BYU football: Cougars captured attention of the nation in 1984

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the seventh in an eight-part series celebrating the 25th anniversary of BYU's 1984 national college football championship.

TODAY: From around the country, here are the most memorable quotes from the most memorable season in BYU's football history.

SUNDAY: Winning a national championship creates high expectations — can BYU ever win another national title?

During the 1984 season, BYU captured the imagination of the college football world with its undefeated season, capped by the national championship.

The Cougars were thrust into the spotlight like never before. They were both derided and praised on the national landscape as the media descended on Provo to figure out what was going on with this team from the Western Athletic Conference.

After sifting through the archives, the Deseret News has unearthed dozens of memorable quotes from that memorable season.

What follows is a recap of the 1984 campaign in the words of those who observed it, experienced it or commented on it.

"At last, BYU is in a rebuilding year. Quarterback Steve Young and tight end Gordon Hudson have moved on, along with the rest of the backfield and three all-WAC defenders."

— Sports Illustrated, in its 1984 College Football Preview. SI picked BYU to finish No. 3 in the WAC, behind New Mexico and Hawaii.

"Before this year's season-opener, BYU players were very aware that fabled Pitt lineman Bill Fralic had gone public with a list of his favorite activities — drinking, fornication, and golf. At least two of those activities are greatly at odds with the Code of Honor. Was Fralic indirectly mocking BYU values a week before the big game? 'I think everybody thought it was kinda cute,' says Trevor Matich, the Cougars' starting center. 'I like it when other teams try to intimidate us by growling at us and saying things, because it never works. It's like, You can growl all you want. We're going to throw the ball over you and score a touchdown and go drink some Gatorade.' "

— Sport Magazine

"We played both of them, lucky me, and I think BYU is better. We felt we had a chance against Oklahoma, but against BYU all I wanted to do was get the game over with and get out of there."

— Baylor coach Grant Teaff