Date Time Opponent Rank Site Result Attendance Source September 10 7:30 pm Kansas State * W 39–035,196 [ 3]
September 24 12:50 pm at Utah State * No. 20 W 65–620,103 [ 4]
7:30 pm New Mexico No. 15 W 54–1933,352 [ 5]
October 8 2:30 pm at Oregon State * No. 13 L 19–2433,965 [ 6]
October 15 1:30 pm Colorado State W 63–1729,110 [ 7]
October 22 1:30 pm at Wyoming No. 17 W 10–725,398 [ 8]
October 29 1:30 pm Arizona No. 17 W 34–1433,621 [ 9]
November 5 1:30 pm Utah No. 14 W 38–834,208 [ 10]
November 12 7:30 pm at No. 17 Arizona State No. 13 L 13–2458,295 [ 11]
November 19 1:30 pm Long Beach State * No. 17 W 30–2721,322 [ 12]
November 26 7:30 pm at UTEP No. 18 W 68–197,800 [ 13]
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Mountain time
[ 14]
Senior quarterback Gifford Nielsen completed 30 of 40 passes for 321 yards and six touchdowns. Head coach LaVell Edwards pulled Nielsen with about three minutes left in the first half and again at 3:46 in the third quarter while three more potential touchdown passes were dropped otherwise Nielsen's stats would have been even greater. On the road in Logan , the BYU players were actually cheered by the Utah State fans as they left field.[ 15]
Starting quarterback Nielsen injured his knee late in the loss at Corvallis on October 8, ending his collegiate career; he was replaced by sophomore Marc Wilson .[ 16] [ 17] [ 18] [ 19] The struggling Oregon State Beavers were seven-point underdogs,[ 20] [ 21] and went winless in the Pac-10 Conference .
Utah Utes at #14 BYU Cougars
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Utah
0
2
6 0 8
BYU
17
0
0 21 38
at Cougar Stadium • Provo, Utah
Date : November 5Game time : 1:30 p.m. MSTGame weather : Overcast • 60 °F (16 °C)Game attendance : 33,828CougarStats
Game information
Utah
Randy Gomez 15/41, 131 Yds, 2 INT
Jeffrey Parker 24 Rush, 98 Yds 3 Rec, 28 Yds
BYU
Marc Wilson 26/41, 571 Yds, 5 TD, 3 INT
Todd Christensen 9 Rush, 32 Yds
Mike Chronister 4 Rec, 176 Yds, TD
BYU's Marc Wilson threw for 571 yards,[ 22] breaking the single-game NCAA record set by Utah State's Tony Adams in 1972 , also against Utah .[ 23] [ 24] Wilson was pulled with two minutes left, but returned a minute later and completed three passes, including a touchdown to John VanDerWouden, to set the record,[ 22] which drew the ire of Utah head coach Wayne Howard .
Scoring summary
Quarter
Time
Drive
Team
Scoring information
Score
Plays
Yards
TOP
UTAH
BYU
1
BYU
23-yard field goal by Duke
0
3
1
BYU
Christensen 11-yard touchdown reception from Wilson, Duke kick good
0
10
1
BYU
Chronister 72-yard touchdown reception from Wilson, Duke kick good
0
17
2
Utah
Safety, international grounding penalty by Wilson in end zone
2
17
3
Utah
Liapis 12-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass failed
8
17
4
BYU
VanDerWouden 14-yard touchdown reception from Wilson, Duke kick good
8
24
4
BYU
Thompson 26-yard touchdown reception from Wilson, Duke kick good
8
31
4
BYU
VanDerWouden 8-yard touchdown reception from Wilson, Duke kick good
8
38
"TOP" = time of possession . For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football .
8
38
1977 BYU Cougars football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
TE
95
Rob Anderson
So
RB
23
Clay Blackwell
So
QB
12
Ray Brock
So
TE
85
Clay Brown
So
OT
64
Alan Carlile
So
FB
30
Steve Carlson
So
FB
33
Todd Christensen
Sr
WR
29
Mike Chronister
Jr
OT
63
Calvin Close
So
WR
Bill Davis
Fr
OT
66
Russ Davis
Jr
OT
72
Nick Eyre
Fr
QB
17
Mark Flammer
Jr
G
58
Clayton Forsythe
Jr
RB
Dave Francis
Fr
OT
76
Al Gaspard
Jr
WR
88
Bruce George
Jr
FB
24
Roger Gourley
Sr
G
62
Danny Hansen
So
TE
Brad Hardisty
Fr
WR
26
George Harris
Sr
OT
72
Kelly Harris
Sr
QB
11
Dan Hartwig
So
QB
Mike Heinrich
Fr
TE
86
Richard Herlin
Jr
OT
Steve Herring
Fr
OT
70
Jim Jaramillo
So
WR
87
Lloyd Jones
So
WR
84
Rick Jones
Sr
RB
20
Robbie Kahuanui
So
RB
31
Larry Kemp
Jr
RB
36
Eric Lane
Fr
WR
Ron Lewis
Jr
G
67
Raymond Linford
So
OT
Walt Manwill
Fr
QB
7
Terry McEwen
Sr
QB
9
Jim McMahon
Fr
C
54
Tom Miller
Sr
QB
14
Gifford Nielsen
Sr
C
50
Scott Nielson
So
OT
75
Bart Oates
Fr
C
55
Corey Pace
So
OT
Nelson Paynter
Jr
QB
Scott Phillips
Fr
RB
Scott Reber
Fr
OT
78
Lance Reynolds
Sr
RB
35
Bill Ring
Jr
FB
Kim Stewart
Jr
G
59
Gary Stoddard
Jr
C
52
Brad Sullivan
Jr
TE
Norman Taylor
Fr
TE
92
Tod Thompson
Jr
WR
25
Kent Tingey
Jr
G
77
Keith Uperesa
Sr
OT
69
Jan Van de Merwe
Sr
WR
8
John VanDerWouden
Sr
FB
34
Roy Ward
Sr
RB
32
Ken White
So
FB
44
Vic Whitsett
So
RB
48
Doug Williams
So
QB
6
Marc Wilson
So
RB
43
Casey Wingard
Jr
WR
Stan Younger
Fr
WR
22
Lynn Zwahlen
So
Defense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
DB
42
Steve Anderson
So
DE
90
Kip Apostol
Sr
DT
65
