arkansas State - 8-game conference win streak. Hosts FCS member Alcorn State on Saturday.

Tulane - 12 straight losses overall. Hosts Ole Miss on Saturday.

Akron - Lost 21 straight road games and 13 straight FBS games. Visits Tennessee on Saturday.

Kansas - Lost 12 straight FBS games. Visits Northern Illinois on Saturday.

New Mexico - 24 straight road losses. Visits New Mexico State on Saturday.

Mississippi - 14 straight conference losses. Visits Tulane on Saturday.

NEW COACHES:
28 teams have a new college football coach in the FBS ranks this season. Last season saw 24 new head coaches, 10 of whom matched or exceeded the W-L record of their predecessors' final season.

Here are this week's games for each new head coach: