Be aware: With EA Sports activities’ Faculty Soccer 25 bringing faculty soccer again to the online game world, the Deseret Information is simulating each BYU sport towards an FBS opponent this season.
BYU is headed into Dallas as a double-digit underdog for its Week 2 matchup towards SMU.
It’s an essential matchup for the Cougars early within the season — they’re making an attempt to get again to the postseason after a 12 months off in 2023, and the Mustangs will present an early season problem.
How massive of a problem?
To assist us reply that query, we turned to EA Sports activities’ Faculty Soccer 25 for some solutions.
The Deseret Information ran a simulation of Friday’s sport — and it was a detailed matchup all through.
How the simulation was arrange
There have been a couple of floor guidelines in place: After some testing and tweaking, I adjusted the simulation to 12-minute quarters — with the choice to regulate that if obligatory in future simulations — then let the pc simulate with no person interference.
Accidents and depth chart modifications had been additionally thought-about.
For the BYU-SMU sport, that meant placing Jake Retzlaff at QB1 for BYU — the online game has Gerry Bohanon because the higher-rated quarterback, so I swapped them on the depth chart.
Along with altering a couple of backup positions attributable to harm, the most important change for the Mustangs was sticking primarily with Preston Stone at quarterback.
In the actual world, the Mustangs alternate between Stone and Kevin Jennings, however seeing as how there was no person interference and I couldn’t regulate the depth chart throughout a simulation, it labored to only enable Stone to play your complete sport.
How did the simulation between BYU and SMU play out?
Remaining rating: SMU 38, BYU 33
Key play: Early within the fourth quarter after BYU had climbed again inside 5 factors at 31-26 after happening double digits within the third, the Cougars obtained a cease on their facet of the sphere following a Retzlaff interception. Isaiah Bagnah helped power a punt with a first-down sack.
On the Cougars’ ensuing possession, although, turnover points struck once more.
Retzlaff was making an attempt to throw out within the flat to Kody Epps, however SMU’s Cale Sanders Jr. jumped the route and got here up with the second straight Retzlaff interception. Sanders returned it 46 yards for a decide six, giving the Mustangs a 38-26 lead with 7:25 to play.
How the sport transpired: BYU led simply as soon as, although the Cougars stayed inside one rating of the Mustangs via a lot of the sport.
Each groups had three scoring drives within the first half, with BYU trailing 17-13 on the break.
The Cougars briefly led 13-10 after a 21-yard Will Ferrin area objective with 1:14 left till halftime.
SMU struck shortly, although, as Jordan Hudson (who had a monster sport) caught a 73-yard landing go two performs into the following drive to push the Mustangs again forward.
The Cougars nonetheless had an opportunity to take the lead simply earlier than the half, as Retzlaff moved BYU into the crimson zone shortly. After three straight passes — two incomplete and one other in need of the top zone — Ferrin missed a 21-yard area objective that may have made it a 1-point sport.
Within the second half, BYU punted on the opening possession of the third and was taking part in catch-up after that.
Stone moved the Mustangs down the sphere methodically on their first drive of the second half and scored on a 10-yard QB keeper to make it 24-13 SMU.
The subsequent three possessions additionally resulted in touchdowns — two for BYU, and one for SMU. Each Cougar scores got here on passes to tight finish Keanu Hill, from 4 and 26 yards, although BYU failed on a 2-point conversion try after the primary landing that may have made it a 3-point sport.
Hudson, in the meantime, caught a protracted bomb at the back of the top zone for a 51-yard rating in between these BYU touchdowns.
That made it 31-26 heading into the fourth quarter.
BYU pressured a punt and had an opportunity to retake the lead early within the fourth, however Retzlaff’s first interception ended that chance.
That led to the Cougars’ defensive cease, adopted by the expensive Mustang decide six that gave them sufficient cushion to win the sport.
BYU responded with a 75-yard drive that included a 33-yard catch from Parker Kingston on fourth-and-11 to get the Cougars contained in the Mustangs’ 5-yard line.
After Retzlaff was sacked on first-and-goal, he hit Keelan Marion for a 15-yard landing to make it 38-33 with 2:23 to play.
SMU ran out the clock from there, utilizing a 40-yard go to Hudson and a powerful working assault to maintain BYU from possessing the ball once more.
Star gamers: For SMU, Stone accomplished 19 of twenty-two passes for 358 yards and three touchdowns, whereas Hudson had six receptions for 217 yards and three scores.
BYU was paced by Retzlaff, who threw for 494 yards and three touchdowns, although each fourth-quarter interceptions had been expensive.
LJ Martin, who had a 6-yard landing run, added 139 speeding yards, whereas Chase Roberts had 12 catches for 186 yards and Hill added six grabs for 100 yards and the 2 touchdowns.
Remaining stats: There wasn’t a variety of protection on this simulation — the Cougars completed with 605 yards and SMU had 494.
BYU struggled with ending drives within the first half, although, which led to having simply 13 factors on the half regardless of reaching the SMU crimson zone on every first-half possession.
The Mustangs, in the meantime, by no means turned the ball over and had been 6 of 10 on third down. BYU, for its half, was 7 of 13 on third down.
