Dave McCann and Blaine Fowler celebrate BYU's climb to No. 9 in the AP Top 25 after a 41-17 — make that 41-23 — win over Colorado State, sandwiched between Alabama and LSU in a poll topped by Texas, Georgia, and Notre Dame. They break down LJ Martin's dominant first half (15 carries, 176 yards, three touchdowns, an 11.7-yards-per-carry average), grade Blaine's three keys to victory (a loss on turnover margin, but pluses for a fast start and physical dominance up front), and run through a hypothetical ranking scenario for BYU's October 17 showdown with Notre Dame. With the Cougars now on a bye week before traveling to TCU, they cover the general conference weekend broadcast plan, Kalani Sitake's bye-week press conference, and LJ Martin's Re-Lyte Athlete of the Week honor.
Two studio guests headline the night. Vanessa Machado, BYU-Pathway Worldwide's manager of language localization, shares a remarkable conversion story that begins with a Brazilian friend's passalong card, runs through a mission to Brasília and a challenge from Elder Russell M. Nelson to learn English, and culminates in a prompting-led romance with her now-husband, Elder Paul Malouf, that started with an unplanned Instagram message. Legendary BYU receiver Glen Kozlowski joins by Zoom to reminisce about the 1984 national championship, sizes up freshman phenom Legend Glasker (whom he compares favorably to himself and to Puka Nacua), and boldly predicts BYU will beat an undefeated Notre Dame on October 17.
Campus Notes cover BYU's remarkable feat of keeping all five fall sports ranked in the top 25, a Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week nod for volleyball's KJ Burgess, and Jimmer Fredette's return to competitive 3x3 basketball. Two Hotel Park City/Ruth's Chris super fans close out the show: David Smith, whose family history includes his father working beneath the football stadium's west stands and hosting a young BYU backup quarterback, and Judge Rick Romney, whose 38-year home-game attendance streak and trips to 24 states support a "Where Were You?" trip through BYU history, from the 1979 Texas A&M upset to the 2006 "Beck to Harline" miracle finish against Utah. The show wraps with a look at Saturday's biggest college football matchups and a tease for next week's guests.
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