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For a game that had a lot of drama leading up to it due to the displacement of the game because of Hurricane Harvey, the actual game really lacked any drama, as LSU dominated BYU 27-0.
The Cougars were outmatched in all phases of the game by a very athletic and physical LSU team who looked very worthy of their preseason ranking of 13. The offensive line was able to open holes for the running backs as they racked up 296 yards rushing. Derrius Guice led the team with 122 yards and 2 touchdowns on 27 carries. Darrel Williams also found success running behind that big line for 92 yards and 1 touchdown on 15 carries. Quarterback Danny Etling was 14/17 for 171 yards.
While the defense did not play great, they did have their moments and came up with stops at times, especially around the goal line. The defense was on the field for 42 minutes, and you could really see the effect of being on the field that long during the second half.
Although the defensive performance will leave Cougar fans with a bad taste in their mouth, the offense is what really doomed BYU. The offensive numbers are really bad; Tanner Mangum was 12/24 for 102 yards and 1 interception, and Cougar rushers only accounted for -5 yards (which takes into account the sack yardage). They never even snapped the ball on the LSU side of the field. If you could choose one play that encapsulated the entire game, it might be the decision by Jonny Linehan to try and run for a first down on a fourth and short play deep in BYU territory.
While it was hard to watch this game, there were some positives. Matt Bushman was fairly productive with 4 catches for 43 yards, including a big 17-yard catch. Bushman is a big target and has great hands, so hopefully he can build off his performance. And the defense was able to dig in and get a couple stops in the red zone. What is apparent is that BYU does need to make some major improvements, and quickly, as there is no break in tough opponents with Utah and Wisconsin coming to Provo in the next couple of weeks.