Cougs Daily

Inside the 62 Seconds that Saved BYU's Unbeaten Season

Casey Lundquist

BYU wide receiver Darius Lassiter scores game-winning touchdown against Oklahoma State
BYU wide receiver Darius Lassiter scores game-winning touchdown against Oklahoma State / BYU Photo
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With 73 seconds remaining, no. 13 BYU needed a touchdown to keep its perfect season alive. The Cougars answered the bell, marching 75 yards in 62 seconds for the game-winning score. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the game-winning drive and how it all came together.

73 Seconds Remaining

On 1st & 10 from the BYU 25 yard-line, Jake Retzlaff dropped back and found Darius Lassiter beyond the sticks for a would-be first down. Lassiter bobbled the ball, pinned it against his helmet and tried to hold on, but an Oklahoma State defender knocked it away and forced the incompletion.

66 Seconds Remaining

On 2nd & 10, Retzlaff checks the ball down to Darius Lassiter who gets three yards before getting out of bounds and stopping the clock.

59 Seconds Remaining

On 3rd & 7, Jake Retzlaff throws an incomplete pass intended for Keelan Marion.

52 Seconds Remaining

BYU needs seven yards to keep its season alive on 4th & 7. At this point in the game, ESPN win probability gives BYU a 2.5% chance to win. The offensive line gives Retzlaff time to throw - Retzlaff finds Chase Roberts just beyond the sticks for a first down. BYU's perfect season is hanging by the thread.

Chase Roberts converts critical fourth down against Oklahoma State to keep unbeaten season alive
Chase Roberts converts critical fourth down against Oklahoma State to keep unbeaten season alive / BYU Photo

42 Seconds Remaining

With 42 seconds remaining, BYU is still on its own 36 yard-line. Jake Retzlaff throws a short pass to Keanu Hill who fights to get out of bounds and fails after gaining two yards. BYU uses its first of two available timeouts.

32 Seconds Remaining

Jake Retzlaff beats the Oklahoma State defense to the edge. The Oklahoma State linebacker assumes Retzlaff is headed to the sideline. Instead, Retzlaff cuts inside and gains 27 yards to the Oklahoma State 35 yard-line. BYU hustles to the line of scrimmage and stops the clock.

Jake Retzlaff scrambles for 27 yards on game-winning drive against Oklahoma State
Jake Retzlaff scrambles for 27 yards on game-winning drive against Oklahoma State / BYU Photo

21 Seconds Remaining

Oklahoma State brings a four-man rush. The offensive line creates a picture-perfect pocket. Retzlaff finds Darius Lassiter 20 yards downfield between the linebacker and the safety. The safety takes a bad angles and misses the initial tackle. Lassiter gets upfield with one man to beat - and he does - cutting inside to make the defender miss for the game-winning score with 11 seconds remaining.

Every magical season requires magical moments. There is still a lot of football to play, but the 2024 BYU football team has been a team of destiny through seven games. The 62 seconds that kept BYU's perfect record alive will go down in BYU football history.

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Casey Lundquist
CASEY LUNDQUIST

Casey Lundquist is the publisher and lead editor of Cougs Daily. He has covered BYU athletics for the last four years. During that time, he has published over 2,000 stories that have reached more than three million people.

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