Craig Barr
So
LB
Russ Beck
Jr
LB
41
Mark Berntsen
Sr
LB
53
Gary Bouck
Jr
S
23
Perry Bradford
So
DB
Mark Brady
Fr
DE
68
Rob Buchanan
Jr
LB
48
Scott Garrett
So
DB
10
Dave Campos
Sr
S
21
Jason Coloma
Jr
CB
13
Steve Corson
Jr
LB
45
Tom Enlow
Jr
LB
Danny Frazier
Fr
LB
56
Brian Hansen
So
DE
89
Jeff Harris
Jr
DB
16
Steve Hartmann
So
DE
Greg Head
Jr
CB
27
Tony Hernandez
Sr
DT
80
Mekeli Ieremia
Sr
DE
93
Conrad Jepson
So
LB
37
Gary Kama
Jr
CB
15
David McKee
So
DE
83
Mat Mendenhall
So
LB
82
Larry Miller
Jr
S
47
John Neal
Jr
DT
71
Gary Peterson
Sr
DE
96
Rick Pinckard
So
DB
19
Bill Popin
Sr
CB
5
Bob Prested
So
LB
49
John Ramage
So
LB
41
Glen Redd
So
DB
Bill Schoepflin
Fr
DT
73
Bob Simmerman
Jr
DT
79
Doug Stromberg
So
S
46
Mark Swenson
Jr
DT
60
Jeff Taggart
So
DB
18
Mark Terranova
Sr
DE
91
Ross Varner
Jr
S
9
Ron Velasco
Jr
DE
94
Dennis Webb
So
LB
36
Rod Wood
Jr
Special teams
Pos.
#
Name
Class
K
3
Dev Duke
Sr
K
2
Brent Johnson
So
K
Craig Wing
So
P
9
Jim McMahon
Fr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
Roster Last update: 2018-Dec-25
Player
Comp
Att
Yards
TD
INT
Marc Wilson
164
277
2,418
24
18
Gifford Nielsen
98
156
1,167
16
3
Jim McMahon
10
16
103
1
1
Terry McEwen
3
3
32
0
0
Scott Phillips
1
2
29
0
1
Dan Hartwig
1
2
9
0
0
John VanDerWouden
0
1
0
0
0
[ 25]
Starting quarterback Nielsen was lost for the season late in the fourth game.[ 16] [ 18]
WAC Offensive Player of the Year: QB Marc Wilson
All-WAC: LB Mark Berntsen, RB Todd Christensen , WR Mike Chronister, OL Jason Coloma, DL Mekeli Ieremia, OL Lance Reynolds
[ 25]
^ "It might not add up, but Irish are clearly No. 1" . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon). AP, UPI. January 4, 1978. p. 3C.
^ "Notre Dame gets No. 1 tag" . Deseret News . (Salt Lake City, Utah). UPI. January 4, 1978. p. F1.
^ "B.Y.U. batters K-State" . The Kansas City Star . September 11, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Nielsen, Cougars bomb Aggies by 65–6" . The Salt Lake Tribune . September 25, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "BYU bombs Lobos" . Tucson Citizen . October 1, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Cougars beaten by Oregon State" . Casper Star-Tribune . October 9, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "BYU's Wilson climbs in 'Nielsen ratings' " . Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph . October 16, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Chuck Harkins (October 23, 1977). "Cougars top fumbling Pokes, 10–7" . Casper Star-Tribune . p. 22. Retrieved October 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Cougars take easy win over Arizona" . The Ogden Standard-Examiner . October 30, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "BYU's Wilson passes record 571 yards" . The Los Angeles Times . November 6, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Devils stop Cougar offensive machine" . The Daily Herald . November 13, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "BYU rallies for 30–27 win over Long Beach" . The Fresno Bee . November 20, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "BYU passes ambush El Paso" . The Sunday Oregonian . November 27, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "1977 Brigham Young Cougars Schedule and Results" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 19, 2024 .
^ Miller, Hack (September 26, 1977). "Cougars' air attack keeps Ags grounded" . Deseret News . (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. 4B.
^ a b Conrad, John (October 9, 1977). "Beavers put BYU down, and Nielsen out" . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon). p. 1C.
^ "Beavers end BYU win skein" . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. October 9, 1977. p. D3.
^ a b Benson, Lee (October 10, 1977). "Nielsen out as breaks stun Y." Deseret News . (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. 4B.
^ "Gifford Nielsen - Football" .
^ Conrad, John (October 8, 1977). "Can the Beavers ground Brigham Young's pilot?" . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon). p. 2B.
^ Benson, Lee (October 8, 1977). "BYU reputation arrives at OSU ahead of Cougars" . Deseret News . (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. 2D.
^ a b "BYU's Wilson sets pass record" . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon). wire service reports. November 6, 1977. p. 10C.
^ "Adams sparkles" . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon). Associated Press. November 12, 1972. p. 6C.
^ Ferguson, George (November 13, 1972). "Adams' hot hand buries Utah" . Deseret News . (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. 8B.
^ a b 1977 football season – CougarStats