1988 BYU Cougars football team

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1988 BYU Cougars football
1988 BYU Cougars football
Freedom Bowl champion
Freedom Bowl, W 20–17 vs. Colorado
Conference	Western Athletic Conference
Record	9–4 (5–3 WAC)
Head coach	LaVell Edwards (17th season);
Offensive coordinator	Roger French (8th season)
Offensive scheme	West Coast
Defensive coordinator	Dick Felt (14th season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Cougar Stadium

1988 Western Athletic Conference football standings
	Conf.					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
Wyoming $	8	–	0	–	0	11	–	2	–	0
UTEP	6	–	2	–	0	10	–	3	–	0
Hawaii	5	–	3	–	0	9	–	3	–	0
	5	–	3	–	0	9	–	4	–	0
Utah	4	–	4	–	0	6	–	5	–	0
Air Force	3	–	5	–	0	5	–	7	–	0
San Diego State	3	–	5	–	0	3	–	8	–	0
New Mexico	1	–	7	–	0	2	–	10	–	0
Colorado State	1	–	7	–	0	1	–	10	–	0

$ – Conference champion

The 1988 BYU Cougars football team represented Brigham Young University during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season.^[1] The Cougars were led by 17th-year head coach LaVell Edwards and played their home games at Cougar Stadium in Provo, Utah. The team competed as members of the Western Athletic Conference, finishing tied for third with a record of 9–4 (5–3 WAC). BYU was invited to the 1988 Freedom Bowl, where they defeated Colorado.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 1	at Wyoming		War Memorial Stadium Laramie, WY	L 14–24	28,847	^[2]
September 8	No. 19 Texas*		Cougar Stadium Provo, UT	W 47–6	64,249	^[3]
September 17	UTEP		Cougar Stadium Provo, UT	W 31–27	64,099	^[4]
September 30	Utah State*		Cougar Stadium Provo, UT (rivalry)	W 38–3	65,702	^[5]
October 8	Colorado State		Cougar Stadium Provo, UT	W 42–7	65,281	^[6]
October 15	TCU*		Cougar Stadium Provo, UT	W 31–18	64,103	^[7]
October 22	at Hawaii		Aloha Stadium Halawa, HI	W 24–23	50,089	^[8]
October 29	New Mexico		Cougar Stadium Provo, UT	W 65–0	63,424	^[9]
November 5	at San Diego State	No. 20	Jack Murphy Stadium San Diego, CA	L 15–27	21,825	^[10]
November 12	at Air Force		Falcon Stadium Colorado Springs, CO	W 49–31	40,218	^[11]
November 19	at Utah		Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT (Holy War)	L 28–57	34,216	^[12]
December 3	at No. 2 Miami (FL)*		Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL	L 17–41	59,367	^[13]
December 29	vs. Colorado*		Anaheim Stadium Anaheim, CA (Freedom Bowl)	W 20–17	35,941	^[14]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[15]

Game summaries

Texas

#19 Texas Longhorns (0–0) at BYU Cougars (0–1)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Texas	3	3	0	0	6
BYU	10	10	7	20	47

at Cougar Stadium, Provo, Utah

Date: September 8, 1988
Game time: 6:00 p.m.
Game weather: Clear, 87 °F (31 °C)
Game attendance: 64,249
Referee: Pat Sweeney
TV: ESPN
Box Score, Box Score

Game information

First quarter

BYU – Bryce Doman 89-yard pass from Sean Covey (Earl Kauffman kick), 11:30. BYU 7–0.
BYU – Earl Kauffman 31-yard field goal, 7:41. BYU 10–0.
UT – Wayne Clements 41-yard field goal, 1:35. BYU 10–3.

Second quarter

BYU – Chuck Cutler 52-yard pass from Sean Covey (Earl Kauffman kick), 14:18. BYU 17–3.
BYU – Earl Kauffman 51-yard field goal, 12:38. BYU 20–3.
UT – Wayne Clements 55-yard field goal, 10:47. BYU 20–6.

Third quarter

BYU – Rodney Rice 70-yard interception return (Earl Kauffman kick), 2:16. BYU 27–6.

Fourth quarter

BYU – Fred Whittingham 20-yard run (Earl Kauffman kick), 10:03. BYU 34–6.
BYU – Chuck Cutler 20-yard pass from Ty Detmer (Earl Kauffman kick), 6:59. BYU 41–6.
BYU – Eric Mortensen 17-yard run (kick failed), 4:54. BYU 47–6.

