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Madison, Wis. • Several of BYU's top players did not play well in Saturday's 27-17 loss at Wisconsin, but Cody Hoffman was his reliable self, making a sensational touchdown catch with a defender hanging on him for the third time this season.
Fittingly, the senior from Crescent City, Calif., became BYU's career receiving yards leader on that play, hauling in a 34-yard pass from Taysom Hill to cut Wisconsin's lead to 20-10 in the third quarter. A Wisconsin defensive back was flagged for pass interference on the play, but no matter, Hoffman came down with the ball.
"That dude will catch anything that is thrown to him," Hill said.
Hoffman also caught a 5-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 3:12 remaining in the game to cut UW's lead to 10.
He now holds the school's three major career receiving records: 3,355 career yards, 34 touchdown catches, 239 receptions.
"Wisconsin, like everyone else, had a hard time covering him," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "There were a few more plays that I thought that were penalties that weren't called, because they were trying to cover him. He's very good, and he has meant a lot to our program."
Actually, there were two plays in which an official threw a flag on a UW defensive back, only to pick it up by saying the passes were uncatchable.
Wisconsin's all-Big Ten receiver Jared Abbrederis caught eight passes for 67 yards, but no touchdowns. However, his 15-yard catch on third-and-13 from the UW 21-yard-line eventually enabled the Badgers to score on their opening drive.
Conversely, the Cougars could not make the big plays when they needed them, and were just 7 of 19 on third down. Mitch Mathews suffered a shoulder injury while diving for a long ball and left the game with just one catch for 10 yards.
Hill said the game plan was for BYU to attack the edges and throw to outside receivers, but Wisconsin's defense threw in a few wrinkles the Cougars were not expecting.
A closer look
BYU's career receiving yardage leaders:
Cody Hoffman 3,355
Austin Collie 3,255
Eric Drage 3,065
Dennis Pitta 2,901
Margin Hooks 2,841