3 keys for a BYU football upset vs Kansas State

BYU football learned the hard way last season that winning in a power conference is not a small task--a 6-game losing streak to finish the year certainly sticks in your mind. The Cougars are 3-0, with a spark of hope for a winning season, but the Big 12 conference schedule was last season's downfall for head coach Kalani Sitake's unit. In tonight's matchup against Kansas State, the Cougars' true form will be revealed as the lights flood the field inside Lavell Edwards Stadium.

Kansas State enters LaVell Edwards Stadium tonight for the first time since BYU joined the Big 12 conference in the early stages of conference realignment. With Sophomore Quarterback Avery Johnson leading the charge for the Wildcats, his squad will enter Provo with a top-15 ranking and an eye on the Big 12 Conference title game.

But BYU is hungry to prove themselves as a strong football team as well. Currently undefeated and with no plans to lose that distinction, this team led by Kalani Sitake and Jay Hill will aim to make a statement tonight.

Kansas State has looked mortal this season with a close-call win over Tulane, but coming off a dominant win over Arizona, BYU can't afford to take this game lightly--they don't have any such luxury for the remainder of their season.

This game will look to be a sign of what's to come in the 2024 BYU football season, so what can the Cougars do to steal an upset win over Kansas State? Here are 3 key points to watch out for as K-State enters town under the Saturday night lights.

Key 1: Limit the Wildcats' run game

Kansas State is a tough, physical team that loves to punish their opponent with a strong running attack. As they pound the ball, they force the defense to collapse in on the line of scrimmage, and that's when this team burns you. Avery Johnson is a highly effective runner and will look to take off whenever he sees daylight.

If BYU wants to control this game early, it starts with controlling the line of scrimmage and limiting Kansas State's run game. Spy Johnson and fill the gaps on defense to neutralize K-State's running threat and pray that Avery Johnson doesn't run all over you.

Key 2: Move the chains early and often

BYU's offense hasn't gotten the job done against power conference competition, and that won't be an option if the Cougars hope to win this battle. Jake Retzlaff is a top-10 quarterback nationally as far as total yards are concerned, but inaccuracy and poor decision-making have poked their metaphorical heads out of the grass in the last two games of the Cougars' schedule.

Many errors were addressed between Retzlaff's horrific output against SMU and last week's trip to Laramie, but some bad habits regarding ball security are still concerning factors for a BYU offense that has been overly dependent on the terrific defensive unit backing them up. Against Kansas State, this team will need to move the ball and keep the defense off the field.

By no means do the Cougars need a revelatory offensive output to keep this game competitive, but Roderick's unit will need to do its part for a "you do your job, and I'll do mine" relationship between the offense and defense. The defense is giving no reason for great concern, so some faith promoting output from the offense will be essential.

Key 3: Get the 12th man involved

Night games in Provo are infamous for a reason, and K-State may be a victim to the hostile environment residing at the foot of the Wasatch Mountain Range.

A rowdy environment can really bother a visitor's rhythm, and with this game marking Avery Johnson's first game as a starting quarterback in an environment of this level, don't be too surprised to see the Wildcats' QB get rattled if he can't silence the crowd early. Need I remind you of the crowd noise impact that saw Arizona State's offense suffer countless false start penalties?

Do I expect a repeat of that time the ROC dominated Jayden Daniels and his Arizona State offense? No, that was a glorious singularity in the lore of BYU football. But crowd noise will be a major factor in this game, as long as the fans come to the game ready to get loud and give this game everything they've got.

So yes, while it's the football team on the field, the fans may be an X-factor as BYU lines up for an upset bid against a big-time opponent. BYU has a hill to climb tonight, and Kansas State has no plans to drop a road game in Provo. That said, if the Cougars can execute on these 3 points tonight, the Wildcats may be in danger.

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