PROVO, Utah – Sophomore quarterback Chase Cord is slated to make his first career start when No. 13 Boise State visits BYU in Saturday's nonconference game in Provo, Utah. Cord is drawing the start after freshman Hank Bachmeier suffered a hip injury in last Saturday's 59-37 victory over Hawaii.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Boise State -6.5.
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Broncos coach Bryan Harsin refused to divulge details of Bachmeier's status other than to say the injury isn't season-ending but he does have confidence in Cord, who was 12-of-18 passing for 175 yards and three touchdowns after replacing Bachmeier last weekend. "Chase showed what he is capable of doing when he came in and played," Harsin said during a press conference. "Chase didn't take as many reps as Hank did during the week. He showed his preparation and he showed his maturity. He has been in this system for a while and how he can handle himself on the field, I don't think there was any doubt about that." BYU has its own quarterback injury situation to handle as redshirt freshman Jaren Hall (concussion) must clear the protocol or else the Cougars will turn to redshirt freshman Baylor Romney, who was 6-of-10 passing for 73 yards in his college debut against South Florida. "I thought he came into the game with great poise," Cougars coach Kalani Sitake told reporters of Romney. "We can work with guys that have a lot of confidence and put him in the positions that are working for his strengths."
ABOUT BOISE STATE (6-0)
Cord was beaten out by Bachmeier for the starting job in August but has done well when called upon as he has thrown for 295 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions in just 35 attempts. Senior wideout John Hightower (24 receptions) is playing well with back-to-back 100-yard outings and he had seven catches for a season-best 141 yards against Hawaii to raise his team-leading total to 444 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Junior pass rusher Curtis Weaver has a team-best nine sacks and junior linebacker Riley Whimpey has registered a team-high 33 tackles.
ABOUT BYU (2-4)
The Cougars have dropped three straight games - to Washington, Toledo and South Florida - and Sitake is promising his team isn't about to pack it in. "No one on this team is going to quit," Sitake said. "So we're looking forward to playing a ranked team in our house, and we're excited for that moment." The defense is allowing 30.5 points per game and has given up at least 26 in every game despite receiving solid play from junior linebacker Kavika Fonua (team-best 51 tackles).
EXTRA POINTS
1. Boise State holds a 7-2 series edge with both of BYU's wins coming at LaVell Edwards Stadium (2013, 2015).
2. Weaver had two of the Broncos' seven sacks in last season's 21-16 home victory over the Cougars.
3. Junior TE Matt Bushman had five catches against South Florida to raise his career total to 101 to become the 35th player in BYU history to reach the century mark.
PREDICTION: Boise State 45, BYU 23