BYU football calls LaVell Edwards Stadium home. It’s held moments of euphoria and heartbreak. Great wins and tough losses.
But for all the ups and downs, one thing is certain: LES gives the Cougars a home field advantage.
“I know we’re going to have all the fans there,” receiver Nick Kurtz said. “They’re all going to be representing for us and screaming. It’s always fun when you walk on that field for the first time.”
The Cougars are 2-1 at home this season and 3-3 in road games. The remainder of the season for the Cougars features three very winnable home games before the Poinsettia Bowl.
If history is any indication, the Cougars will likely win out the rest of their season.
The Cougars have won 73 out of 95 games at home since Cougar Stadium became LaVell Edwards Stadium in 2001, a 76 percent winning percentage.
Notre Dame’s winning percentage at home is just 65 percent in that same time frame. Washington’s is 58 percent. Utah’s sits at 82 percent.
BYU also had the tenth-longest home winning streak in the FBS entering this season. The streak was snapped when the Cougars lost their home opener to UCLA, which also broke a streak of four-straight home opening victories.
BYU’s four losses have come by a combined total of eight points. Despite the close losses, head coach Kalani Sitake said the team is staying positive.
“That’s the character of our guys,” Sitake said. “That’s the type of people we have on this team. They’re never going to quit, regardless of where we play and how we’re playing. We just feel like we’re never out of anything. And it’s not just me. It’s what’s been here over decades.”
Linebacker Butch Pau’u said he feeds off the energy from the Cougar faithful in the stands.
“It’s just fun,” Pau’u said. “It’s fun to go one-on-one with a running back and then hear the crowd cheering for you. It’s nice to have the crowd on our side.”
Next up for the Cougars is a matchup with UMass. The Minutemen currently are 2-8 on the season and 0-4 on the road. Then BYU will host 3-7 Utah State in the season finale.
