Fort Collins – All week, Colorado State fretted over the prospect of slowing down a BYU offense reminiscent of the Cougars’ bygone scoring machines.
The question should have been how long would it take CSU’s dormant offense to find the end zone. The Rams are still trying to figure that one out.
Only a 28-yard Jason Smith field goal in the second quarter Saturday saved the Rams from their second shutout in three games in a 24-3 loss.
It was little consolation holding BYU to its lowest scoring output in Mountain West Conference play this season. The Cougars prevailed over CSU’s best defensive effort of the year to remain unbeaten in the Mountain West. CSU (4-5, 1-4) dropped its fourth straight game, marking the first four-game losing streak in one season since CSU crashed and burned in the last five games of 1991.
“I do believe, from a defensive standpoint, we played pretty hard. That only takes you so far,” CSU coach Sonny Lubick said. “BYU is the best team in the league. … They harassed our quarterback.”
BYU (7-2, 5-0) came into the game ranked sixth in the nation in total offense at 445.6 yards a game and had won its first four league games by an average of 27 points. The Cougars finished with 402 yards and a 10-minute advantage in time of possession.
The Rams cross midfield only twice, and the lone scoring drive started on the BYU 44. Five drives started inside the Rams’ 20.
“It felt like we were not making any plays to keep drives alive,” CSU offensive coordinator Dan Hammerschmidt said. “We’re not playing with a lot of confidence.”
BYU denied the deep ball, pressured quarterback Caleb Hanie throughout and joined every other CSU opponent in stopping the run. CSU finished with 26 net yards rushing, 151 total.
“You can’t blame it on just the O-line, can’t say that if we run the ball, or do this,” said Hanie, who finished 13-of-23 for 125 yards passing and was sacked five times for minus-38 yards. “You have to be able to win games with what we’ve got and we aren’t doing that.”
Lubick didn’t go ballistic over a phantom touchdown at the end of the first half. Whether BYU led 7-3 or 14-3, Lubick said, “I could tell we were not going to move the ball consistently.”
Cougars quarterback John Beck, who completed 22-of-30 passes for 290 yards and an interception, was everything advertised, but he had some rare adversity, getting sacked twice and failing to throw a TD pass.
“We were prepared for what Colorado State threw at us. We just weren’t executing,” Beck said. “They definitely hit hard. They stuffed the run a few times. I know it’s the first time they’ve had four losses in a row. I don’t think they are going to have five in a row.”
The Cougars looked to go into halftime leading only 7-3 until Fui Vakapuna’s controversial 5-yard run with 55 seconds left. The BYU tailback went airborne from the 5 and was met by safety Zac Bryson. Vakapuna appeared down, but had a second surge to cross the goal line.
He celebrated as if he had scored while the ball was spotted at the 2. The points didn’t go up until a replay review.
“I knew I had a TD,” Vakapuna said.
Said Bryson: “I hit him and he came down on top of me.”
CSU still couldn’t move the ball after halftime, but the defense kept BYU out of field-goal range. BYU’s first drive ended when linebacker Jeff Horinek pounced on Beck for a 10-yard loss after Beck fumbled.
The next drive ended with Vakapuna going in standing up from the 3 with 22 seconds left in the third quarter for a 21-3 lead.
“Beck nickled and dimed us,” CSU defensive tackle Erik Sandie said. “I think we played pretty tough as a defense.”
On the Cougars’ final scoring drive, Beck went deep for 52 yards to McKay Jacobson to the 23, but BYU settled for Jared McLaughlin’s 25-yard field goal with 7:35 left.
“We’re all in it together,” CSU defensive end Jesse Nading said. “We don’t want to make excuses.”
THE GRADES
Offense
D: As usual there was no protection for CSU quarterback Caleb Hanie, who was dumped for 48 yards in losses. A 2-for- 12 rate on third-down conversions summarizes the game. A 13-yard run by Nnamdi Ohaeri and no turnovers against a team leading the nation in turnover margin prevented another F.
Defense
B: Enough of an effort against a superb offense that could have been a win against any other team, especially with any semblance of offensive spark by CSU.
Special teams
C: Jason Smith’s field goal prevented the second shutout in three weeks. Decent kickoff return game, no punt return game.
Overall
C: Nothing for CSU to take out of this one except for the best four-quarter defensive effort in weeks. With little home support (21,117 fans), it’s time to hit the road next weekend.
Staff writer Natalie Meisler can be reached a 303 954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
