BYU looks to pick up where it left off after bye week

PROVO, Utah (ABC4 Sports) – It’s not ideal to have a bye week while on a five-game winning streak, but #14 BYU needed the rest after getting off to a 5-0 start.

“It’s nice to recover, but I think I speak for a lot of people when I say we’re chomping at the bit to get back after it,” said safety Crew Wakley, who had the game-clinching interception in BYU’s last game at Baylor. “So you’ve got everybody saying they didn’t think we’d be 5-0. Well, cool. We’ve got to go 6-0. 5-0 doesn’t mean anything if you don’t go 6-0.”

BYU did get healthier during the bye week, especially at running back, where LJ Martin and Hinckley Ropati are both expected back for Saturday’s game at home against Arizona.

“It was good to have the extra practices, so we’re able to get get a lot of reps for guys that are coming back,” said head coach Kalani Sitake. “LJ, Hinckley Ropati, we’ve got a lot of guys that that have had experience. It’s just a matter of getting the guys in the right time.”

Starting center Connor Pay and wide receiver Kody Epps are not expected to play, but the Cougars have shown they have depth at every position.

“When a guy goes down, it’s next man up,” said wide receiver Keelan Marion. “Just like with the running backs, the linemen also. I think it’s just next guy up, and everyone be prepared and want to stay focused.”

Two weeks ago Arizona came into Rice-Eccles Stadium and beat up Utah, 23-10. Noah Fifita and Teteiroa McMillan are one of the most lethal quarterback-receiver tandems in the country, and should provide a challenge for the stingy BYU defense.

“They’re phenomenal players, and they got others around them too,” said defensive coordinator Jay Hill. “The receiving corps is good, the running backs are really good. I think offense line is solid, and bottom line, we’re going to have to be super sound with our techniques.”

Being back at LaVell Edwards Stadium, where the Cougars have played so well this year, especially in their last home game, a 38-9 win over Kansas State, should help.

“You can’t quantify it,” Wakley said. “It’s just when we get rolling and the crowd gets into it, you got the ROC, the fans. It’s electric. It’s fun. There’s nothing like it.”

“[Arizona] has done something already by going into Salt Lake City and beating Utah,” cautioned Sitake. “So coming to this environment is not going to be new for them. I’m excited that we get to play at home, but we can’t look at that as the only advantage that we have.”

BY (5-0) and Arizona (3-2) will kick off at 2:00 p.m. Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

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