BYU’s Samson Nacua Supports Former Utah Teammates At Pac-12 Championship
Dec 4, 2021, 12:47 AM
PROVO, UT - NOVEMBER 6: Samson Nacua #45 of the BYU Cougars greets fans as the team arrives for their game against the Idaho State Bengals November 6, 2021 at the LaVel Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS – BYU football wide receiver Samson Nacua was at Allegiant Stadium to see Utah crush Oregon to claim their first Pac-12 Championship.
Nacua was a member of the Utah football program from 2016-2020. He was part of the last two Ute teams that played for a Pac-12 title in 2018 and 2019.
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 4, 2021
Nacua transferred to BYU for a grad transfer season to be closer to family and play with his younger brother, Puka. But even though he passed enemy lines in the heated in-state rivalry, the older Nacua wide receiver has always spoken fondly of his time with the Utes.
Covey got that fire 🔥 Utes want it more. Go ahead and take what’s yours 🖤🙏🏾😭
— Lørd Įmpälêr (@lionel_nacua) December 4, 2021
“[Britain] Covey got that fire (emoji) Utes want it more. Go ahead and take what’s yours (emojis),” tweeted Nacua from Allegiant Stadium on Friday night.
The Utes did take what was theirs as they crushed the Ducks for a second time this season, 38-10, to clinch a spot in their first-ever Rose Bowl Game in front of a crowd of 56,511 fans that was primarily a sea of red.
Even Nacua knows what’s up, still wears red
Go Utes pic.twitter.com/f33g6p7l4q— ▪️ dustin tate ▪️ (@dustintate) December 4, 2021
At the first Pac-12 Championship Game in Las Vegas, some of the Utah fans noticed Nacua and took pics with the current BYU standout. Nacua didn’t hesitate to throw up Utah’s “U” hand gesture while posing for the photos to show his support for his former squad in their memorable moment.
Pics or it didn’t happen. pic.twitter.com/lOgYUzBp7D
— Thlete (@TrevorThlete) December 4, 2021
Before moving to Utah to play at Timpview High School during his prep career, Samson grew up in Las Vegas, where he still has family and friends.
Nacua now awaits with his BYU football teammates, which bowl game the nationally-ranked Cougars will play this postseason. Whichever bowl game it ends up being, it will be the final game of Nacua’s collegiate career that has profoundly impacted two rival, in-state schools.
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 him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
