This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Ann Arbor, Mich. • BYU's September Adventure did not end well, which is the nicest thing anyone could say about what unfolded Saturday at Michigan Stadium.
In the mix of sunshine and clouds on a classic autumn afternoon in the Midwest, the Cougars' football season already seemed far removed from those thrilling moments in Nebraska and Provo — or even a tough loss to UCLA at the Rose Bowl. BYU's first trip to the Big House led only to monstrous disappointment: Michigan 31, BYU 0.
This may count as one defeat, but the damage is extensive. BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall concluded a formerly exhilarating month with a sobering thought: "This starts our season over again."
The fun ended for freshman quarterback Tanner Mangum and rest of BYU's formerly No. 22-ranked team. After taking advantage of some opportunities that September's schedule offered them, the Cougars have lost the ranking and the relevance they once enjoyed. Mendenhall spoke of his team's needing to regroup "now that all the other stuff is gone."
Mangum Magic has become the Mangum Mirage, as the QB and his offense delivered a performance that in its own way was every bit as incomprehensible as their miraculous finishes against Nebraska and Boise State. The Cougars needed a last-minute, 11-yard run by Francis Bernard just to reach 105 total yards for the game.
Everybody wanted to know how Mangum would process those victories, but now it gets even more interesting as he tries to respond to a historically awful performance. Mangum admirably accepted responsibility for BYU's 55 passing yards, saying, "I take that all on me."
It was not all on him. BYU's offense was dominated by Michigan's aggressive defense "in every facet … every guy, every play," said offensive coordinator Robert Anae.
The Cougars' first scoreless effort since a 3-0 loss to Utah in the snow in 2003 — and only the second blanking since 1975 — came in front of a Michigan Stadium crowd of 108,940 and BYU legends Taysom Hill, John Beck and LaVell Edwards. None of them could have recognized the version of the BYU offense that the Cougars displayed Saturday.
The defense was just as bad in the first half, possibly the inevitable result of a September schedule that asked too much of the Cougars, physically and emotionally. But c'mon; 31-0, after 30 minutes? As defensive lineman Remington Peck said, "What more do you want to get up for, than a game like today? … We weren't there. We weren't ready."
The BYU defense's shutout effort in the second half was the only redeeming value of this game, following a first-half embarrassment that would have to be labeled a total team effort. The Cougars' offense, defense and special teams were equally woeful, as Michigan compiled 317 total yards to BYU's 62 in the half.
BYU's passing game was completely disjointed, with Mangum under pressure and continually unable to find any open receivers. Mangum needed a strong finish, just to go 4 of 13 for 25 yards in the half, with two sacks. His longest completion, a 14-yarder to Devon Blackmon, was a pass that bounced off a Michigan defender's hands.
Mangum's futility continued in the second half, when his eight completions accounted for only 30 yards. The natural conclusion is the Wolverines have improved considerably since their season-opening loss at Utah, but BYU deserves a fair amount of credit for Michigan's good impression.
The reality is that the Cougars were two plays away from being 0-4 in September. Those two wild wins do count, though, and BYU earned the Top 25 ranking it temporarily enjoyed. In a weird way, Saturday's showing made the previous efforts seem more like major achievements. BYU will spend the coming month at home, "starting from zero," Anae said, "finding out who we are and what we can do."
As of Saturday in the Big House, those answers were either unavailable or unpleasant.
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