BYU vs. Coastal Carolina: How to watch, listen to or stream the game – Deseret News

No. 13 BYU (9-0) at No. 18 Coastal Carolina (9-0)

• Kickoff: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. MST
• Venue: Brooks Stadium (20,000, limited capacity for Saturday’s game — attendance has been capped at 5,000 at previous Coastal Carolina home games this year)
• Surface: Powerblade SD turf
• TV: ESPNU
• Livestream: WatchESPN
• Radio: KSL 1160 AM/102.7 FM
• Series: First meeting
• Weather: Sunny with temperatures in the low 50s at kickoff.

THE STAKES

For Coastal Carolina … The Chanticleers, ranked No. 18 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, are currently second in line, behind No. 7 Cincinnati, for the Group of Five’s automatic New Year’s Six bid. If the Bearcats stumble, a win over the Cougars would bolster Coastal Carolina’s case for the NY6 berth.

For BYU … The Cougars, sitting at No. 13 in the CFP rankings, are looking to make a stronger case for an at-large NY6 bowl, after being criticized by the CFP committee for their strength of schedule, or lack thereof. This is BYU’s highest-ranked opponent this year.

THE TRENDS

For Coastal Carolina … The Chanticleers are trying to reach 10 wins for the first time as an FBS member (joined full-time in 2017) and also for their second win over a ranked opponent, the other coming against Louisiana earlier this year.

For BYU … The Cougars are playing their second ranked opponent on the road in the past month — Boise State being the other — as BYU looks to improve to 10-0 for the first time since 2001.

THE CRYSTAL BALL

Coastal Carolina will win if … the Chanticleers can grab an early lead and force a normally efficient BYU offense into enough mistakes for the upset win.

BYU will win if … the Cougars can go on the road like they did at Boise State and play their game, with an offense and defense that both rank in the top 10 nationally.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina quarterback: The Chanticleers’ signal-caller is having an outstanding season, completing 67.2% of his passes for 1,747 yards (averaging 218.38 yards per game), 20 touchdowns and just one interception. He’s the best quarterback the Cougars have faced this year.

KEY MATCHUP

Zach Wilson vs. Coastal Carolina secondary: Wilson is among college football’s top quarterbacks this year, ranking in the top 10 nationally in eight individual categories, including points responsible for (208, No. 1), passing TDs (26, No. 3) and pass efficiency (205.3, No. 3). The Chanticleers, meanwhile, are allowing just 181.9 passing yards per contest, which is 12th nationally.

QUOTABLE

“When it’s this short of a time frame, and we were preparing for Liberty all week, you got to go back to things you hope you can do well and try to see if it will hold up against a really quality opponent that’s coming in here. There’s not going to be a lot of fancy things you can do, you just got to do some base things and hope it’s good enough to beat them.”

— Coastal Carolina coach Jamey Chadwell (per Myrtle Beach Online)

“We have said from the very beginning this year that we want to play games, and I know our guys are excited to have this opportunity to play on Saturday against a great opponent in nationally ranked Coastal Carolina. This is a really well-coached team with an outstanding quarterback.”

— BYU coach Kalani Sitake

NEXT UP

BYU hosts San Diego State on Dec. 12; Coastal Carolina plays at Troy on Dec. 12.

BYU SCHEDULE

Sept. 7 — BYU 55, Navy 3

Sept. 19 — at Army (POSTPONED)

Sept. 26 — BYU 48, Troy 7

Oct. 2 — BYU 45, Louisiana Tech 14

Oct. 10 — BYU 27, UTSA 20

Oct. 16 — BYU 43, Houston 26

Oct. 24 — BYU 52, Texas State 14

Oct. 31 — BYU 41, Western Kentucky 10

Nov. 6 — BYU 51, Boise State 17

Nov. 21 — BYU 66, North Alabama 14

Dec. 5 — at Coastal Carolina (3:30 p.m., ESPNU)

Dec. 12 — San Diego State (8 p.m., ESPN2)

All times MT