Utah AD Mark Harlan on 'Holy War': “This game was absolutely stolen from us"

In a rare move, Harlan says he's going contest how the Utes lost on Saturday

Utah Football

Utah athletic director Mark Harlan expressed his frustration after a controversial ending to the latest "Holy War" rivalry, where Utah narrowly lost to BYU, 22-21. The Utes had seemingly clinched victory in the final moments, only to have their winning play overturned by a penalty, a decision that Harlan felt was unjust.

“I've been an athletic director for 12 years. This game was absolutely stolen from us,” Harlan stated in the postgame press conference. “We were excited about being in the Big 12, but tonight I am not. We won this game. Someone else stole it from us. Very disappointed. I will talk to the commissioner. This is not fair to our team, and I’m disgusted by the professionalism of the officiating crew tonight.”

A message from Utah AD Mark Harlan: pic.twitter.com/thI9hNRdbY

— Steve Bartle (@BartleKSLsports) November 10, 2024

The game was tightly contested, with Utah’s defense showing its resilience, particularly in the second half. The Utes held BYU to just nine points in the latter half, seemingly on the brink of securing the win when defensive tackle Junior Tafuna made a crucial sack on BYU’s quarterback Jake Retzlaff on a fourth-down play. However, a holding penalty against Utah reversed the turnover, allowing BYU another chance. Given this new opportunity, BYU capitalized, setting up Ferrin for a 44-yard field goal with only four seconds remaining, sealing the win and leaving Utah stunned.

Harlan’s strong remarks reflect not only his dissatisfaction with the officiating but also a broader sentiment of disappointment as the "Holy War" rivalry approaches its end in the regular season. This game highlighted the intense rivalry between the two teams and was a harsh blow for Utah, especially in their inaugural season as a member of the Big 12.

Utah has to refocus as they prepare to face a tough Colorado team led by Deion Sanders. This matchup presents a crucial moment for Utah to redirect the season’s trajectory. Meanwhile, BYU, riding high from their narrow victory, faces the challenge of proving their strength as they continue in Big 12 play. The end of the "Holy War" regular-season series leaves behind a legacy of passion and, in this case, no shortage of controversy.