Dec 28, 2024; San Antonio, TX, USA; Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Parker Kingston (11) returns a punt for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

No. 17 BYU’s defense stymies No. 23 Colorado in Alamo Bowl

No. 17 BYU’s stout defensive effort shut down No. 23 Colorado’s explosive offense in the Cougars’ 36-14 Alamo Bowl win on Saturday night in San Antonio.

The Cougars, who had four sacks and two interceptions, held Colorado to just two rushing yards and 210 yards of total offense. The Buffaloes averaged 34.5 points and nearly 400 yards of offense per game entering the Alamo Bowl.

“The guys believed in each other,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “We’ve been working on this and I’m really proud of the staff, the coaches and I’m happy all our fans are here. I’m definitely happy for the seniors. These guys love each other, and I am happy we got that win.”

BYU’s Parker Kingston had a 64-yard punt return touchdown. Jake Retzlaff completed 12-of-21 passes for 151 yards and two interceptions.

LJ Martin (93 rushing yards) had two touchdowns on the ground and Sione I Moa ran one in for the Cougars (11-2). Evan Johnson and Isaiah Glasker had interceptions.

Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders completed 16-of-23 passes for 208 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter caught four passes for 106 yards and a touchdown. Sav’ell Smalls added a touchdown catch.

“We’re not happy with the results, but we are happy with the journey of getting here,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said. “Wonderful job by BYU. They are well coached. They did a phenomenal job of running the football.

“Their special teams kicked our butts. We couldn’t do nothing much at all on offense. Defensively, we had some sound stops, but we didn’t have enough and came up short.”

DJ McKinney, Anquin Barnes Jr. and Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig had interceptions for Colorado (9-4).

Martin gave BYU a 7-0 lead with a 1-yard touchdown run midway through the opening quarter. A 28-yard pass to Martin on a wheel route out of the backfield was the key play on the drive.

After BYU forced a three-and out, Will Ferrin gave the Cougars a 10-0 cushion with a 51-yard field goal.

At the start of the second quarter, Sanders hit Hunter on a short crossing route he turned into a 58-yard gain. But the drive stalled when Sanders was sacked by Logan Lutui for a 23-yard loss. On the next play, Alejandro Mata missed a 48-yard field goal.

Kingston used a wall of blockers down the sideline on his 64-yard punt return for a touchdown that gave the Cougars a 17-0 lead late in the second quarter. BYU went into halftime up 20-0 on Ferrin’s 54-yard field goal.

On Colorado’s first possession of the second half, Johnson picked off a pass that set up BYU’s nine-play scoring drive. The Cougars took a 27-0 lead on Moa’s 13-yard touchdown run.

Hunter made three Cougars defenders miss on a 43-yard touchdown reception that cut the BYU lead to 27-7 with 6:14 left in the third.

Martin’s second TD run gave BYU a 33-7 cushion in the fourth quarter. Colorado tacked on a late score when Sanders hit Smalls with a 2-yard pass.

–Field Level Media

Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Travis Hunter (12) following an interception in the first quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys  at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

No. 17 BYU, No. 23 Colorado prepare for Big 12-flavored Alamo Bowl

Conference foes No. 17 BYU and No. 23 Colorado will square off on Saturday night in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.

The Cougars (10-2) and Buffaloes (9-3) once had their sights set on a Big 12 Conference championship game appearance and a berth in the College Football Playoff.

But late-season losses dashed those dreams, and in the era of mega conferences, the rare intra-conference bowl game will pit teams that didn’t play in the regular season.

Another rarity is the lack of players opting out to prevent injury. Colorado has taken out disability insurance to safeguard Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

In its latest NFL mock draft, CBS Sports had Hunter going No. 2 to the New England Patriots and Sanders going No. 3 to the Las Vegas Raiders, who would need to trade up to acquire that pick.

Sanders completed 74.2 percent of his passes for 3,926 yards, 35 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. Hunter rarely took a snap off, doubling as a wide receiver on offense and a cornerback on defense.

Hunter has declared for April’s NFL draft and had 92 catches for 1,152 yards, 14 receiving touchdowns and a rushing score. He had four interceptions, 11 passes defended and 31 tackles at cornerback.

“Colorado has a ton of talent in all three phases,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “I think a lot of credit goes to the offense for the Heisman Trophy winner (Hunter), Shedeur and the rest of the crew. But we are excited, they are a complete team and we’re excited about the matchup.”

