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BYU Football: Discipline and focus needed to beat McNeese State

By Shaun Gordon

LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMPER 6: Running back Nate Holmes #1 of the McNeese State Cowboys catches a pass in front of defensive back D.J. Singleton #8 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers during their game at Memorial Stadium on September 6, 2014 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMPER 6: Running back Nate Holmes #1 of the McNeese State Cowboys catches a pass in front of defensive back D.J. Singleton #8 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers during their game at Memorial Stadium on September 6, 2014 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images) /
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It won’t take three keys for BYU Football to beat McNeese State this weekend, it’ll only take two: discipline and focus.

Boy what a difference a week can make.

Last week, the media and most BYU Football fans were trying to think of what it would take for the Cougars to topple No. 6 Wisconsin.

Here at Lawless Republic, we gave three keys to beating the Badgers. Not to toot our own horns, but all three played a significant factor in BYU knocking off Wisconsin.

Ok, yeah, we’re tooting our own horns.

Last week’s game featured an opponent that was considered significantly better than BYU. While the Cougars got the win and played like the better team, the Badgers are still the more talented team overall.

This week it’s the exact opposite. BYU is the more talented team. They’re the better team. But that doesn’t mean they’ll automatically win.

McNeese State is a solid FCS program. They’re ranked No. 10 in the nation, they’re undefeated, and they have a history of knocking off FBS programs.

Keys to the Game

They can beat BYU if the Cougars aren’t prepared. That’s why there are only two keys to this week’s game, unlike the traditional three.

Discipline and focus.

BYU has pulled off two unexpected wins, and they’ve lost a game they had every chance to win.

That loss to Cal should be a learning experience for the Cougars, though. BYU isn’t good enough to win when they don’t play disciplined football.

In the loss to the Golden Bears, the Cougars made mistake after mistake after mistake. There were communications issues, dropped passes, and too many penalties. BYU shot themselves in the foot over and over, and they lost the game as a result.

McNeese State is good enough to beat BYU if the Cougars do the same things they did against Cal. Does that mean that the Cowboys are as good as the Golden Bears? No, but it does mean that they can and will capitalize if they catch the Cougars napping or looking ahead to Washington.

It’s too easy to lose focus and let discipline slack when you think you’re better than the opponent. Just as BYU Basketball. Year in and year out they lose one or two (or more) games that they had no business losing, and it’s because they came out expecting to win.

That’s how the 2016-17 team knocked off No. 1 Gonzaga but lost to San Diego…and Santa Clara…and Pepperdine.

If BYU Football isn’t careful, they could become the team that knocked off No. 6 Wisconsin but lost to Cal…and McNeese State…and maybe more.

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