Top 10 Plays of the 2024 BYU Football Season

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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The 2024 football season has featured a season's worth of highlight plays in just seven games. The Cougars are 7-0 and firmly in the Big 12 title hunt. Today, we're taking the liberty to rank the top 10 plays of the 2024 BYU football season. You can probably guess which play tops the list.

10. Sione Moa Touchdown Run

In what was a breakout performance against Kansas State, true freshman Sione Moa put an exclamation mark on BYU's win over the Wildcats. On 3rd & 10 inside Kansas State territory, Moa would not be denied the endzone. He broke six or seven tackles before scoring BYU's fifth and final touchdown of the game.

9. Jake Retzlaff to Darius Lassiter Against Baylor

In the first half against Baylor, BYU's offense was absolutely rolling. In what was the best offensive half of the season up to that point, this was the best play from that half. Retzlaff couldn't have thrown a better ball than this one to Darius Lassiter for the score. The pass traveled 53 yards in the air. Lassiter's dance in the endzone was the cherry on top.

8. Jake Retzlaff Starts the Season with a Bang

On the second drive of the season, Jake Retzlaff took a deep shot and hit Jojo Phillips in stride for the score. Everything about the play was picturesque:

  • The blocking was perfect - Retzlaff had a clean pocket to throw from
  • The route was perfect - Phillips separated from the cornerback with ease
  • The throw was perfect - the ball traveled just over 60 yards in the air and hit Phillips in stride; Retzlaff made a big-time throw look effortless

7. Keelan Marion Touchdown Return

Kickoff returns for touchdowns don't happen very often in BYU football history. The last time BYU had returned a kickoff for a touchdown was 2014 before Keelan Marion returned one for a score against Wyoming in week three. The blocking was perfect and Marion did the rest.

6. Jakob Robinson Interception

On the first play of the second half against Arizona, Jakob Robinson blitzed Noah Fifita, jumped in the air and tipped Fifita's pass, and secured the tipped ball for the interception. BYU scored one play later and swung the momentum in BYU's favor.

5. Marque Collins Interception

In a defensive battle against SMU, Marque Collins stepped in front of a pass to stop a potential go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter. BYU's win over SMU looks better and better by the week.

4. Tommy Prassas Scoop 'n Score

BYU's season took a turn for the better when Tommy Prassas picked up a DJ Giddens fumble and returned it for a touchdown. It was that moment that started BYU's rally against Kansas State and the Cougars haven't looked back ever since.

3. Crew Wakley Interception

Crew Wakley sealed BYU's win over Baylor with an interception of Sawyer Robertson. This was BYU's first conference win on the road.

This was a good win for BYU. Baylor has been a much better team with Robertson at quarterback. If not for a miraculous comeback, Baylor would have beaten Colorado in Boulder. They smoked Texas Tech last Saturday and they gave Iowa State some trouble on the road as well. This author expects Baylor to go on a bit of a run and make a bowl game.

2. Parker Kingston Punt Return

Parker Kingston delivered the knockout punch against Kansas State with an absurd punt return for a touchdown. The play was nearly disastrous before Kingston caught the ball on a short hop and reversed field. Kingston ran approximately 140 yards total on this play.

1. Darius Lassiter Touchdown

No surprise here. Darius Lassiter's game-winning touchdown was the top play of the season so far. The Cougars needed a big play to beat Oklahoma State and Lassiter delivered. It was great protection, a great throw, and a great individual effort from Lassiter to get into the endzone.

If BYU winds up in the Big 12 championship game, we could look back at this play as one of the most consequential plays in BYU 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.