BYU Claims the Latest Holy War

For 3 1/2 quarters BYU-Utah was the kind of game that deserved to be seen by nobody on the VS. network. Four field goals and nothing that would do much beyond induce sleep. Utah was down 9-3 and barely had over 150 yards of total offense. BYU just couldn't convert.

The Utes then had a 7+ minute drive that culminated in a 10-9 Utah lead with 1:34 left. A drive that BYU appeared to have stopped several times, but could not. Utah went 5 for 5 on 3d down conversions in the drive.

BYU got the ball and started at the 20. The Utes defense came out fired up and not only had the Cougars stopped, they had them at 4th and 18. Everything was there for the big Utah upset to claim the Mountain West on BYU's own field. Payback for BYU's last minute win in Salt Lake City last year.

Then things got crazy in Provo.

BYU QB Max Hall dropped back, had to scramble and just threw deep -- to a wide open Austin Collie for a 49-yard gain. Collie had somehow gotten behind all of the Utah defenders. Suddenly getting in field goal range become very reasonable.

The Utes came undone on the next play with a personal foul call for fifteen more yards. The refs then called a very weak pass interference call for 15 more yards -- it looked like the BYU receiver pulled on the Utah defender on replay. Two plays later, Harvey Unga ran 11 yards straight into the endzone. BYU even completed the 2-point conversion for a 17-10 lead.

Utah still had a chance, but couldn't do it. They had a solid return to their own 39 to start with 3 timeouts and half-a-minute left. On the first play, Derrek Richards was wide open 40 yards down field for a pass from Brian Richards and just dropped it. That did it. Utah didn't have enough time to get down field and the shoulders noticeably sagged.