The 1996 BYU football team

[SeattleUte]

Says the guy who probably has a "2004 Utah Utes National Champions" t-shirt stowed away somewhere.

Utah's 2008 team was better than its 2004 team. It certainly proved more. Regardless, Utah 2004 didn't lose a game, and didn't even play a close game, unlike BYU 1996 or even BYU 1984. I would love to see Utah 2004 play BYU 1996 or BYU 1984. I'm quite sure UTah 2004 still would not have played a close game.

[byu71]

It wasn't just politics and money. Penn State's body of work was more impressive.

http://www.totalfootballstats.com/Te...23&Season=1996

BYU feasted on a weak schedule. Same old same old. Indeed, as I noted, it took coaching malpractice by Wyoming's coach to enable BYU to win the WAC.

Your hatred of BYU or love of trolling, whichever, must run deep if you are tooting Wyomings horn.

[Paperback Writer]

Some additional clarification on the 1996 season. If Nebraska had defeated Texas in the inaugural Big 12 CCG, Nebraska (Huskers would have been 11-1) would have played undefeated FSU in the Fiesta Bowl for the national championship; not BYU. Undefeated ASU (who beat Nebraska) and the Rose Bowl would still factor in but the Sundevils would still have played Ohio St. (and lost). Penn St. (10-2) would have gone to either the Orange Bowl to play VT (10-1) or Sugar Bowl to play Florida (11-1). The last team in the mix would have come from the following: Colorado (9-2), Washington (9-2), or BYU (13-1). Given that Washington defeated BYU, I really doubt BYU goes to either the Sugar Bowl to face Florida or the Orange Bowl to play VT. Washington or Colorado get that invite (they played in the Holiday Bowl that year).

Since Texas did indeed upset Nebraska, it came down to Nebraska, Penn St, Washington, and BYU for the two available at-large bowl slots in the Orange Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. And it was decided for reasons jay santos (and others) have already mentioned. If either Nebraska or Penn St were not invited, it would have been Washington whose only loses that year were to undefeated ASU and Notre Dame (8-3) both of which came in the first half of the 1996 season.

In other words, no way BYU goes to the Fiesta Bowl in 1996 and its debatable whether they deserved the invite.

Edit: one minor correction in the scenario where Nebraska beats Texas in the 1996 Big 12 CCG:
Sugar Bowl had the rights to the national championship game in 1996 so it would have been:
Sugar: FSU vs Nebraska
Orange: Florida vs Penn St.
Fiesta: VT vs Washington
Rose: ASU vs Ohio St.

[SeattleUte]

Some additional clarification on the 1996 season. If Nebraska had defeated Texas in the inaugural Big 12 CCG, Nebraska (Huskers would have been 11-1) would have played undefeated FSU in the Fiesta Bowl for the national championship; not BYU. Undefeated ASU (who beat Nebraska) and the Rose Bowl would still factor in but the Sundevils would still have played Ohio St. (and lost). Penn St. (10-2) would have gone to either the Orange Bowl to play VT (10-1) or Sugar Bowl to play Florida (11-1). The last team in the mix would have come from the following: Colorado (9-2), Washington (9-2), or BYU (13-1). Given that Washington defeated BYU, I really doubt BYU goes to either the Sugar Bowl to face Florida or the Orange Bowl to play VT. Washington or Colorado get that invite (they played in the Holiday Bowl that year).

Since Texas did indeed upset Nebraska, it came down to Nebraska, Penn St, Washington, and BYU for the two available at-large bowl slots in the Orange Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. And it was decided for reasons jay santos (and others) have already mentioned. If either Nebraska or Penn St were not invited, it would have been Washington whose only loses that year were to undefeated ASU and Notre Dame (8-3) both of which came in the first half of the 1996 season.

In other words, no way BYU goes to the Fiesta Bowl in 1996 and its debatable whether they deserved the invite.

Edit: one minor correction in the scenario where Nebraska beats Texas in the 1996 Big 12 CCG:
Sugar Bowl had the rights to the national championship game in 1996 so it would have been:
Sugar: FSU vs Nebraska
Orange: Florida vs Penn St.
Fiesta: VT vs Washington
Rose: ASU vs Ohio St.

GREAT POST

[Blueintheface]

I'm just glad SU isn't currently deposing someone, else how would we know BYU's place in the Universe?

[Blueintheface]

Your hatred of BYU or love of trolling, whichever, must run deep if you are tooting Wyomings horn.

I may be misremembering here but wasn't it Wyoming that was one idiotic play away from spoiling one of the Utes perfect seasons? Damn you, poke! Where are you when we need you?!

[pellegrino]

this thread is awesome. The Ute fans know more about BYU's 1996 season than any BYU fan would know about Utah's 2004 or 2008 season. They even know more about it than a lot of BYU fans would know. But I guess that means nothing now, because they're "over" us.

[Pelado]

Nice writeup on the game:

How BYU QB Steve Sarkisian wrecked Texas A&M’s Wrecking Crew for 6 touchdowns 25 years ago

https://theathletic.com/2790618/2021...-25-years-ago/

Before the game came together, head coach R.C. Slocum mentioned the possibility of playing a kickoff game to his staff. Bennett, whose defense had just lost key secondary pieces such as cornerback Ray Mickens and safety Dennis Allen, had only one request: Don’t play anybody who throws the ball a lot.

