Remember a decade ago when everybody was dumping buckets of ice water on their heads to draw attention to ALS research? The social media movement inspired action from around the world.
Ice water to the face can do a lot of things. It can make you mad, it can make you cold, but most assuredly it can wake you up. UCF hit BYU with an “Ice Bucket Challenge” last Saturday and jolted the No. 8 Cougars back into coherence that without their best effort, anyone can beat them.
The sting from the ice is temporary. The cold water can be toweled off, but the awakened soul is what really matters. A rejuvenated effort can take a good cause and make it better — or even a good season and make it great.
“We know what we need to do to be better,” said senior safety Raider Damuni before Monday’s practice. “And we will be.”
A refocus on tackling and wrapping up runners is where the Cougars will start.
“We need better technique. We need to reinforce that with our guys and make sure everybody is following the standard,” said BYU coach Kalani Sitake. “That’s not our style of play and I’m really disappointed that it showed up and we have to fix it.”
BYU took great intentions to Orlando last weekend and even after a 39-31 double-overtime defeat, they returned with those same plans, albeit dinged up a bit, but still intact. Over the long run, the Cougars might even come to thank the Knights for the wake-up call.
“Taking a loss right now might help this team and spring us forward,” said senior defensive tackle Justin Kirkland. “We still control our future. Everybody understands that. It’s just that the leeway is a lot less now. Everybody is ready to attack this week.”
Arizona State, No. 6 Utah, Baylor, Kansas and Cincinnati stand in the way of BYU’s second straight appearance in the Big 12 championship game and possibly their debut in the College Football Playoff. Getting there undefeated is an added burden they no longer have — neither do the Chiefs nor 49ers after their own miserable weekends in the NFL.
It’s nice to win all the games, as only the 1984 Cougars can attest, but a chance to win the last game and claim football’s top prize is what BYU is chasing in 2026. The win over No. 2 Notre Dame and the defeat at UCF gives the Cougars a pretty good idea of what it’s going to take and what they are capable of doing.
Nobody will make it to Arlington while sleeping at the wheel and thanks to the timing UCF’s Ice Bucket Challenge — BYU is wide awake for the drive.
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.