This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Provo • BYU's 2014 football schedule has been analyzed, dissected and discussed ad nauseam the past few months, and the scrutiny will only intensify if the 3-0 Cougars keep winning and become a candidate for one of the "New Year's Six" bowl games.
Saturday's 1:30 p.m. rematch with Virginia at LaVell Edwards Stadium was rarely seen as anything more than a revenge game for the Cougars, after the Cavaliers surprised them 19-16 last year in Charlottesville.
"I think we owe them one," BYU safety Dallin Leavitt said.
Certainly, it wasn't going to do much to strengthen their schedule.
Well, things have changed.
Virginia (2-1) suddenly looks like a formidable opponent, after the Hoos stunned No. 21 Louisville 23-21 on Saturday while the Cougars were recovering from Thursday's lackluster 33-25 win over Houston.
BYU moved up to No. 21 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll released Sunday.
"We are for real," Virginia coach Mike London said after the Hoos snapped an 11-game losing streak to Football Bowl Subdivision opponents (BYU was their last FBS win) and a 10-game Atlantic Coast Conference losing streak.
It was Virginia's first win over a ranked team since 2011 as redshirt sophomore quarterback Greyson Lambert completed 13 of 24 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown, with one interception. Virginia's defense, which showed how good it was in a season-opening 28-20 loss to UCLA, held Louisville to 282 yards and forced four turnovers.
Saturday's game will be televised on ESPN's main platform, after the sports giant considered putting it on ESPNU.
If the Cougars weren't paying a little extra attention to UVA's visit a month ago, they are now.
"I am very excited about that football game," BYU quarterback Taysom Hill said after rushing 26 times (yes, 26 times) for 160 yards and a touchdown and completing 21 of 34 passes for 200 yards and a TD against Houston.
"I don't know if I want to say revenge, or whatever," Hill continued, "but I am very excited to play Virginia again. I have watched the tape, and I have watched some of their games on TV, and they have a good defense. It's a good football team. So it will be a good challenge for us."
Hill struggled in that loss, completing just 13 of 40 passes for 175 yards in wet, soggy conditions after the game was delayed two hours due to lightning in the area.
The Cougars outgained the Cavaliers 362-223 and had seven more first downs, but a third-down pass from Hill slipped through Jamaal Williams' hands and into Anthony Harris' hands for an interception. Virginia turned the turnover into the winning touchdown with 2:36 remaining.
Virginia will see a much different quarterback on Saturday in Provo, although Hill acknowledged after carrying the ball 26 times Thursday just five days after packing it 24 times in the 41-7 win at Texas that he was battered and bruised.
"Um, ask me tomorrow morning," he said when asked if 26 carries was too much. "I don't know. Honestly, a lot of people ask me that. My mindset is: Whatever it takes. So if I have to carry the ball 26 times a game, I am willing to do that for our football team. As long as we get the 'W' I am cool with that."
Twitter: @drewjay — Virginia at BYU
O LaVell Edwards Stadium
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN