BYU Football Alumni Game Comes Down To Final Play Again
Mar 31, 2023, 8:27 PM | Updated: Apr 3, 2023, 12:47 pm
PROVO, Utah – The second annual BYU football Alumni Game didn’t have the theatrics of a hail-mary finish as they did last year. But the 2023 edition still came down to the final play.
Instead of a game-winning touchdown, the Alumni Game finished with an interception. As a result, team Navy defeated Team Royal 26-20.
Team Navy wins the Alumni Game. INT from Spencer White to close it out.#BYU #BYUFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/FAxff4dfac
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) April 1, 2023
Former BYU safety Spencer White (1999, 2002-2005) came up with the game-winning interception off a tipped ball intended for K.O. Kealaluhi.
What was amusing about White coming up with the interception is that he wasn’t listed on the Alumni Game roster. He was also wearing Andrew Rich’s No. 22 jersey. White stepped in for Rich, who had a child under the weather. So after a request from White’s former BYU defensive back teammate, Ben Criddle, White stepped into action today and came up with the game-winning play.
The former Orem High School product finished the game with two interceptions.
Former #BYU DB Spencer White (1999, 2002-05) wasn’t on the Alumni Game roster coming into today.
After Andrew Rich’s child got sick, White’s former BYU teammate, @CriddleBenjamin, asked Spencer to play today. He agreed and came up with the game-winning INT.#BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/UjatFeixEZ
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) April 1, 2023
White has worked in software sales for the past dozen years and lives in Lehi.
Whenever BYU hosts an Alumni Game, the quarterbacks are the headline event. For this year’s game, Team Royal was led by Ty Detmer, and Team Navy was directed by John Beck.
Beck got the upper hand on Detmer, a player he idolized growing up in Mesa, Arizona. The former NFL QB and current 3DQB trainer looked like he could still play throw the football like a pro-signal-caller. Beck finished the game with 235 yards, three touchdowns, and he completed 24 of his 34 attempts.
John Beck’s Jordan cleats during the #BYU Alumni Game were gifted to him from Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott.#BYUfootball pic.twitter.com/2AXEciWRN4
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) April 1, 2023
Detmer finished 14-of-22 for 187 yards, two touchdowns, and the two interceptions that were sent White’s way.
Along with winning the game, Beck also won the shoe game. Beck was wearing Jordan 11 cleats, a gift that he received from one of the NFL QBs he trains in Southern California, Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott.
The downside of the Alumni Game came to light in the fourth quarter. Team Royal’s backup QB, Max Hall, who manufactured the game-winning touchdown last season, suffered an Achilles injury. He had to be helped off the field by BYU team trainers.
Former #BYU great Max Hall had to be helped off the field by trainers due to an injury.
Here’s to a speedy recovery for Max.#BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/Bp4uJ4LVPn
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) April 1, 2023
Despite being in pain after the loss, Hall was still signing autographs and taking photos with BYU fans that watched him become the winningest quarterback in BYU history.
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake met with the alums before the game expressing how important they are to him and the program as they transition into the Big 12 Conference.
The alums also had a photo opportunity with Patti Edwards at midfield before the game.
An eventful game with an unlikely hero leading Team Navy to victory.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU moving to the Big 12 Conference on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
