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Provo • The BYU Cougars didn't score any points in the second half against Notre Dame last week, and managed just 115 yards of offense in the third and fourth quarters.

But quarterback Riley Nelson and tight end Kaneakua Friel say scoring two touchdowns in the second quarter against an Irish defense that hadn't allowed a touchdown in the previous 17 quarters has given them confidence that they can have a breakout game offensively against Georgia Tech on Saturday (1 p.m. MT, ROOT).

"We can do big things. We just need a nice kick-start," Friel said. "I think that [Notre Dame performance] will give us one."

Nelson said it will be nice to go into a game where the focus is on Georgia Tech's spread-option offense rather than its defense, as was the case with Notre Dame.

"We think we're going to play well and execute well down there," he said.

Speaking of second-quarter success, the Cougars have outscored opponents 78-6 in second quarters this season.

More television plans announced

BYU announced Wednesday that kickoff times and televisions broadcast plans for its games against Idaho and San Jose State have been finalized.

The Nov. 10 BYU-Idaho game at LaVell Edwards Stadium, the final home game of the season, will begin at 8:15 p.m. MT and will be televised by ESPNU.

The Nov. 17 BYU-San Jose State game will begin at 8:30 p.m. MT at Spartan Stadium and will be televised by either ESPNU or ESPN2.

Last week, BYU said its Nov. 24 game at New Mexico State will begin at 2 p.m. MT and will be televised by Altitude.

Time to take a knee?

Notre Dame kicked off four times to BYU in last Saturday's game. Two went for touchbacks, while Cougar senior Joe Sampson returned the other two, including one from the end zone, where he reached the 16-yard line. It wasn't the first time that Sampson failed to get to the 25, which is where the ball is now placed after touchbacks.

"Yeah, from the last week in practice, the instructions were pretty clear: Don't return it unless you can get past the 25," coach Bronco Mendenhall said Monday. "And, so, that level of scrutiny has certainly gone up."

Briefly

There were reports out of Ohio on Wednesday that Ohio State and BYU were in discussions to meet in the 2013 season opener, but the talks fell through.

"I was asked if I would be interested a couple weeks ago, but that was about it," Mendenhall said after practice Wednesday. "A couple weeks ago."

Twitter: @drewjay —

BYU at Georgia Tech

Saturday, 1 p.m. MT

TV • ROOT