American college football season
The 1966 BYU Cougars football team was an American football team that represented Brigham Young University (BYU) as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1966 NCAA University Division football season . In their third season under head coach Tommy Hudspeth , the Cougars compiled an overall record of 8–2 with a mark of 3–2 against conference opponents, tied for second place in the WAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 269 to 163.[ 1] [ 2]
Quarterback Virgil Carter led the country with 2,545 yards of total offense;[ 3] he also led the team with 2,182 passing yards and 56 points scored.[ 4] [ 5] On November 5, 1966, he set new NCAA single-game records with 513 passing yards and 599 yards of total offense against Texas Western .[ 6] [ 7] Carter's totals of 513 passing yards and 599 yards of total offense stood as BYU school records until broken by Ty Detmer in 1991.[ 8]
The team's other statistical leaders included John Ogden with 906 rushing yards and Phil Odle with 920 receiving yards.[ 4] [ 5]
Six BYU players were selected to the all-conference team: wide receiver Phil Odle; guard Grant Wilson; quarterback Virgil Carter; fullback John Ogden; linebacker Curg Belcher; and safety Bobby Roberts.[ 9]
1966 BYU Cougars football team roster Players Coaches Offense Defense Special teams Head coach Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster
Game information First quarter
BYU – Kent Oborn 22-yard pass from Virgil Carter (Ben Laverty kick). BYU 7–0. UTAH – Merlin Diggs 15-yard pass from Darrell Bigelow (Jerry Pullman kick). Tie 7–7. Second quarter
BYU – Kent Oborn 11-yard pass from Virgil Carter (Ben Laverty kick). BYU 14–7. BYU – Kent Oborn 74-yard punt return (Ben Laverty kick). BYU 21–7. BYU – Casey Boyette 62-yard pass from Virgil Carter (Ben Laverty kick). BYU 28–7. Third quarter
UTAH – Ben Woodson 40-yard run (pass failed). BYU 28–13. BYU – Virgil Carter 3-yard run (Ben Laverty kick). BYU 35–13. Fourth quarter
Top passers BYU – Virgil Carter – 18/31, 255 yards, 3 TD, INT UTAH – Darrell Bigelow – 7/25, 65 yards, TD, INT Top rushers BYU – John Ogden – 23 rushes, 101 yards UTAH – Ben Woodson – 19 rushes, 106 yards, TD Top receivers BYU – Casey Boyette – 7 receptions, 131 yards, TD UTAH – Terry Baker – 2 receptions, 26 yards
^ "1966 BYU Cougars Schedule and Results" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 27, 2018 . ^ "BYU Football 2015 Almanac" (PDF) . Brigham Young University . 2015. p. 169. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 3, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2018 . ^ BYU Football 2015 Almanac, pp. 118, 120. ^ a b "1966 Brigham Young Cougars Stats" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 27, 2018 . ^ a b BYU Football 2015 Almanac, pp. 162-164. ^ a b Ray Schwartz (November 6, 1966). "Carter Leads BYU in Romp of TWC 53-33: Sets New NCAA Pass Record" . The Sunday Herald (Provo, Utah) . p. 15 – via Newspapers.com . ^ BYU Football 2015 Almanac, p. 118. ^ BYU Football 2015 Almanac, p. 120. ^ BYU Football 2015 Almanac, p. 128. ^ Nelson Cullenward (September 25, 1966). "BYU Storms Sparta, 19-9" . San Francisco Examiner . p. III-7 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Cougars Win, 27-24, On Late Touchdown" . The Ogden Standard-Examiner . October 1, 1966. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com . ^ Ray Schwartz (October 9, 1966). "Cats Use Air Assault to Rip Aggies 27-7: Carter Fires Four T.D. Passes in BYU Win" . The Sunday Herald . p. 13 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Cougars Fall To ASU, 10-7: Sun Devils Halt Carter's Aerial Game on BYU Field" . The Ogden Standard-Examiner . October 15, 1966. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com . ^ LeRoy Bearman (October 19, 1966). "Camera-Shy Lobos Lose to BYU, 33-6" . Albuquerque Journal . p. 37 – via Newspapers.com . ^ Abe Chanin (October 30, 1966). "Reed Outpasses Carter, But Cats Lose, 16-14" . The Arizona Daily Star . pp. 1A, 1E – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Carter Leads 35-13 Rout of Utah Redskins: History-Making Game Uses Varied Attack" . The Sunday Herald . November 13, 1966. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com . ^ " 'Pokes Rip BYU 47-14, Gain Grid Crown: Cowboys Ride to Victory Over Cats On Egloff's Arm, DePoyster's Foot" . The Sunday Herald . November 20, 1966. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "More Records Fall as Cats Rip UOP 38-0: Three Cougar Players Rack Up New Marks" . The Sunday Herald . November 27, 1966. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com .
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