BYU suffers blowout loss to Mississippi State to fall to 1-6

Another week, another loss for the BYU football team. BYU fell to the Mississippi State Bulldogs 35-10 for its 6th straight loss and now 1-6 record on the season.

It was much of the same for BYU, as a lackluster offensive performance was coupled with a subpar defensive showing. BYU gained a meager 176 yards on offense while surrendering over 500 yards to Nick Fitzgerald and Mississippi State’s offense.

BYU largely threw the ball underneath, finishing with with 145 passing yards and 5.6 yards per completion. The running game wasn’t any better, as BYU finished with 29 yards. Fullback Brayden El-Bakri was the leading rusher with 20 yards. Freshman Ula Tolutau’s carries were limited after he had his third fumble of the season in the second quarter.

One bright spot was sophomore cornerback Dayan Gwonoloku, who had 2 interceptions for 105 return yards; his 3rd quarter pick led to a 27-yard TD pass from Tanner Mangum to Aleva Hifo.

BYU now hits the back half of its schedule, which softens up considerably. With the way BYU has looked, however, none of the matchups look like a guaranteed win. If BYU wants to become bowl eligible, they will have to win the final 6 games.

Next week features a cross-country trip to East Carolina, who currently ranks dead last in total defense, but has a decent offense.