1988 BYU Cougars football team

American college football season

1988 BYU Cougars football
Freedom Bowl champion
Freedom Bowl, W 20–17 vs. Colorado
ConferenceWestern Athletic Conference
Record9–4 (5–3 WAC)
Head coach
  • LaVell Edwards (17th season)
Offensive coordinatorRoger French (8th season)
Offensive schemeWest Coast
Defensive coordinatorDick Felt (14th season)
Base defense3–4
Home stadiumCougar Stadium
Seasons
← 1987
1989 →
1988 Western Athletic Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 20 Wyoming $ 8 – 0 – 0 11 – 2 – 0
UTEP 6 – 2 – 0 10 – 3 – 0
Hawaii 5 – 3 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
BYU 5 – 3 – 0 9 – 4 – 0
Utah 4 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Air Force 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 7 – 0
San Diego State 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
New Mexico 1 – 7 – 0 2 – 10 – 0
Colorado State 1 – 7 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Coaches Poll

The 1988 BYU Cougars football team represented Brigham Young University during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season.[1] The Cougars were led by 17th-year head coach LaVell Edwards and played their home games at Cougar Stadium in Provo, Utah. The team competed as members of the Western Athletic Conference, finishing tied for third with a record of 9–4 (5–3 WAC). BYU was invited to the 1988 Freedom Bowl, where they defeated Colorado.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendance
September 1at Wyoming
L 14–24 28,847[2]
September 8No. 19 Texas*
W 47–6 64,249
September 17UTEP
  • Cougar Stadium
  • Provo, UT
W 31–27 64,099
September 30Utah State*
W 38–3 65,702
October 8Colorado State
  • Cougar Stadium
  • Provo, UT
W 42–7 65,281
October 15TCU*
  • Cougar Stadium
  • Provo, UT
W 31–18 64,103
October 22at HawaiiW 24–23 50,000
October 29New Mexico
  • Cougar Stadium
  • Provo, UT
W 65–0 63,424
November 5at San Diego StateNo. 20L 15–27 21,825
November 12at Air ForceW 49–31 40,218
November 19at Utah
L 28–57 34,216
December 3at No. 2 Miami (FL)*L 17–41 59,367
December 29vs. Colorado*W 20–17 35,941
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Personnel

1988 BYU Cougars football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 10 Sean Covey Sr
WR Chuck Cutler
WR Bryce Doman
FB Fred Whittingham
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K Jason Chaffetz
K Earl Kauffman
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Game summaries

Texas

#19 Texas Longhorns (0–0) at BYU Cougars (0–1)
Period 1 2 34Total
Texas 3 3 006
BYU 10 10 72047

at Cougar Stadium, Provo, Utah

  • Date: September 8, 1988
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Clear, 87 °F (31 °C)
  • Game attendance: 64,249
  • Referee: Pat Sweeney
  • TV: ESPN
  • Box Score, Box Score
Game information

First quarter

  • BYU – Bryce Doman 89-yard pass from Sean Covey (Earl Kauffman kick), 11:30. BYU 7–0.
  • BYU – Earl Kauffman 31-yard field goal, 7:41. BYU 10–0.
  • UT – Wayne Clements 41-yard field goal, 1:35. BYU 10–3.

Second quarter

  • BYU – Chuck Cutler 52-yard pass from Sean Covey (Earl Kauffman kick), 14:18. BYU 17–3.
  • BYU – Earl Kauffman 51-yard field goal, 12:38. BYU 20–3.
  • UT – Wayne Clements 55-yard field goal, 10:47. BYU 20–6.

Third quarter

  • BYU – Rodney Rice 70-yard interception return (Earl Kauffman kick), 2:16. BYU 27–6.

Fourth quarter

  • BYU – Fred Whittingham 20-yard run (Earl Kauffman kick), 10:03. BYU 34–6.
  • BYU – Chuck Cutler 20-yard pass from Ty Detmer (Earl Kauffman kick), 6:59. BYU 41–6.
  • BYU – Eric Mortensen 17-yard run (kick failed), 4:54. BYU 47–6.
Top passers
  • UT – Shannon Kelley – 11/32, 137 yards, 2 INT
  • BYU – Sean Covey – 14/38, 323 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
  • UT – Darron Norris – 14 rushes, 49 yards
  • BYU – Fred Whittingham – 7 rushes, 63 yards
Top receivers
  • UT – Tony Jones – 6 receptions, 107 yards
  • BYU – Bryce Doman – 3 receptions, 124 yards, TD

External videos
video icon Full game
video icon Game highlights
video icon BYU highlights

At Air Force

BYU Cougars (7–2) at Air Force Falcons (5–4)
Period 1 2 34Total
BYU 7 14 141449
Air Force 10 7 14031

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, Colorado

  • Date: November 12, 1988
  • Game weather: 44 °F (7 °C)
  • Game attendance: 40,218
  • Box Score
Game information

First quarter

  • AFA – Steve Yarborough 44-yard field goal. Air Force 3–0.
  • AFA – Greg Johnson 3-yard run (Steve Yarborough kick). Air Force 10–0.
  • BYU – Fred Whittingham 3-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). Air Force 10–7.

Second quarter

  • BYU – Sean Covey 1-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 14–10.
  • AFA – Dee Dowis 4-yard run (Steve Yarborough kick). Air Force 17–14.
  • BYU – Tyler Anderson 41-yard pass from Sean Covey (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 21–17.

Third quarter

  • BYU – Matt Bellini 21-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 28–17.
  • AFA – Dee Dowis 6-yard run (run failed). BYU 28–23.
  • AFA – Dee Dowis 15-yard run (run good). Air Force 31–28.
  • BYU – Tony Crutchfield 79-yard kickoff return. BYU 35–31.

Fourth quarter

  • BYU – Sean Covey 2-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 42–31.
  • BYU – Mike Salido 5-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 49–31.
Top passers
Top rushers
  • BYU – Matt Bellini – 21 rushes, 138 yards, TD
  • AFA – Greg Johnson – 15 rushes, 112 yards, TD
Top receivers
  • BYU – Mike Salido – 4 receptions, 47 yards
  • AFA – Albert Booker – 2 receptions, 58 yards

References

  1. ^ "1988 Brigham Young Cougars Schedule and Results". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  2. ^ "1989 BYU Football Media Guide" (PDF). byucougars.com. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
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