BYU football has had a roller coaster of a season so far.
Kalani Sitake’s squad has claimed two last-second, game-winning field goals thanks to two different kickers. The Cougars battled through a stretch that saw them lose three games by a combined seven points, and are now coming off a 17-point beatdown of Michigan State — a game many thought would be the toughest test they’d see all year. The team has a 3-3 record after going 1-1 in home, road, and neutral site games thus far.
So with six games in the books and six left to go before the start of bowl season, I’ve decided rank the top 10 plays from the first half of BYU’s season. Transcribed under each is Greg Wrubell’s corresponding radio call, as heard on the Cougar IMG Sports Network.
10. Taysom Hill’s 27-yard run and hurdle vs. West Virginia
“Snap Hill. Hill quarterback draw. Taysom room to run, thirty-five, twenty, a hurdle — STAYS ON HIS FEET — oh! Somehow stays on his feet and lands inside the ten yard line! Taysom on quarterback draw, third and eleven, gets a ton more than that and I’ll be darned if he didn’t hurdle and almost get into the end zone at the end of that run — wow!”
9. Taysom Hill’s 39-yard sideline tiptoe touchdown run vs. Utah
“Trips to the short side — the right side — for Hill in the gun, pulls it away from Jamaal, takes off to the far side does Hill, first down and more, thirty-five, thirty, turns the corner — DOWN THE SIDELINE! THERE HE GOES! TOUCHDOWN TAYSOM HILL! IT’S A FORTY-YARD TOUCHDOWN SCORE, AND THE COUGARS TAKE THE LEAD!”
8. Jamaal Williams’ 62-yard fourth quarter run vs. Michigan State
“I-backs: El-Bakri and Jamaal. Handoff Jamaal. Jamaal — MIDDLE AND THERE HE GOES! OH, JAMAAL! MIDFIELD. FORTY — WILL THEY CATCH HIM? THIRTY, TWENTY, FIFTEEN, TEN … OUT OF BOUNDS INSIDE THE FIVE! BUT THAT IS ABOUT GONNA DO IT!”
7. Jonah Trinneman’s 75-yard touchdown on the first play vs. Toledo
“Cougars and Rockets; glad to have you with us. They go pistol on first and ten. Snap Hill. Hill — deep down the near sideline, Trinneman is there, makes the catch at the thirty, twenty, ten AND JUST LIKE THAT, TOUCHDOWN COUGARS — ON THE FIRST PLAY OF THE GAME!
6. Michael Davis’ interception and 40-yard return vs. Michigan State
“Option-look left, now a step back and a deep throw and it is … INTERCEPTED, FIRST OF HIS CAREER, MICHAEL DAVIS! FORTY, FORTY-FIVE, MIDFIELD, FORTY-FIVE, FAR SIDELINE, STAYS IN BOUNDS and finally out. THERE IT IS! MICHAEL DAVIS, EMBRACING THE BALL ON HIS FIRST I-N-T of his career, and look at the Cougars joining him down the sideline! HOW SWEET IT IS FOR MICHAEL Davis!
5. Jamaal Williams’ 62-yard touchdown run vs. Toledo
“Stretch handoff left for Jamaal. Jamaal shoots a gap — and THERE HE GOES AGAIN! FIFTY. FORTY. THIRTY-FIVE, THIRTY. TWENTY-FIVE, TWENTY. FIFTEEN, TEN, ON HIS FEET — INTO THE END ZONE! HE DID IT AGAIN! AND THE COUGARS TAKE THE LEAD! FOUR TOUCHDOWNS ON THE NIGHT FOR THE GREAT Jamaal Williams!
4. Francis Bernard’s diving one-handed interception vs. Utah
“And it’s play-action, a sprint right and a throw left, the ball is in the air and it is … incomplete or caught at the sideline. A catch made and another flag for BYU on the far sideline — did — did Bernard have an I-N-T? Did Francis come up with the football on the sideline? Now there’s a flag that flies at the far sideline, Bernard came over, ended up with the football, and a flag flies at the end of the play.
“…So BYU is going to get the ball, and then possibly have the result of another targeting foul marched off against the Cougars.
“…That’s an amazing play — that’s a one-handed diving grab at the five yard line.
3. Taysom Hill’s 12-yard touchdown run vs. Michigan State
“And now Taysom on first down hands off Jamaal — no he keeps it, TAYSOM TEN–FIVE, INTO THE END ZONE! TAYSOM RUNNING RIGHT, AND RIGHT IN FOR SIX! THE COUGARS GO UP SIXTEEN TO SEVEN!
2. Jamaal Williams breaks the tie and the rushing record vs. Toledo
They give to Jamaal, MIDDLE — AND ALL THE WAY! INTO THE END ZONE! IT’S A TOUCHDOWN RUN OF FOURTEEN YARDS! And with that, Jamaal Williams becomes BYU’s single-game, all-time rushing leader!
1. (Tie) Jake Oldroyd’s first kick is a game-winner vs. Arizona
“Wouldn’t that be something? All the question marks about the kicking game, a missed P-A-T earlier tonight, and now a chance to win it with a kick. Sixteen-fifteen Arizona. Oldroyd, from thirty-three. Juergens will hold, Foley will snap.
“Snap is back — it’s low — the hold, the kick is on its way and it is … GOOD! IT IS GOOD! IT IS GOOD! WITH FOUR SECONDS TO GO! JAKE OLDROYD ENTERS BYU LORE IN HIS FIRST GAME AS A COUGAR! Eighteen to sixteen — the kick — is — GOOD!
1. (Tie) Rhett Almond’s game-winner caps wild night vs. Toledo
“For the second time in five games, BYU looks for a last-minute field goal winner. It’ll be Rhett Almond from nineteen yards for the win. This will be the final play of the game. Toledo fifty-three and BYU fifty-two. Rhett Almond. Mitch Juergens will hold, Matt Foley the snap.
Snap is back, placement is good, kick is on its way and it is … GOOD! RHETT — YOU BET! FIFTY-FIVE — FIFTY-THREE, THE COUGARS WIN IT.
