The Salt Lake Tribune

Provo • BYU senior defensive end Zac Dawe played a starring role in the Cougars' road win at Houston last Friday, but it wasn’t that long ago that he had lost his spot on the team and almost didn’t have the opportunity to play college football at all.

There has been college football played across the country for the last seven weekends, but, predictably in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, things have not gone on without a hitch.

Devontae Booker showed up at the University of Utah in 2014 and quickly established himself as its No. 1 running back, rushing 1,512 yards that fall, followed by 1,261 more yards in 2015 in only 10 games.

Utah Jazz All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell became one of the NBA’s prominent young voices on social issues during the league’s COVID-19-related hiatus and subsequent restart.

Utah is still searching for its starting quarterback, or so it has been said. There have been three names in the pot, but Kyle Whittingham said one will soon be tossed away — maybe it already has been — leaving just the pair of finalists, although he also is unwilling to name names.

There were several reasons BYU mounted a huge comeback Friday to snag its fifth consecutive win. But junior wide receiver Dax Milne pointed to a specific one: fans.

Kyle Whittingham has said that Nephi Sewell is the “odds-on favorite” to start at linebacker opposite Devin Lloyd.

BYU as keeps winning, the rankings keep rising.

The Amway Top 25 football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Oct. 11, total points based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th, and previous ranking:

Kyle Whittingham knew what was coming on Saturday afternoon when he addressed reporters.

A difficult game was the send-off to a difficult season.

The University of Utah’s three-man quarterback competition is right on schedule.

It was one of the better things ever to happen for sports in Utah, ranking right up there at least within shouting distance of the arrival and thriving and community appeal of the Utah Jazz and the successful execution of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Before the game even started at Houston, BYU had already taken some hits. Star defensive linemen Khyiris Tonga didn’t travel with the team due to a non-COVID-related illness and defensive lineman Lorenzo Fauatea suffered a season-ending injury earlier in the week.

It’s not exactly a secret that Mike Conley’s first season with the Utah Jazz was not a smooth one, and that his struggles to acclimate — in combination with his large salary — left many fans questioning the team’s decision to acquire him the first place.