BYU Football: 3 bold predictions for Cougars in October 2019
By Zach Bigalke
1. Dayan Ghanwoloku will get interceptions in both contests
The BYU secondary has been among the worst in the country through the first month of the 2019 season. Ranked 100th in the FBS in opponent passing efficiency and giving up 211 passing yards per game, the Cougars have at least excelled in one area of their passing defense: forcing interceptions by opposing quarterbacks.
Among independent programs, only Liberty has more interceptions than the six generated by BYU through their first five games of the season. Payton Wilgar currently leads the way with two picks, but senior defensive back Dayan Ghanwoloku is going to take over the lead in the Cougars’ two October outings.
The one takeaway Ghanwoloku has snagged so far this season was critical, as it sealed the overtime win over USC. Ghanwoloku’s current single-season best is three picks, which he snagged as a freshman back in 2016. A year later, the defensive back managed two interceptions against Mississippi State. Last year, though, he failed to generate a single takeaway.
That is all going to change this October, as Ghanwoloku gets at least one interception off a pair of freshman quarterbacks in South Florida’s Jordan McCloud and Boise State’s Hank Bachmeier.
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That will set up Ghanwoloku for an opportunity to break his career best in the month of November as the Cougars see their schedule lighten up in the final month of the regular season.