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BYU tight end Ray Paulo watches the ball bounce away after he fumbled it during a kickoff return in the Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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BYU defenders attempt to make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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Iowa State defensive back Myles Purchase knocks down a pass intended for freshman wide receiver Jojo Phillips during the Big 12 game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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BYU sophomore wide receiver Keelan Marion gets tackled during the Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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BYU junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff throws a pass during the Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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BYU sophomore safety Ethan Slade tries to make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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A BYU ball carrier gets tackled during the Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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BYU mascot Cosmo performs during a timeout in the Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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BYU freshman linebacker Harrison Taggert attempts to make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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Iowa State wide receiver Jaylin Noel carries the ball up the field during the Big 12 game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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BYU defenders make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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The US flag is presented before during the Big 12 game between BYU and Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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Iowa State running back Eli Sanders tries to break a tackle during the Big 12 game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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BYU safety Crew Wakely makes a tackle during the Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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BYU defenders make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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BYU honors a 102-year-old veteran before the Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

❮ ❯

How many times do you see a college football team start the game where the first three times it touches the ball it has a fumble, an interception and a lost fumble?

That was the dubious distinction that BYU managed to start Saturday night’s Big 12 game against Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, a sign of the disaster to come in the 45-13 Cougar loss to the Cyclones.

“Not a good outcome,” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said. “Before I talk about some of the other stuff I want to give credit to Iowa State. Matt Campbell and his staff did a great job getting their guys ready. From what I understand, they still control their destiny. They have a chance to win the conference. We are nowhere near that right now.”

The truth of that statement was evident right from the start.

The Cougars got the opening kickoff and sophomore Keelan Marion made a decent return on the short kick, only to have the ball knocked free.

BYU’s relief that its freshman linebacker Isaiah Glasker recovered the dropped ball was short-lived, however, as one the next play Cougar junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff rolled out and tried to hit sophomore wide receiver Kody Epps but didn’t see Cyclone sophomore linebacker Will McLaughlin and threw it right to him.

Iowa State needed just three plays to get into the end zone on a 4-yard TD pass from freshman quarterback Rocco Becht to junior wide receiver Jaylin Noel.

BYU’s misery escalated on the ensuing kickoff as the Cyclone dropped a short kickoff to junior tight end Ray Paulo, who tried to make a move and ended up having the ball knocked free. Iowa State recover the fumble at the Cougar 17-yard line and the home team appeared to be in serious trouble less than three minutes into the game.

“We’ve done this to ourselves a couple of times this year, getting down 14-0 or 10-0 early,” BYU junior tight end Isaac Rex said. “We made too many just dumb mistakes and we got them off to a hot start.”

The Cougars, however, gave supporters a surge of hope in the next few minutes.

First, the BYU defense kept the Cyclones from getting a first down and Iowa State settled for a 31-yard field goal by senior kicker Chase Contreraz.

The Cougars then ran the ball effectively on their next drive, getting a 36-yard burst from junior running back Aidan Robbins to set up a 5-yard TD pass from Retzlaff to freshman wide receiver Jojo Phillips to cut the deficit to 10-7.

BYU then got a sack and stuffed the Cyclones, giving the Cougars the ball with a chance to take the lead.

Could they do it and seize the momentum?

Not the way this team is playing right now. Not a chance.

BYU managed a 1-yard run, a 2-yard run and had a third-down pass knocked away, forcing a punt. When Iowa State got the ball back, it marched down the field and powered in for a touchdown — and the Cougars never got close again.

In a repetition of what happened at TCU and West Virginia, the Cyclone offense seemed like it could do anything it wanted. Iowa State added two more touchdowns in the second quarter, then got two home runs in the second half: a 71-yard TD on a swing pass from Becht to Noel, then a 59-yard touchdown run by freshman running back Abu Sama III.

BYU got a touchdown on a 26-yard pass from freshman wide receiver Parker Kingston to Rex, but the two-point conversion failed and that was all the Cougars could manage.

For the third straight week and fourth time in five games, BYU wasn’t just defeated but wasn’t anywhere near being competitive.

“It sucks,” Rex said. “Yeah, it totally sucks. That’s how everyone of us feels. It sucks worse at home, because we have a lot of great fans that care about us and came out to support us. To get blown out like this is embarrassing.”

There are certainly plenty of issues that need to be addressed in all aspects of the game for the Cougars, with the foremost in Sitake’s mind being three turnovers.

“We’ve got to take care of the football and have good ball security,” Sitake said. “If individuals can’t do that, then they can’t play football here. Being careless with the football does not work here.”

The BYU defense continued to get gashed for big plays both in the run game and through the air.

“It’s obviously disappointing and obviously frustrating,” Cougar senior linebacker AJ Vongphachanh said. “It’s kind of the same outcome every the past three weeks. Credit the last three opponents. They were good but I think it’s more about us.

“I don’t think it takes that dramatic changes and I think that’s why it’s frustrating. I do think we’ve got the right guys in place but it just comes down to doing our job consistently.”

BYU did see some flashes of success running the ball which is a welcome change from the numerous games where it couldn’t do anything on the ground, but junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff struggled to consistently get the ball to his receivers (finishing 10-of-27 for 104 yards with one TD and two interceptions).

He said he feels like the Cougars are close to getting the offense clicking but BYU hasn’t gotten that to happen yet.

“I feel like we’re not far at all,” Retzlaff said. “I think if you ask a lot of guys that this offense, we know we can move the ball down the field. I don’t think we’re far off from from clicking and really getting huge scores and huge yardage games.”

Sitake remained stoic in his determination to get a win in the next two games to get the Cougars to bowl eligibility, but the frustration with the current streak of failures was evident on the sideline and in the postgame press conference.

“We have to build on our culture so we can handle tough times and adversity,” Sitake said. “That’s part of life. What we can’t have is same type of performance. No one’s gonna feel sorry for you, so stop feeling sorry for yourself. I don’t expect a lot of pity from everybody else. We’ve got to find ways to toughen up and find ways to get get better. That’s just what it comes down to.”

Vongphachanh, however, said that for things to turn around it has to be on the players.

“I take it upon myself to go out there and just be better on my end,” Vongphachanh said. “Then it’s about getting things going, whether that is making plays or helping guys out. Commanding the defense and getting some plays going, you know, I think that’s the biggest thing for me. It’s tough because you know, you want to do the best you can, but you also want to bring everyone else together.”

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