PROVO — For the second-straight video game, BYU’s football crew performed a game on Friday night without having admirers packed into 63,700-seat LaVell Edwards Stadium.
From an ambiance point of view, the matchup with Louisiana Tech of Convention United states was a carbon copy of the Sept. 26 video game towards Troy. There have been a handful of more cardboard cutouts in the east stands driving the BYU bench, but little else altered.
It was a shame since temperatures ended up in the very low 70s and winds were being calm on a photo-great drop evening in Provo. Occupants of a household just north of the stadium lit a bonfire that could be considered from the push box.
What about upcoming Saturday, when the Cougars participate in host to Texas-San Antonio in an afternoon activity?
Hope that to be announced early future 7 days, most likely as quickly as Monday, BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said Friday morning in a roundtable dialogue by means of Zoom with reporters.
Holmoe explained the discussions with point out and Utah County wellness officers “are ongoing” and he was hopeful the variety of admirers BYU prepared to get into the stadium for the initially two games — 6,000 — is possible this time.
“A great deal of that a will have to do with the (COVID-19 testing) quantities in Utah County,” Holmoe explained. “That’s why I say it is working day to day. We have scenarios set up — nobody in the stands, some men and women in the stands, more people today in the stands.”
Holmoe urged fans keen to watch the No. 22 Cougars in human being this season to be individual and not get much too emotional about the make a difference. Of system, sporting encounter coverings and social distancing also continues to be essential.
“I want this point whole,” he reported. “Are we likely to get LaVell Edwards Stadium comprehensive this yr? I would not foresee that. But something earlier mentioned zero is good and nearly anything higher than 6,000 is excellent. But we will do it on a sport-by-sport foundation.”
When the towns of Provo and Orem were moved into reasonable chance (orange) standing a couple of weeks back, officials stated that was for a two-7 days chunk of time. If the designation is moved to yellow (minimal danger) status, it would only implement to a person recreation — the UTSA sport subsequent Saturday afternoon — because the subsequent weekend the Cougars are scheduled to enjoy at Houston (Oct. 16).
Also Friday early morning, BYU uncovered it absolutely will not be going again to Hawaii for one more shot at the SoFi Hawaii Bowl this wintertime. ESPN events announced it will cancel two of its 17 postseason higher education soccer bowl video games this calendar year — the Hawaii Bowl and the Bahamas Bowl — owing to the pandemic and travel restrictions to those islands.
There are now 39 bowl game titles however scheduled for the stop of the season. Before this calendar year, the RedBox Bowl was canceled.
On the subject, much more BYU players had been obtainable to engage in than final 7 days, when a number of sat out due to COVID-19 testing and contact tracing. BYU coach Kalani Sitake reported in his pregame radio present on the BYU Sports Radio Network that the Cougars “have a greater handle” on pandemic problems than a couple of months in the past.
Even so, commencing middle James Empey missed the game and was on the sidelines with a protecting boot on his suitable foot. Former restricted stop and Utah State transfer Joe Tukuafu obtained the commence in Empey’s location as the junior’s 28-video game start off streak finished.
Tukuafu was just one of the pregame flag bearers, together with wander-on receiver Hobbs Nyberg and unique groups aces Ryan Rehkow and Caleb Christensen. The Cougars won the coin toss for the 3rd time this year and deferred to the next fifty percent.