4 positives and 1 glaring negative from BYU football's road win over Colorado State

It was a mostly positive day for the 11th-ranked BYU Cougars, a team that entered Fort Collins, Colorado, handled a weather delay, and still managed to down the 2-0 Colorado State Rams while technically covering the spread in a 41-23 final.

But what specifically have we learned about BYU football this year? What did this team prove after already handling Utah Tech and an underrated Arizona front? Well, after taking in the full 60 minutes of action, we've got four positives and one unignorable negative to discuss.

Positives from BYU's win over Colorado State

BYU travels well

Some things simply fall apart when taken on the road. Wide-mouth water-bottles. Air-bubble leveling tools. The fries quatro queso dos fritos.

No need to add the BYU Cougars to that list, my friends, because Kalani Sitake's crew scaled the Wasatch Mountain Range, marched into Fort Collins, Colorado, and comfortably managed the Colorado State Rams' upset bid -- and in dominant fashion.

The Cougars were expected to win this game -- they were 3-score favorites at kickoff -- but the Rams are a much better team than the FCS teams that most Power Four programs prefer to schedule during this part of the season (nice last-second touchdown against Portland State, Oregon. We're all very impressed).

By all appearances, BYU's key contributors had no problem managing crowd noise or the excitement of an early CSU touchdown, holding the Rams to just 7 points (from the opening possession) up until Kalani Sitake initiated garbage time in the third quarter. More on that later.

Much like last season's trip to East Carolina, BYU was wise to schedule their first road trip against a lesser opponent, and we'll hope that when the crowd noise increases against teams like TCU and Utah, the Cougars aren't easily shaken.

The kicking game is NOT unreliable

BYU didn't convert a single field goal through the first two games of the season.

They also only tried one field goal before this contest, a 47-yarder that sailed wide against Utah Tech. Against Arizona, the Cougars reached the end zone every time they entered field goal range.

But when lining up a 44-yarder in the first half against CSU, Matthias Dunn drilled his first field goal. Again, with a much closer attempt from 26, the field goal team got it Dunn.

LJ Martin: still an absolute animal

In just two and a half quarters of game time, the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year posted 176 yards and three touchdowns.

Absolutely filthy, and simply unfair. He averaged 15.8 yards per carry on the road, setting the tone early and maintaining his cadence through swarms of helpless tacklers. One man alone cannot bring LJ Martin to the ground, and he proved that repeatedly by turning power-rushing looks between the tackles into big gains.

He gets plenty of comparisons to Tyler Allgeier, another great Cougar tailback, and for good reason. Martin's every step pulses with power, which leads would-be tacklers to give everything they have into their initial hit. One foot planted into the ground and a quick cut is all he needs to completely lose those all-out tacklers, and it's exactly what he did to elevate his yardage play by play.

Legend Glasker's All-Big 12 bid

Legend Glasker was a bit quieter against Arizona than he was in his three-touchdown day with Utah Tech.

Aaron Roderick called his number early and often against Colorado State. Even in a run-heavy offense -- 41 rushing plays compared to 17 passes -- Legend was a highlight factory as he caught 5 passes for 131 yards and 1 (rushing) touchdown.

His day was highlighted by this first-quarter bomb delivered flawlessly from Bear Bachmeier, which Glasker hauled in with one hand and a defender invading his personal space.

Analysts predicted that Glasker could be a first-team All-Big 12 honoree by the end of the season. He should be an early favorite to receive that designation now, one quarter of the way through the season.

One massive negative from BYU's win over Colorado State

Way, way too many mistakes

This game could have been even more lopsided if the Cougars didn't play so sloppy in the second half.

Midway through the second quarter, with the score settling at a lopsided total of 38-7, Kalani Sitake pulled his starters from the game, save for the offensive line and, at first, Bear Bachmeier. The Cougars were rolling, Colorado State was playing with their second string (and soon their third string) quarterback, and the result of this one was virtually a wrap.

But BYU's second unit struggled mightily.

Late hits, personal fouls, holding, offsides, snap infractions, and a plethora of other mistakes triggered hampers of penalty markers onto the field.

And at the most inopportune moments, with senseless roughing the passer calls and defensive holding extending CSU drives right as the Rams had been stopped on third down, second and long, etc.

At one point, the Cougars nearly stretched the lead to 45-7, as backup running back Journee Tonga jaunted untouched over the goal line, before Andrew Gentry (who has been the primary culprit of most O-Line miscues through three games) was called for holding.

It wasn't long before Bear Bachmeier forced a ball over the middle of the field into double-coverage, underthrowing his tall receiver, Kyler Kasper, and offering his first turnover of the year.

The following offensive possession, Bachmeier had been pulled for backup Treyson Bourguet, whose first (and only) throw was deflected and intercepted by a CSU safety.

Even without penalties to help them, Colorado State's offense began to tear the Cougar defense to pieces, scoring 16 points in the final quarter to shave BYU's lead down from 38-7 to 41-23. A far less impressive result for a team fighting for their life in the eyes of the College Football Playoff selection committee.

Now, BYU will need their starters healthy in the late stages of the year, especially if they meet expectations and return to the Big 12 Championship game, so the decision to rest key players like Bachmeier, Martin, Glasker (Isaiah and Legend), and a number of others will likely be the right one. But it was agonizing to witness the Cougars squander what was otherwise a nearly flawless game through the first three quarters.

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