PK: Two Yards Separate BYU From Season Defining Win

TEMPE, Ariz. – Two yards away, that’s all it took to witness a highly probable first in college football history.

BYU receiver Chase Roberts caught a Jake Retzlaff literal last-second heave at Arizona State’s 2-yard line, coming up short on a pass that would have given the Cougars one of the most unlikely  – but most certainly the craziest – wins all-time for the program.

Instead, Saturday’s 28-23 win for the Sun Devils will go down as BYU’s second consecutive loss. Now, it may need help to earn a berth in the Big 12 championship game two weeks from now. If only the game lasted a few more seconds in one of the most bizarre endings of all time.

The scene before #BYU’s final play against Arizona State pic.twitter.com/xz1RiMKIYd

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 24, 2024

A mere two yards separated the actuality of two different fan bases storming the field on the same field in the same game. The rush started prematurely after ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt chucked the ball out of bounds on a fourth down in an attempt to kill the four remaining seconds and end the game.

RELATED: No. 14 BYU Offensive Production Among Questions Answered Against No. 21 Arizona State

But an intentional grounding call meant the game had one second left, with BYU getting the ball on its 49-yard line. Some 15 minutes later, after a huddle with the referees, which included coach Kalani Sitake and athletic director Tom Holmoe, and getting thousands of ASU fans off the field, BYU got one last chance.

If the final play ended in a BYU touchdown, no doubt thousands of its fans would have rushed out of the stands and onto the field. Yes, it was that close to total pandemonium.

Wild scene in Tempe after the final play of the game between #BYU and Arizona State. pic.twitter.com/8gyK9F3iir

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 24, 2024

“Overall, just a really good game,” Sitake said. “It just didn’t work out in our favor.”

The way the second half unfolded, ASU was fortunate the clock didn’t have a few more seconds. Trailing 21-3 at intermission, BYU dominated over the final 30 minutes.

As offensive lineman Connor Pay said, there are no moral victories, but the rally was better than rolling over. The problem was the slow start against a good team, aa issue that has plagued the Cougars his season.

“When you put yourself in a hole too much, it’s going to be hard to crawl out of it, especially against a good team like Arizona State,” Sitake said.

RELATED: Premature Field Storming Causes Significant Delay In BYU-Arizona State Game

Befitting the wild day, Kansas drilled Colorado to saddle the Buffaloes with a second conference loss. Pending the outcome of Utah vs. Iowa State, at least other teams (ASU and BYU) will have two conference losses.

All those with a doctorate degree in mathematics can try to figure out the tiebreakers to determine the two teams that advance to the title game. Life in a 16-team bloated conference can get a little crazy, just like a college football game.

For BYU, we’re saying there’s a chance as long as they beat Houston next week.

“We’ll come out with some fire next week against Houston,” Roberts said. “Hopefully, we’ll see these (ASU) guys in two weeks.

The good news is that BYU relayed a sense of optimism rather than disappointment after the clock hit zeros.  The Colorado loss breathed new life into the Cougars, who have lost both games by a combined nine points.

Now is not the time for the BYU football team to find perspective on a surprisingly successful season.

All that reflective stuff can wait another week or two. For all the good vibes generated over the last two months, there’s disappointment in the moment, but it can’t linger.

The fact is, after BYU’s 9-0 start, the modest goal of bowl eligibility gave way to improbable aspirations of making the new 12-team playoff. Rolling deep into November, the path to the Big 12 championship game basically required winning two of the last three games, but it may require only one.

“We’ve got to get back on the winning track,” Sitake said. “The way you do that is play better from the beginning.”

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