The rest of the crew Sitake referenced includes second-leading receiver LaJohntay Wester, who caught 70 passes for 880 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Will Sheppard, who had 617 yards and six TDs.

Colorado was 4-8 last year in coach Deion Sanders’ first season at the helm.

Freshman receiver Drelon Miller came on late in the season with two touchdowns in the Buffaloes’ last three games and is part of a youth movement that has Deion Sanders excited.

“We have some young talent here that’s going to help this program tremendously,” said the elder Sanders, who has the Buffaloes in just their third bowl game in the past 17 seasons. “When those (young) guys walked on the field, you felt their presence and they wanted us to know that they belong. And it was phenomenal. I don’t want to throw names out, but we got some talent.”

A 9-0 start had the Cougars rise to No. 6 in the Week 11 CFP rankings, but back-to-back losses to Kansas and eventual Big 12 champion Arizona State knocked them out of a shot in the conference title game.

Jake Retzlaff led the BYU turnaround — the Cougars were 5-7 last season — with 2,796 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns. Chase Roberts was his top target with 51 catches for 843 yards and four scores.

Darius Lassiter racked up 679 receiving yards and four touchdowns, but he will sit out the first half of the Alamo Bowl after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the second half of the Cougars’ last game of the regular season.

“To flip it and turn it around, what they’ve accomplished this season isn’t a surprise given who their coach is,” Deion Sanders said. “(Sitake is) a good guy with a great team and I adore him.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Jake Retzlaff, No. 19 BYU overcome Houston’s early lead

Jake Retzlaff passed for 167 yards and added two rushing touchdowns as No. 19 BYU rode a stifling defensive performance to a 30-18 win over the Houston Cougars in Provo, Utah, on Saturday.

Retzlaff scored on runs of 13 and 7 yards, the latter coming with 2:52 remaining in the game to help BYU (10-2, 7-2 Big 12) reclaim its two-possession advantage. Houston (4-8, 3-6) had clawed to within six points earlier in the fourth quarter before Jack Kelly and Blake Mangelson teamed for the biggest defensive play of the contest for BYU.

With Houston facing fourth-and-7 at the BYU 44, Kelly sacked Houston quarterback Zeon Chriss and forced a fumble. After a mad scramble, Mangelson made the recovery at the Houston 18.

Five plays later, Retzlaff scored on third down to secure the victory for BYU, which was eliminated from Big 12 title game contention when Iowa State defeated Kansas State earlier.

Chriss passed for 156 yards and, like Retzlaff, ran for two scores. He was intercepted once.

After securing a 10-7 lead, Houston slipped into an extended offensive drought. Including a one-play drive that concluded the first half, Houston amassed 55 yards over six possessions. BYU flipped the three-point deficit into a 14-point lead before Houston suddenly responded.

Chriss capped a 12-play, 69-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. His subsequent pass to Mekhi Mews resulted in a successful two-point conversion that pulled Houston to within 24-18 with 8:34 to play. When BYU followed with three incomplete passes and a 17-second possession, Houston had its shot.

Chriss supplied Houston a 7-0 lead with his 3-yard touchdown run at the 1:47 mark of the first quarter. But Houston squandered the momentum from its 10-play, 80-yard drive by attempting an onside kick that BYU’s Talan Alfrey returned 58 yards for a touchdown seven seconds later.

Trailing 10-7 early in the second quarter, BYU came to life with a pair of touchdown drives en route to a 21-10 halftime lead. Sione I Moa and Retzlaff produced scoring runs of 6 and 13 yards, respectively, with Retzlaff capping a 6-play, 80-yard drive that took only 50 seconds.

Houston, which entered last in FBS in scoring offense, totaled only 250 yards.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the second half at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

No. 19 BYU clinging to Big 12 hopes entering finale vs. Houston

After back-to-back losses essentially eliminated BYU from College Football Playoff contention, the Cougars must win their season finale against Houston on Saturday in Provo, Utah, and then hope for favorable scenarios to unfold to clinch a spot in the Big 12 title game and keep its slim CFP hopes alive.

BYU (9-2, 6-2 Big 12) fell into a four-way tie atop the league with its 28-23 road loss to Arizona State and fell five spots in the CFP rankings to No. 19, three behind the Sun Devils and one below Iowa State, both 6-2 in the Big 12. No. 25 Colorado is also tied for first in the league. Arizona State and Iowa State are the most likely title-game participants based on projections.

