BYU Football: Zach Wilson perfect as Cougars down WMU in Idaho Potato Bowl

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - NOVEMBER 24: Head coach head coach Kalani Sitake of the Brigham Young Cougars gestures on the sideline in a game against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images) /

3. How the mighty have fallen

BYU was 50-15 In their last five years prior to going independent in 2011. Since then the Cougars have just one season with 10 or more wins, have reached no higher than No. 18 in the AP Poll and missed a bowl game entirely in 2017. They would have been sitting at home again this year had it not been for Wisconsin’s missed field goal, securing BYU’s stunning upset.

Now 7-6, the Cougars found themselves trailing Western Michigan at halftime of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Western Michigan finished second in the MAC. Their best wins came over Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois. They’re a strong Group of 5 team and they pushed BYU to their limits in their bowl game matchup.

Kalani Sitake has largely underwhelmed since he took over as the head coach in 2016. The offense has stagnated and the momentum of a program that once dominated in the WAC has slowed considerably.

Next. Ranking every bowl game by watchability. dark

BYU finished their season on a high note and every bowl win should be celebrated. Hopefully, for the Cougars, 7-6 will soon be a distant floor they look back on as they work towards returning to their status as a Midwestern powerhouse.

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