BYU football avenges last year’s loss against Virginia

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Taysom Hill for went for 277 total yards, receiver Mitch Juergens hauled in a 50-yard touchdown pass, and running back Adam Hine returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score to propel BYU (4-0) to a 41-33 win over Virginia (2-2) on Saturday.

Taysom Hill runs with the ball, fighting through Virginia opposition to score a touchdown. (Maddi Dayton)
Taysom Hill runs with the ball, fighting through Virginia opposition to score a touchdown in BYU’s 41-33 victory over the Cavaliers. (Maddi Dayton)

Hine’s crucial run back came right after a Virginia touchdown that closed the Cougars’ lead to 34-26 with 8:06 left in the game. Taking the ball at the one, Hine gutted the Cavaliers’ return unit, racing straight up the middle to the end zone.

“We said we were taking it out, and that’s exactly what we did,” Hine said. “I caught the ball, saw (a hole) open up, couldn’t believe it and just kept running.”

The score was the second straight scoring play of more than 50 yards on the day. Up 27-19 at the start of the fourth quarter, Hill rolled out to his right and found a wide-open Mitch Juergens streaking down the sidelines for a 50-yard touchdown pass, Juergens’ first touchdown reception of his career.

“We had some outs on the outside,” Hill said. “I went to go to the out, and the corner jumped it, so I came inside, and as (I did), I got flushed, so I started to get out of the pocket. I saw Mitchell’s guy come up to me, and when he did that I saw Mitch just take the sideline, so it’s a pretty easy pitch and catch at that point.”

Once Juergens secured the catch, there was nothing but daylight between him and the end zone.

“It was a dream come true,” Juergens said. “That’s the first one of my career, and I definitely won’t forget it.”

BYU trailed in this game for the first time all season. One minute and six seconds was all Virginia needed to open the game’s scoring on a four-play, 53-yard touchdown drive.

After trading field goals, BYU was able to tie the game up 10-10 when Hill fired an eight-yard touchdown strike to a crossing Jordan Leslie. Hill finished the day completing 13 out of 23 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns. Later, trailing 16-13 in the third quarter, Hill decided to call his own number on a 15-yard touchdown run to take the Cougars’ first lead of the day.

They wouldn’t trail after that.

After forcing a Virginia punt, Hill orchestrated a 10-play, 73-yard drive capped by a Jamaal Williams two-yard touchdown run that pushed the lead to 27-16 late in the third quarter.

Virginia was able to cut the lead to eight with 1:48 remaining, but the ensuing onside kick bounced into the arms of Cougar linebacker Alani Fua.

“I think the biggest thing is our mentality,” Hill said about the victory. “I never had a question of if we were going to win that football game. I saw it in the guys in our offense that they never questioned it either, and that mentality of winning regardless — scratching, clawing, whatever we have to do to win a football game — we have it.

BYU now enters into a bye week. The team will put its undefeated record on the line when it welcomes Utah State to LaVell Edwards Stadium on Friday, Oct. 3.

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