“All I care about is focusing on the seniors and trying to control the things we can control, which is how we play this weekend and how we prepare, and then we’ll just see what happens afterward,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “The goal is to try and go 1-0 this week. That’s got to be our primary goal and then we’ll deal with the results of how that affects everything else from then on.”

BYU was undefeated before an upset home loss to Kansas on Nov. 16. The Cougars surrendered prime position with a second loss to Arizona State, forcing a reset of their goals.

“Obviously we would like the situation we’re in to be better but I don’t know how many thought we’d be sitting here at 9-2 at this time,” Sitake said. “But now we’re dealing with reality, which is we’re sitting here in this position and we can control what we can control, which is this week.”

BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff passed for 346 yards last week, two off his season high. But he has thrown three picks to just two touchdowns in the Cougars’ pair of losses.

Houston (4-7, 3-5 Big 12) will conclude a disappointing first season under coach Willie Fritz, whose otherworldly success at Tulane did not immediately translate. Houston’s 20-10 loss to Baylor last Saturday marked its second consecutive defeat, which stifled the momentum generated by three wins in four games before a 24-point loss at Arizona on Nov. 15.

“This is our bowl game in my opinion,” Fritz said. “We want to do the best we possibly can in preparation and go out and play great on Saturday night, national TV, in front of a full house I imagine.”

Fritz on Tuesday announced the dismissal of offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay. Quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator Shawn Bell was named interim offensive coordinator and will handle the play-calling duties against BYU.

Houston enters its season finale last among 134 FBS teams in scoring at 13.6 points per game and 129th in total offense with 291.5 yards per game. Current starting quarterback Zeon Chriss has amassed just 668 passing yards with four touchdowns and seven picks, though he’s added 376 yards and two scores on the ground.

Before relieving Barbay of his duties, Fritz outlined how the Cougars might cultivate more success on offense against BYU.

“There are some things we’re looking at this week but more importantly, we’ve got to do a great job with the execution,” Fritz said. “For that to be as good as you want it to be you’ve got to work on it all week.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils fans celebrate on the field in the closing second of the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Arizona State fined $25K after storming snafu vs. BYU

The Big 12 Conference fined Arizona State $25,000 on Tuesday in response to fans storming the field during the final moments of Saturday’s 28-23 win over BYU.

The league also issued a public reprimand to the school for the chaotic ending in Tempe, Ariz. Fans streamed onto the field thinking the game was over and tore down a goalpost, but there was time remaining and a lengthy delay ensued to sort things out.

“The safety of student-athletes and all game participants is our foremost priority,” said Brett Yormark, the Big 12 commissioner. “We will continue to work with our institutions on event management policies at all Big 12 venues.”

After rallying from a 28-9 deficit to Arizona State (9-2, 6-2), BYU (9-2, 6-2) took possession near midfield with one second left on the clock after order was restored. A final Hail Mary pass by Jake Retzlaff fell incomplete.

–Field Level Media

Arizona State offensive lineman Max Iheanachor (58) lifts Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo (4) after a touchdown against BYU during the first half at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Nov. 23, 2024.

No. 21 Arizona State survives wild finish to down No. 14 BYU

Arizona State cornerback Javan Robinson intercepted a pass from BYU’s Jake Retzlaff to thwart the No. 14 Cougars’ threat with 1:04 left in a 28-23 victory for the 21st-ranked Sun Devils Saturday at Tempe, Ariz.

Robinson made the interception on a second-and-10 play at the Arizona State 39, returning the interception all the way to the BYU 7.

The Cougars used their two timeouts and Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt tried to burn time by running backward on a couple of plays to the BYU 39.

Two delay-of-game penalties put the ball at the BYU 49 with 7 seconds left.

Leavitt tried to burn those seconds by dropping back and throwing the ball high into the air. The ball dropped out of bounds with 1 second left.

A throng of fans rushed the field thinking that Arizona State won. The game was delayed at least 20 minutes for the last play of the game to be played.

Retzlaff’s hail mary pass fell incomplete short of the end zone on the last play.

Arizona State (9-2, 6-2) now holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over BYU (9-2, 6-2) in the Big 12 standings with each having one game remaining.

Cam Skattebo rushed for 147 yards on 28 carries with three touchdowns for Arizona State.

Sam Leavitt completed 16 of 25 pass attempts for 247 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Retzlaff passed for 297 yards while completing 22 of 38 pass attempts with a touchdown and two interceptions.

BYU scored touchdowns on its three first possessions of the second half to cut into a 21-3 halftime lead for Arizona State.

