Difference makers: Max Borghi’s three touchdowns not enough in loss to BYU

Tyler Allgeier

Washington State couldn’t bottle up BYU’s bruising, balance-footed running back, who seemed to bounce off at least two tackles each time he touched the ball. Allgeier was leaned on heavily, receiving a career-high 32 carries and powering ahead for 191 yards and two touchdowns. He piled up 50 yards on eight attempts in the final four minutes of the game as the visiting Cougars closed it out.

Jaren Hall

Although Hall’s numbers won’t turn any heads, the sophomore quarterback played an effective game-manager role and was about as efficient as possible. He passed 15 of 20 for 143 yards. Hall didn’t throw a touchdown, but also didn’t commit a turnover. He preserved BYU’s momentum, clutching up on must-have third-down plays and sparking the Cougar offense with accurate, on-the-run balls to rangy targets on the sideline. Hall picked up three third downs with gutty throws while scrambling and ran for another on a QB keeper. He was responsible for half of BYU’s eight third-down conversions.

Max Borghi

The hosts’ superstar running back posted a career-high 18 carries and rushed for three touchdowns in a single game for the first time in his career. Borghi, who tallied 83 yards and averaged 4.6 yards a pop, was banked on with Deon McIntosh sidelined by an unspecified injury. Borghi followed a lane and cut hard left for an 11-yard score on the Cougs’ first series, then powered in past two defenders to cap both WSU’s opening possession of the second half and final series of the game.