Game 3: BYU vs. Florida State

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Game 3: BYU Cougars vs. Florida State Seminoles

BYU will take on Florida State on Saturday, Sept. 18, at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live from Doak Campbell Stadium on ESPNU and KSL Radio 1160 AM and 102.7 FM. The game will be rebroadcast Saturday evening on BYUtv at 9:30 p.m. MT.

BYU (1-1) at Florida State (1-1)

September 18, 2010

3:30 p.m. ET

Doak Campbell Stadium

Tallahassee, FL

THE BYU-FLORIDA STATE SERIES

BYU has had little luck against Florida State and is still looking for its first win in the series. Last season, the Seminoles came into LaVell Edwards Stadium and upset BYU, ranked No. 7 in the country. BYU also played Florida State in two season openers in 1991 and 2000. In 2000, the two teams played in the Pigskin Classic in Jacksonville, Fla., where quarterback Chris Weinke lead Florida State to victory. In 1991, Ty Detmer and the Cougars traveled to Anaheim, Calif., for another Pigskin Classic in one of three losses for BYU that year.

BYU VS. FLORIDA STATE NOTES

- BYU is looking for its first win in four tries against Florida State. The game is the first the Cougars have ever played in Doak Campbell Stadium.

- Last season, quarterback Riley Nelson threw 3-for-3 for 61 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown pass to JJ Di Luigi in the fourth quarter in BYU’s 54-28 loss to the Seminoles.

- The Cougars have never won a football game in the state of Florida in four tries. BYU’s first attempt was in the Tangerine Bowl where the Cougars lost, 49-21, to Oklahoma State. In the Citrus Bowl in 1985, BYU dropped a close decision to Ohio State, 10-7. The latest two games have been regular season contests with the Cougars falling at Miami, 41-17, and at Jacksonville against Florida State, 29-3.

- BYU has not defeated an ACC team since August 28, 2003, against Georgia Tech, a 24-13 win in Provo. The last time the Cougars defeated an ACC opponent on the road was a 38-35 win at Virginia on September 2, 2000.

FULL DEFENSE

After two games, 22 different BYU defenders have notched at least one tackle. Four players have double-digit totals while four others have nine tackles apiece. Seven defenders have at least 0.5 tackles for loss while the defense has two sacks, one interception, eight pass break-ups, two quarterback hurries and one forced fumble.

COPY CATS

BYU rushed for 139 yards in the first quarter alone after gaining 140 yards total on the ground last week against Wash- ington. The Cougars finished with 221 yards on 34 carries against Air Force.

FIRST IN THE NATION

BYU’s kickoff return defense has been ranked first in the nation both weeks of the 2010 football season. The Cougars allowed just 20 yards on three punts against Washington and 12 yards on one punt at Air Force for an average of 8.0 yards per game.

RUN, RUN, RUN

JJ Di Luigi led the Cougars for the second week in a row on the ground, rushing for his first-ever 100-yard rush- ing game. Di Luigi ran for a career-high 103 yards on seven carries. The junior had 76 yards and a touchdown in the first half alone. He also set a new career-long rush of 43 yards in the first quarter.

Di Luigi is 24th in the country in all-purpose rushing, averaging 157.5 yards per game. That mark is also good for first in the MWC.

See the attached PDF for the complete Air Force game notes.