BYU Football: 3 reasons the Cougars will beat UCF in Boca Raton Bowl

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Nov 21, 2020; Provo, UT, USA; BYU defensive lineman Earl Tuioti-Mariner, center, sacks North Alabama quarterback Blake Dever (7) in the third quarter during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, in Provo, Utah. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger/Pool Photo-USA TODAY NETWORK /

2. BYU’s defense

If defense wins championships, it also must win Boca Raton Bowls. The Cougars have one of the best defenses in the country and it might just be a top-two unit that UCF has seen this season. That defense knows the importance of containing Dillon Gabriel and they will make sure he doesn’t do whatever he wants all night.

Even if Gabriel does beat the Cougars, they might just take the approach of “you can’t stop him, just slow him down” which they could do by keying on the run game and taking Greg McCrae and Otis Anderson completely out of the offense. Making them struggle would be huge.

BYU’s defense allows just 309 yards per game and only 113 on the ground which means it knows how to stop the run. If it can contain the two-headed monster in the backfield, the Cougars should be alright.

Moreover, BYU does allow less than 200 yards per game through the air which is bad news for Gabriel because that means they have the talent and potential to shut down opposing quarterbacks. Gabriel might be an exception, but this defense will make life difficult for him.

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