The Mustangs go head-to-head with the BYU Cougars in the first round of the D1A playoffs Saturday, April 11, in Utah.
Kickoff is 1 p.m. Mountain Time, noon Pacific. on BYU’s South Field
As the fifth seed in the West bracket, the Mustangs earned a spot to play fourth-seeded Utah in Provo — 800 miles and 11.5 hours away.
“When you go against BYU — they’re a very mature team,” head coach Chris O’Brien said. “But it’s not very often in college rugby where you get a second chance to play someone, so I think the guys are pretty excited about their second chance.”
The Mustangs lost to the Cougars back in November, 21-12, with rain falling during the 11 a.m. match in San Luis Obispo. O’Brien said mistakes plagued the Mustangs then, like handling errors inside their 22-meter line.
O’Brien said BYU’s No. 8 is quick off the base of the lineout, and the inside center is a strong runner. He said the team’s side and physicality are notable, too.
“BYU is one of the best lineout teams in the country; they push teams around,” he said. “So it’s handling, it’s being disciplined in our defense on lineouts. We’ve been working a lot on that — a lot on our defensive shape.”
The Cougars are on a four-game skid against some of the nation’s top programs: A 64-21 loss to Cal in February; 39-31 loss to Arizona on March 7; a 54-28 loss to Navy on March 13; and a 45-12 loss to St. Mary’s on March 21.
Some notable wins for the Cougars include a 29-26 victory over Grand Canyon University in Phoenix and a 47-24 road win over the Bruins.
The Mustangs lost to the Bruins, 31-21, in their final match of the season on March 21. O’Brien said his group has had a good two weeks of training in the meantime — and his group is excited to get another chance.
“Our backs are against the wall,” he said. “It’s always fun to be the little guy trying to beat the big guys.”
Full playoff bracket
