The Holy War of 2024 did not disappoint, with the BYU Cougars edging out the Utah Utes with just a few clicks still on the clock in regulation. It was down to the wire with typical rivalry aggressiveness and mired in controversial calls by the referees. The Cougars advanced to 9-0 on the year while the Utes dropped to a disappointing 4-5 (1-5 in conference play).
No matter how good BYU is, in any given matchup the Utes always seem to find a way to give them fits. Like BYU has done for the whole year, they somehow found a way to win. In fact, this is the second game this year where ESPN gave BYU a 99% chance of losing with 2 minutes or less in the game and they still pulled it off (OSU was the other).
Game of the Year for the BYU Cougars or Embarrassingly Close?
Some fans think that this was the best game of the year for the Cougars while others are embarrassed by how close it was. BYU came into the game without a single loss while the Utes have struggled to do anything on offense for most of the year. Yet, the Cougars found themselves down by 11 at halftime and needed 59 minutes and 58 seconds to get the win. A bit surprising for the #9 ranked team in the nation. But, Utah has had BYU’s number, winning 9 of the last 10 matchups. Rice-Eccles Stadium, in particular, has always been kryptonite for BYU.
The Cougars fumbled on three different occasions but were able to recover each of them. They also intercepted the ball twice. They allowed 4.9 yards per rush for 147 yards but countered with 120 yards of rushing to go with 219 passing yards (the Utes had 112). Then there’s the special teams, where BYU allowed 92 yards on 3 returns but also returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
For every failure or weakness that the BYU Cougars showed, they countered it with a success. Just like they’ve done all year long. These Cougars just keep winning.
A Game Stolen by the Refs or a Botched Second Half for the Utah Utes?
The Utes dominated the first half. The only touchdown allowed was a kickoff return. BYU got shutdown in the redzone. Up against an undefeated opponent, the Utes more than held their own. They were proving, once again, that the Utah Utes own the BYU Cougars, especially at Rice-Eccles.
But then the first half ended, and so did dreams of a new Utah Vs. BYU win streak. The Utes failed to score in the second half, revealing to the world (as if we didn’t already know) that their offense is inept without Cam Rising. They go as their quarterback goes.
But then there were the refs. And the injuries. And the questionable tackles. In reality, the refs didn’t stop the Utes from scoring. But if you add up the injuries and any human error from the refs, it certainly can turn influence the game. Now we are left wondering “what-if?”.
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To add insult to injury, Utah Utes’ running back, Jaylon Glover, is left eating his words, just like AD Mark Harlan who was fined for his comments. Such lack of control over one’s emotions is embarrassing for the University of Utah. When the dreams of the first half ended, the Utes woke up to the living nightmare of the 2024 season.
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