Keys to the game: How can the Cougars tame the Buffaloes and win the Alamo Bowl?

On By Littum

SAN ANTONIO — No. 17 BYU finished the year with a tough 30-18 victory over Houston, reaching double-digit wins for the third time in the Kalani Sitake era.

The Cougars were rewarded with a matchup with conference foe No. 23 Colorado, in the Alamo Bowl.

Due to the Pac-12’s previously signed bowl agreements, each former Pac-12 team that was not in the playoffs was put in bowls with contractual ties to the conference, creating a matchup between two current Big 12 teams.

What do the Cougars need to do to take on the Buffaloes in the Alamo Bowl as 3.5-point underdogs?

Prepare for a high-scoring affair

The Buffaloes have scored 31 or more points in eight of their nine wins this season, the most recent coming in a 52-0 blowout over Oklahoma State.

The Buffaloes are 21st in the nation in scoring offense this season, averaging 34.5 points per possession. This is due in part to the high number of offensive weapons Colorado has – Shedeur Sanders, LaJohntay Wester and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.

Sanders and Hunter will likely be top-10 picks in April’s NFL draft, with the duo combining for over 1,150 yards and 14 touchdowns.

BYU has had a few high-scoring games this year — a 34-28 win over Baylor and 38-35 win over Oklahoma State come to mind — but this will arguably be the best offense BYU has seen this season. The Cougars will have to match the offensive output the Buffaloes bring.

Get to the QB

Sanders has been sacked 38 times this season, which is the fourth most in the FBS this season. Last year, Sanders was the most sacked quarterback with 52 sacks in a season.

BYU had one of the lowest numbers of guys in college football this season at 16; but despite the low sack total, they have the third-best opposing quarterback rating at 102.7 (Texas has the best at 96.9).

BYU has done well this season limiting quarterback output, holding Kevin Jennings to 140 passing yards on sub-50% passing, forcing two picks on Avery Johnson and three on Noah Fifita.

Getting to Sanders will limit the damage the high-powered Colorado offense can muster and give the Cougars a chance to pile on a lead.

Win the turnover battle

As cliche as it sounds, the turnover battle will be crucial for BYU.

Sanders has thrown just eight interceptions this year, but BYU ranks No. 1 in the country with 20 interceptions. The Cougars have thrown 11 interceptions this year, 10 by Retzlaff. BYU will be without Crew Wakley — who is third on the team in interceptions — since entering the transfer portal and will not be with the Cougars.

BYU’s two losses this season came at the hands of turnovers, with Retzlaff throwing an interception at the 5-yard line against Kansas before halftime, and essentially a game-losing interception at the Arizona State 39-yard line with two minutes left to play. .

If BYU can win the turnover game like they have most of the season, it will give them a much better chance to prevail over Colorado.

The Cougars and Buffaloes start Saturday at 5:30 PM MST on ABC in what is expected to be one of the best non-playoff bowl games this season. Retzlaff called it “the people’s Big 12 Championship” during the pregame media segment.