The Aggies explored playing Northwestern at Soldier Field in Chicago, but those plans were shuttered because of a conflict with the Democratic National Convention, which was being held in the city around the same time. With A&M instead paired with BYU, Slocum summoned Bennett to deliver the news.

Bennett still recalls his response to Slocum: “Are you fucking crazy?”

Slocum’s mid-1990s defenses had a reputation for being big, physical and stingy. From 1993-95 only six of A&M’s 35 opponents reached the 20-point threshold. And the last time Texas A&M met BYU, it was ugly: The Aggies dominated the Cougars 65-14 in the 1990 Holiday Bowl, separating both of quarterback Ty Detmer’s shoulders. The Los Angeles Times headline: Aggies Hang Detmer on Trophy Wall.

The night before the ’96 clash, Edwards pulled up video highlights (or rather, a horror film for BYU) from the Holiday Bowl that assistant Duane Busby had compiled. He showed it to the team, and after it concluded, a recording of Detmer, who was in training camp with the Eagles at the time, appeared on screen. The former Heisman Trophy winner encouraged the Cougars to get revenge.

“That was a powerful video,” Lewis said. “It was incredibly motivating for our team. After we saw that, it was ‘Game on.’”

When the next play call came in, Kealaluhi wasn’t thrilled. His job was to run a go-route down the sideline to influence a safety to help, which would open up the middle of the field so Sarkisian could hit a tight end.

But Sarkisian had noticed that A&M’s cornerbacks “were nosy. They were looking in the backfield trying to maybe help others do their job rather than just doing their job.” So the Cougars opted to take a downfield shot from the Aggies’ 46-yard line.

When Kealaluhi came off the line of scrimmage, he thought, “Oh, I’m never gonna get this ball.” But once he noticed Sarkisian firing it his way, he accelerated, beat Williams, and caught it over his shoulder. Hit perfectly in stride, Kealaluhi sprinted across the goal line, slid onto his back and held the ball up above his face before dropping it and covering his facemask with both hands in disbelief. The crowd exploded. Moments later, a Stewart fumble on the final A&M possession sealed BYU’s victory.

On the touchdown call, Musburger yelled, “Levi Kealaluhi, the K.O. punch!”

[Bo Diddley]

That was a fun game!

[Uncle Ted]

That was a fun game!

Yes it was... I like to think that when Sark interviewed for the UT HC job he just showed the highlights from this game.

Then said, "Well, do I get the job or what?"

[Applejack]

Thanks for bumping this thread. I loved the spicy version of Seattle Ute!

[BlueK]

Some additional clarification on the 1996 season. If Nebraska had defeated Texas in the inaugural Big 12 CCG, Nebraska (Huskers would have been 11-1) would have played undefeated FSU in the Fiesta Bowl for the national championship; not BYU. Undefeated ASU (who beat Nebraska) and the Rose Bowl would still factor in but the Sundevils would still have played Ohio St. (and lost). Penn St. (10-2) would have gone to either the Orange Bowl to play VT (10-1) or Sugar Bowl to play Florida (11-1). The last team in the mix would have come from the following: Colorado (9-2), Washington (9-2), or BYU (13-1). Given that Washington defeated BYU, I really doubt BYU goes to either the Sugar Bowl to face Florida or the Orange Bowl to play VT. Washington or Colorado get that invite (they played in the Holiday Bowl that year).

Since Texas did indeed upset Nebraska, it came down to Nebraska, Penn St, Washington, and BYU for the two available at-large bowl slots in the Orange Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. And it was decided for reasons jay santos (and others) have already mentioned. If either Nebraska or Penn St were not invited, it would have been Washington whose only loses that year were to undefeated ASU and Notre Dame (8-3) both of which came in the first half of the 1996 season.

In other words, no way BYU goes to the Fiesta Bowl in 1996 and its debatable whether they deserved the invite.

Edit: one minor correction in the scenario where Nebraska beats Texas in the 1996 Big 12 CCG:
Sugar Bowl had the rights to the national championship game in 1996 so it would have been:
Sugar: FSU vs Nebraska
Orange: Florida vs Penn St.
Fiesta: VT vs Washington
Rose: ASU vs Ohio St.

One interesting caveat to this...the Cotton Bowl actually selected BYU ahead of Washington and the Huskies therefore played in the Holiday Bowl. The deal the WAC had at the time that was made right after they expanded to take TCU, SMU, etc, was that the Cotton Bowl would play the Big 12 #2 vs. their choice of WAC 1 or PAC 10 #2. It was a contract that ran for three years from 95 to 97. 1996 was the only year they took the WAC team. Apparently it wasn't such a slam dunk that any bowl would have taken Washington ahead of BYU.

[BlueK]

Yes it was... I like to think that when Sark interviewed for the UT HC job he just showed the highlights from this game.

Then said, "Well, do I get the job or what?"

I was at that game. It was awesome.

And most of the KState fans I encountered at the Cotton Bowl were major jerks.