Top passers

UT – Shannon Kelley – 11/32, 137 yards, 2 INT
BYU – Sean Covey – 14/38, 323 yards, 2 TD, INT

Top rushers

UT – Darron Norris – 14 rushes, 49 yards
BYU – Fred Whittingham – 7 rushes, 63 yards

Top receivers

UT – Tony Jones – 6 receptions, 107 yards
BYU – Bryce Doman – 3 receptions, 124 yards, TD

At Air Force

BYU Cougars (7–2) at Air Force Falcons (5–4)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
BYU	7	14	14	14	49
Air Force	10	7	14	0	31

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Date: November 12, 1988
Game weather: 44 °F (7 °C)
Game attendance: 40,218
Box Score

Game information

First quarter

AFA – Steve Yarborough 44-yard field goal. Air Force 3–0.
AFA – Greg Johnson 3-yard run (Steve Yarborough kick). Air Force 10–0.
BYU – Fred Whittingham 3-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). Air Force 10–7.

Second quarter

BYU – Sean Covey 1-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 14–10.
AFA – Dee Dowis 4-yard run (Steve Yarborough kick). Air Force 17–14.
BYU – Tyler Anderson 41-yard pass from Sean Covey (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 21–17.

Third quarter

BYU – Matt Bellini 21-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 28–17.
AFA – Dee Dowis 6-yard run (run failed). BYU 28–23.
AFA – Dee Dowis 15-yard run (run good). Air Force 31–28.
BYU – Tony Crutchfield 79-yard kickoff return. BYU 35–31.

Fourth quarter

BYU – Sean Covey 2-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 42–31.
BYU – Mike Salido 5-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 49–31.

Top passers

BYU – Sean Covey – 10/16, 159 yards, TD
AFA – Dee Dowis – 3/8, 97 yards, 2 INT

Top rushers

BYU – Matt Bellini – 21 rushes, 138 yards, TD
AFA – Greg Johnson – 15 rushes, 112 yards, TD

Top receivers

BYU – Mike Salido – 4 receptions, 47 yards
AFA – Albert Booker – 2 receptions, 58 yards

Personnel

1988 BYU Cougars football team roster

Players

Coaches

Offense

Pos.	#	Name	Class
QB	`10`	Sean Covey	Sr
WR		Chuck Cutler
WR		Bryce Doman
FB		Fred Whittingham

Defense

Pos.	#	Name	Class

Special teams

Pos.	#	Name	Class
K		Jason Chaffetz
K		Earl Kauffman

Head coach

LaVell Edwards

Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend

(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible

Injured
Redshirt

References

^ "1988 Brigham Young Cougars Schedule and Results". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
^ "Wyoming tops 'flat' BYU, 24–14". The Daily Herald. September 2, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Longhorns licking their wounds after 47–6 shellacking by BYU". Longview Daily News. September 9, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "'Twas hard day at office for BYU". The Daily Herald. September 18, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "BYU rolls over Utah State". The Billings Gazette. October 1, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "BYU gives Edwards win no. 150". The Daily Herald. October 9, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "BYU cruises by TCU 31–18". San Angelo Standard-Times. October 16, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "BYU escapes Rainbows, 24–23". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. October 23, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "BYU routs UNM, 65–0". Albuquerque Journal. October 30, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Aztecs shock BYU". Los Angeles Times. November 6, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "BYU runs down Air Force". The Salt Lake Tribune. November 13, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Mitchell shatters records in Utah win". The Tampa Tribune-Times. November 20, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Miami pounds BYU as Ellis scores TD". News-Press. December 4, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Freshman Detmer rallies BYU for a 20–17 victory". Los Angeles Times. December 30, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "1989 BYU Football Media Guide" (PDF). byucougars.com. Retrieved June 24, 2023.

[1] "1988 Brigham Young Cougars Schedule and Results". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 5, 2018.

[2] "Wyoming tops 'flat' BYU, 24–14". The Daily Herald. September 2, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[3] "Longhorns licking their wounds after 47–6 shellacking by BYU". Longview Daily News. September 9, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[4] "'Twas hard day at office for BYU". The Daily Herald. September 18, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[5] "BYU rolls over Utah State". The Billings Gazette. October 1, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[6] "BYU gives Edwards win no. 150". The Daily Herald. October 9, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[7] "BYU cruises by TCU 31–18". San Angelo Standard-Times. October 16, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[8] "BYU escapes Rainbows, 24–23". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. October 23, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[9] "BYU routs UNM, 65–0". Albuquerque Journal. October 30, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[10] "Aztecs shock BYU". Los Angeles Times. November 6, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[11] "BYU runs down Air Force". The Salt Lake Tribune. November 13, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[12] "Mitchell shatters records in Utah win". The Tampa Tribune-Times. November 20, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[13] "Miami pounds BYU as Ellis scores TD". News-Press. December 4, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[14] "Freshman Detmer rallies BYU for a 20–17 victory". Los Angeles Times. December 30, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[15] "1989 BYU Football Media Guide" (PDF). byucougars.com. Retrieved June 24, 2023.

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BYU Cougars football
Venues	LaVell Edwards Stadium (1964–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Utah: Holy War (Beehive Boot) Utah State (Beehive Boot, The Old Wagon Wheel)
Culture & lore	Cosmo the Cougar "The Cougar Song" BYU Cougar Marching Band Mormons vs. Mullets
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
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National championship seasons in bold