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Provo • Perhaps because they just lost their third straight close football game near the nation's capital on Saturday — a frustrating, mistake-filled nail-biter — the words of American revolutionist Thomas Paine apply to the BYU Cougars.

These are the times that try men's souls.

They will also test coach Kalani Sitake's ability to turn around a season that started with such promise, but now threatens to end with the Cougars failing to qualify for a bowl game for the first time in 12 years.

"I think when you go against quality opponents like we've had, you gotta find ways to win," Sitake said. "It is one play here and one play there that makes a difference, and we were on the wrong end of it three games in a row, so we gotta find ways to flip it."

In losses to Utah and UCLA, lackluster offensive performances were to blame; against West Virginia, turnovers plagued the Cougars. They had four costly giveaways, including a pick-six for the second time this season, and the interception with a minute remaining that thwarted their final drive.

"We are trying to stay positive, man," senior receiver Colby Pearson said after the 35-32 loss. "It is just frustrating. It sucks, but like I said, we are going to move forward, and I think the younger guys are on board, too."

They'd better be. The Cougars return to LaVell Edwards Stadium this week and face their first non-Power 5 opponent of the season on Friday, but the Toledo Rockets aren't the breather in the schedule they appeared to be a month ago.

Toledo is 3-0, and, like West Virginia last week, is coming off a bye. The Rockets opened with a 31-10 win at Arkansas State, then defeated Maine 45-3 and Fresno State 52-17 at home.

They are No. 38 in the Sagarin ratings (BYU is 47 and Utah is 33, by comparison) and they are sixth in the country in total offense, picking up 563.7 yards per game, and seventh in total defense, allowing just 251.7.

"This is the tightest team I have been a part of here at BYU," Pearson said. "We will come out of it. It is frustrating because we know we are better than this. Our coaches know we are better. But you can't really say anything about it when you are 1-3. So, it will turn around, and we are just going to move on, keep our heads up."

Considered a strength through three games, BYU's defense gave up touchdown drives of 88, 86, 59 and 99 yards to the Mountaineers, who finished with 481 total yards but arguably had the best offense the Cougars have faced, to date.

On the flip side, BYU's offense finally got it going, posting a season-high 521 yards, and its special teams continually gave it excellent field position. The Cougars TD drives were 78, 57, 67 and 79 yards. Two red zone penetrations that ended with field goals in the first half, and two failed two-point conversion attempts, proved costly.

"We just gotta execute a little bit more on those," said running back Jamaal Williams, who went over the 100-yard rushing plateau for the 12th time in his career, finishing with 169. "Honestly, it is nothing else. The play calls are good. We just gotta finish them. … We will keep playing hard, and we will [eventually] come out with a W."

Said linebacker Francis Bernard: "The attitude is the same — we have to get back on Monday and watch the film and see what we did wrong, and get back to work."

The Cougars moved up to No. 88 — from 105th — in the country in total offense (384.3 ypg.) and finally saw quarterback Taysom Hill display the running ability he was known for before the Lisfranc foot injury he suffered the first game of the 2015 season. Hill had 101 yards on 13 carries.

"I just know that our guys are resilient," Sitake said. "They want to work hard. They want to win, and we really look forward to next week and getting ready for this next game, and being home. … I just know we haven't played our best game yet, and I'm waiting for that to happen."

drew@sltrib.com Twitter: @drewjay —

Toledo at BYU

P Friday, 8:15 p.m.

TV • ESPN2