BYU scores 7 TDs in 1st half; Cougars beat Wagner 70

Tanner Mangum amassed 237 yards and 3 TDs prior to leaving the game to give backup Beau Hoge a shot, and Mangum was 12/13 on completions.

For the first time this year the BYU Cougars played a home game in the middle of the day and, as expected, dominated in every aspect. Algernon Brown rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns on just six attempts. Nate Carter notched 102 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries. Overall, the receiving corps combined for 411 yards and four touchdowns. BYU compiled 741 yards of total offense, the fourth-most in a single game in school history. Kessler emerged as the go-to option in the second half, tallying three catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. Linebacker Fred Warner led the Cougars with four total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and a quarterback hurry. Tanner Mangum found Colby Pearson for a 16-yard TD strike to go up 7-0 on the fourth play of the game, and the rout was on. Mitch Mathews caught two touchdown passes. He threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter and one more in the second. The defense held Wagner to just one first down in the quarter. Terenn Houk had a 19-yard reception and a 46-yard reception to set up the first score of the quarter.

Second Quarter BYU-M.Mathews 19 pass from Mangum (Samson kick), 13:07.

Mendenhall said that cornerback Michael Shelton earned the punt-return job in practice, opened when Garrett Juergens suffered a season-ending collarbone injury last week against Cincinnati, and the redshirt freshman delivered. In the Seahawks’ next series, Jordan Preator intercepted the ball to get possession back for the Cougars. He ran two yards for his first career touchdown.

The BYU Cougars take on the Wagner Seahawks today in a game on the college football schedule between one team that’s on a winning streak and is trying to regain its national ranking, and one team which is still seeking its first victory of the 2015 season.

The Seahawks evaded the shutout with a rushing touchdown at the 6:52 mark in the third quarter. The PAT attempt by Wagner was blocked by Logan Taele, denying the extra point and making it 49-6. His lone passing touchdown, though, came on a screen to David Kessler in which Kessler ran the final 47 yards to the end zone.

Those same starters were largely pulled for most of the second half, allowing Wagner a bit of success – most notably a touchdown drive that was capped with a 1-yard touchdown run from Matthias McKinnon.

There weren’t any clock management issues, as the game wasn’t close enough for it to make a difference.

The Cougars play next on November 6, when they will travel to California to take on the San Jose State Spartans. The game will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network at 8:30 p.m. PST.