BYU WR Puka Nacua Exits Wyoming Game After Suffering Injury
Sep 24, 2022, 11:29 PM | Updated: Oct 11, 2022, 10:39 am
BYU wide receiver Puka Nacua (Courtesy of BYU Photo)
(Courtesy of BYU Photo)
PROVO, Utah – BYU wide receiver Puka Nacua left the Cougars’ game against the Wyoming Cowboys after suffering an injury in the fourth quarter.
The No. 19 Cougars hosted the Cowboys at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, September 24.
With 10:33 left in the fourth quarter, Jaren Hall completed a pass to Nacua, who ran the ball eight yards before slipping and falling hard to the turf. The wideout stayed on the ground following the play and received attention for BYU personnel.
Nacua needed assistance to get off the field and over to the sideline. It appeared that Nacua’s knee was being evaluated.
Puka Nacua takes a hard hit after he lost his footing and he isn't getting up.
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 25, 2022
Puka Nacua being helped off the field. Not looking great.#BYUFootball #WYOvsBYU
— Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_KSL) September 25, 2022
Puka Nacua has his arms around two trainers as he enters the medical tent. It looked like trainers were examining his knee when he was down on the field.
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 25, 2022
ESPN reported that Nacua screamed after entering the medical tent on BYU’s sideline.
Before exiting the contest, Nacua had three receptions for 26 yards.
After an impressive start to the season in BYU’s opener against USF, Nacua suffered an ankle sprain during the first half of the Cougars’ Week 1 win and missed the past two games.
He was a game-time decision to play against the Cowboys and entered the game for the first time since the USF game during BYU’s second series vs. Wyoming.
BYU’s game against Wyoming is broadcast on ESPN2 and KSL NewsRadio.
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Wyoming vs. BYU
It’s the first meeting between these two schools since the 2016 Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego. These two programs were once Mountain West and WAC rivals. They used to play on an annual basis, with the last regular season meeting taking place in 2010.
Outside of Utah and Utah State, BYU has never played a team more than Wyoming. BYU’s first win as a program came against Wyoming back in 1922. There’s a history between the two schools. Anyone around for those LaVell Edwards/Paul Roach games or the 1996 WAC Championship would tell you BYU/Wyoming used to be something back in the day.
Wyoming hasn’t won in Provo since 1987. BYU has won the last eight meetings in the series, with Wyoming’s last victory coming in 2003 against a BYU team that finished 4-8.