Keelan Marion’s 10-yard run with 2:49 left in the third quarter cut the lead to 21-9. A 2-point conversion run by LJ Martin was stopped short.

Arizona State responded with a 61-yard touchdown pass from Leavitt to Xavier Guillory to increase the lead to 28-9 with 2:06 remaining in the third quarter.

The Cougars scored on a 21-yard pass connection between Retzlaff and JoJo Phillips with 43 seconds left in the third quarter. Retzlaff completed a 2-point conversion pass to cut the lead to 28-17.

After forcing Arizona State to punt, BYU put together an 88-yard scoring drive that was culminated by a 1-yard touchdown run by Marion. The 2-point conversion pass attempt by Retzlaff was incomplete.

Arizona State was stopped on downs on its next possession at the BYU 11.

–Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; Provo, Utah, USA; The Brigham Young Cougars Cougarettes perform before the fourth quarter of the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

No. 14 BYU must ‘refocus’ for trip to No. 21 Arizona State

BYU coach Kalani Sitake said the 14th-ranked Cougars “just gotta refocus” after dropping eight spots in the College Football Playoff rankings coming off their first loss of the season.

The Cougars (9-1, 6-1 Big 12) will try to rebound from a 17-13 setback at home against Kansas when they visit No. 21 Arizona State (8-2, 5-2) on Saturday in Tempe, Ariz.

“I am excited to see these guys play after this,” Sitake said Monday. “We have faced some adversity. We have faced a loss. Now we are able to learn from it. Let’s see what type of team comes out. This is a good moment for our identity to show.”

Arizona State won at then-No. 16 Kansas State 24-14 last week to earn its third straight victory and fifth in the last six games.

The game between the Cougars and Sun Devils is potentially for a spot in the Big 12 championship game with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

Colorado (8-2, 6-1) and Iowa State (8-2, 5-2) also are in the race among conference teams with two or fewer losses.

BYU was picked to finish 13th and Arizona State 16th (last) in the Big 12 in a preseason media poll.

“I feel a slight connection to them, because nobody cared about (either of) us before the season,” Sitake said. “To have this game be something with a lot of meaning is really cool at this point.”

Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham believes the game is significant enough that he urged fans not to sell tickets to BYU supporters.

The Phoenix area, especially in the East Valley, has a large population of Mormons who are BYU fans.

“Have them show you an ASU hat or shirt or something,” Dillingham said to Arizona State fans during his weekly press conference.

Sitake called Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo one of the best in the nation at his position. He also said that BYU tried to lure Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt after he left Michigan State and entered the transfer portal.

Leavitt’s father, Jared, was a linebacker at BYU in the 1990s.

“He comes from a good family and he’s super athletic,” Sitake said. “He can run and has an accurate arm. I think he’s got a great fit, football IQ, and he’s so dangerous.”

Skattebo has rushed for 1,074 yards on 198 carries with 11 touchdowns. He also has 31 receptions for 448 yards with two scores.

Leavitt has thrown for 1,906 yards with 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has also rushed for 348 yards and four TDs.

BYU lacked in red-zone production against Kansas, scoring only six points without a touchdown in four trips there against Kansas.

The Cougars’ only score in the second half was a 35-yard field goal by Will Ferrin.

Their lone touchdown was a 30-yard pass from Jake Retzlaff to Hinckley Ropati in the second quarter.

Retzlaff has passed for 2,283 yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He has rushed for an additional 312 yards with four scores.

–Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) runs for a touchdown against the San Jose State Spartans in the third quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Take 5: Drawing conclusions from latest CFP rankings

The first couple of College Football Playoff rankings provided some fuel for banter and insight into the selection committee’s collective thought process. However, as there was a month remaining in the regular season when the first CFP Top 25 rankings were released, there were too many moving parts and hypotheticals to get overly analytical.

The third set of weekly rankings is when things start to get more serious. Rivalry week looms, conference championship races are tightening, and erstwhile playoff hopefuls are beginning to fall by the wayside.

Five takeaways from the Tuesday rankings announcement:

1. It’s good to be in the SEC

A common complaint in the early years of the Bowl Championship Series was that the two-team national championship format punished the Southeastern Conference for having too many good teams, causing them to cannibalize each other. That sentiment is alive and well with the expansion of the championship system to 12 teams.

While the SEC has only one representative ranked in the top sux — Texas at No. 3 — consider that six SEC teams are ranked No. 15 or better, six of them with multiple losses. It’s the only conference with any multiple-loss teams ranked that highly, let alone boasting several.

