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Provo • After knocking off a Southeastern Conference team loaded with size and outstanding athletes last Friday, BYU football players were battered, bruised, sore and tired when they returned to practice on Saturday, coach Kalani Sitake reported in his weekly press briefing Monday morning.

But that doesn't mean they don't want to play again as quickly as possible.

Sitake said he likes the fact that the Cougars face another short week — they play at No. 14 Boise State on Thursday — because they want to keep their momentum going, having won three straight games, including the 28-21 double overtime conquest of Mississippi State.

"We are competitors, so we would love to play every day, if we could. Get an 82-game schedule," Sitake said. "Our guys like to play and they had a great day [Monday] in practice, had a great day on Saturday when we came in. They just love playing the game of football, and are excited the game is coming up real quick."

The Cougars have a bye after Thursday's game, and won't play again until Nov. 5, at Cincinnati.

"I am glad it is a short week," Sitake said. "We have a bye afterwards, so let's just empty the tank and just get everything we can focused on this game, and empty it on Thursday night."

Meanwhile, BYU players who spoke to the media Monday had mixed feelings about the quick turnaround, partly because they need time to recover from Friday's physical game, and partly because preparing for multi-dimensional Boise State is so difficult.

"They come out almost every formation in something different," said linebacker Francis Bernard. "We need to watch film. Film is going to play a big part in this game if we all do our part watching it. Then we will be more prepared and have a step on them."

Sitake said he likes the series with Boise State — the Cougars and Broncos are contracted to play every year through 2023 — and called it an "honor" to go up against the top-flight Mountain West Conference team.

"They get the most out of their players, and they have recruited really well. ... They are a tough opponent and we are going to have to play our best. We look forward to playing our best and see if we can get it done up there."

Both tight end Tanner Balderree and defensive lineman Sae Tautu said Monday that BYU's players consider Boise State a rival.

"It is one of the top five in my book," Balderree said. "It is someone we've consistently played throughout our history. It's been a back-and-forth battle; they beat us one year, and we beat them the next. It's a big game for us, and a big game for them."

Sitake said a couple players who left the MSU game early, players such as offensive lineman Thomas Shoaf and defensive tackle Meti Taliauli, practiced a bit on Monday. Linebacker Butch Pau'u suffered a setback with his knee injury during the game, and again will be a game-time decision for Boise State.

Pau'u, BYU's leading tackler before suffering a knee injury against West Virginia, "was not himself, but he did some good things as well," Sitake said. "A lot of it is being the general on the field for us. I thought [Austin] Heder did some good things, too, and [Adam] Pulsipher did some things. But Butch was the starter for a reason and I thought he was really smart. Towards the end, I think Heder finished the game. Butch understood that he wasn't giving us what we needed. And he came in and got things organized, got guys to settle down, and then Heder played great after that."

Sitake said that none of the previously injured players — offensive lineman Ului Lapuaho and defensive tackleTomasi Laulile, specifically — have been ruled out for the year. Special teams coach Ed Lamb said on his "Coordinator's Corner" radio show that kicker Jake Oldroyd is still having issues with his back and will likely take a medical redshirt.

Twitter: @drewjay —

BYU at No. 14 Boise State

P Thursday, 8:15 p.m. MDT

TV • ESPN