There are three teams ranked with three losses, and two of them — South Carolina and Missouri — hail from the SEC. While the depth leads to teams beating up on one another, it also provides more opportunities to rack up ranked wins.

A good example is Texas A&M, which is within shouting distance of the playoff at No. 15. The Aggies are 1-2 against currently ranked opponents, with one of those losses coming out of conference against Notre Dame. The other defeat was to No. 18 South Carolina, the highest-ranked three-loss team.

Texas A&M’s top win came against No. 23 Missouri, a peculiar choice to remain in the polls, given that all three of the Tigers’ losses occurred in October or November. The most recent of those defeats came last week at South Carolina, which climbed three spots on the strength of a ranked win.

2. Indiana’s margin for error

Of the nation’s three remaining undefeated teams, two have yet to face a Top 25 opponent. That changes in Week 13, and it could be a do-or-die scenario for both Indiana and Army.

Army’s pursuit of a playoff berth is inherently tenuous. The Black Knights’ hopes rest on running the table and either a power conference descending into chaos or Boise State losing. But for Indiana, could an 11-1 Big Ten team realistically be excluded from the playoff if the Hoosiers lose to Ohio State this weekend?

With another power-conference team, SMU, continuing to linger outside the playoff field at one loss, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Indiana could similarly slip. Unlike a hypothetical one-loss Indiana, however, SMU controls its conference-championship destiny.

Should the Hoosiers lose to Ohio State, they would need to beat Purdue in their finale and hope for help — specifically, losses by Penn State and Ohio State in Week 14 (or this week, in the case of the Nittany Lions) — to secure a shot at Oregon in the Big Ten title game.

SMU is one of the looming threats to pass Indiana if the Hoosiers falter, along with Boise State and several SEC teams benefiting from strong schedules.

3. Boise State should root against Colorado State

Thanks to a slip-up by the leader of one of the four power conferences in Week 12, Boise State escaped a projected opening-round playoff game and climbed to No. 4 among the top five conference champions.

To maintain its position — or potentially climb higher — Boise State would benefit from a rematch with UNLV in the Mountain West championship game. Washington State’s puzzling Week 12 loss to New Mexico erased a ranked win from Boise State’s resume, but UNLV mitigated the damage by checking in at No. 24.

If the Rebels reach 10 wins and remain in the Top 25, a second meeting with the Broncos would enhance Boise State’s case. However, for that scenario to occur, Colorado State needs to lose. The Rams, quietly undefeated in the Mountain West after a lackluster start that included blowout losses to Texas and Colorado, are 7-3 overall and nowhere near the Top 25, even if they win out.

While Fresno State may be Boise State’s most bitter Mountain West rival, Broncos fans presumably will root for the Bulldogs in their Week 13 home matchup against Colorado State.

4. Kansas is the Big 12’s biggest problem

BYU escaped precarious positions repeatedly on its way to a 9-0 start, but the law of averages — and the surging Kansas Jayhawks — caught up with the Cougars. Kansas disrupted Iowa State’s playoff hopes a week earlier, temporarily knocking the Cyclones out of the Top 25 with a 45-36 win in Kansas City on Nov. 9.

Iowa State returned to the poll this week, but at No. 22, the Cyclones are well outside the playoff picture. BYU hasn’t been eliminated yet, but its drop to No. 14, combined with Boise State inching up to No. 12, leaves the Big 12’s highest-ranked team fifth among the conference champions.

Next up for Kansas is a home game against No. 16 Colorado on Saturday. A Jayhawks win, coupled with No. 21 Arizona State defeating BYU, could conceivably leave the Big 12 on the outside looking in.

5. Plenty of head-to-head matchups loom

Starting this weekend, a series of matchups featuring Top 25 teams squaring off promises lots of movement, even without another wave of upsets.

No. 5 Indiana’s showdown with No. 2 Ohio State is the game of the week this Saturday. Meanwhile, No. 6 Notre Dame’s neutral-site clash with No. 19 Army at Yankee Stadium is a likely make-or-break moment for both teams’ playoff aspirations.

Reeling BYU visits surging Arizona State, with the winner controlling its destiny for a Big 12 championship game berth.

The following week will bring additional drama, with the renewal of the Texas-Texas A&M series and South Carolina-Clemson clash both carrying playoff implications.

Plenty can and will change, even as the playoff picture begins to take shape.

–Kyle Kensing, Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; Provo, Utah, USA; Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) is tripped up by Brigham Young Cougars linebacker Jack Kelly (17) during the second quarter at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

No. 6 BYU botches punt return, helps Kansas pull upset

Devin Neal rushed for two touchdowns and a fluke occurrence on a punt led to the go-ahead score as Kansas notched a 17-13 upset of No. 6 BYU in Big 12 play on a chilly Saturday night at Provo, Utah.

Jalon Daniels completed 12 of 19 passes for 169 yards and one interception, but his biggest contribution was a fourth-quarter punt that struck a member of the Cougars and was recovered by the Jayhawks at the BYU 3-yard line. Neal scored the winning points on the next play, and Kansas protected the lead.

The setback is a major blow for the Cougars (9-1, 6-1 Big 12), who dropped into a first-place tie with Colorado and will slip downward when the next College Football Playoff rankings are unveiled on Tuesday.

BYU’s Jake Retzlaff completed 18 of 28 passes for 192 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Hinckley Ropati had a scoring reception for the Cougars.

Neal extended his school record to 45 rushing touchdowns, and his 52 yards rushing made him the first player in program history to top 4,000 on the ground. His total sits at 4,003.

Kansas had a drive stall at the BYU 36-yard line early in the fourth quarter before the pivotal sequence.

Daniels delivered a 26-yard pooch punch that caromed off the head of BYU’s Evan Johnson, who had his back to the punt and was running downfield. Jakob Robinson of the Cougars dove to collect the ball, but it escaped his grasp and it was recovered by Kansas’ Quentin Skinner at the Cougars’ 3.

Neal’s touchdown came with 13:19 left in the contest.

BYU later took over on its own 21-yard line with 4:47 remaining and recorded four first downs in five plays to reach the Kansas 15.

But the Cougars netted just 4 yards on three running plays, and a false start made it fourth-and-11 from the 16. Retzlaff hit Chase Roberts for 8 yards — 3 yards shy of a first down.

Kansas took over with 46 seconds left and ran out the clock.

Will Ferrin booted a 35-yard field goal with 4:30 left in the third quarter to give BYU a 13-10 lead.

Earlier, Kansas went 84 yards on 10 plays to start the game, with Neal finishing the drive with an 8-yard run.

Ferrin kicked a 33-yard field goal 49 seconds into the second quarter, and BYU moved ahead 10-7 when Retzlaff tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Ropati with 8:48 left in the half.

Tabor Allen of Kansas kicked a 25-yard field goal with 1:46 left to knot the score.

–Field Level Media

Nov 9, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Parker Kingston (11) returns a punt against Utah Utes wide receiver Luca Caldarella (19) during the second half at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Utah AD fined $40k for saying refs ‘stole’ victory from Utes

The Utah Utes are not having a good time in their first season in the Big 12, and that rough beginning was compounded by comments from their athletic director Mark Harlan that have resulted in a $40,000 fine.

Following the Utes’ 22-21 home loss to rival BYU on Saturday night that dropped Utah to 4-5 and 1-5 in the conference, Harlan unloaded on the officiating and the conference itself.

“This game was absolutely stolen from us,” Harlan said. “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.”

Those comments led to a fairly swift reaction from the league, which reprimanded Harlan with the fine and a statement Sunday.

“Mark’s comments irresponsibly challenged the professionalism of our officials and the integrity of the Big 12 Conference,” Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said. “There is a right way and a wrong way to voice concerns. Unfortunately, Mark chose the wrong way. Accordingly, this violation warrants a public reprimand and financial penalty. The Big 12 Conference prioritizes professionalism, integrity, and fairness, and will continue to do so.”

Down 21-19, a holding penalty called on Utah cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn on fourth down negated a sack and gave BYU the ball at its own 19 with about 90 seconds left. The Cougars then drove down the field for a game-winning 44-yard field goal.

With the win, which came before the largest crowd (54,383) ever at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, No. 9 BYU moved to 9-0, 6-0 in the conference, to stay firmly in the mix for a College Football Playoff berth.

“I recognize that there are more appropriate times and avenues to express those concerns, and I accept the consequences of my decision,” Harlan said in a statement. “My comments came after having just left our team locker room where our student-athletes were hurting and upset. The University of Utah is proud to be a member of the Big 12 Conference and we look forward to working with our peers to continue to enhance the league.”

The game was the first between the two as conference mates since 2010 when both teams left the Mountain West Conference. Utah joined the Big 12 along with three other Pac-12 teams this summer. BYU joined the conference in 2023.

–Field Level Media