It was a play that will go down in BYU football history -- and one better suited for the playground than for the biggest moment of perhaps the greatest BYU-Utah game ever.

Eleven seconds. That's how long BYU quarterback John Beck scrambled around, trying to buy time for his receivers to get open with the game clock already expired. Beck turned on '11 Mississippi' and threw a pass across his body to an inexplicably open Jonny Harline for an 11-yard touchdown, giving No. 21 BYU a wild 33-31 victory over Utah in front of 45,330 stunned fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday.

Chaos ensued. Tears of pain (those in red) and cries of joy (those in blue).

The game means that much to both sides.

"Jonny and I connected, but all 11 players on the field did their jobs," said Beck, who led BYU on three fourth-quarter touchdown drives. "The receivers were trying to get open and the line was blocking to give me time. Those 11 guys should go down in BYU history with that play."

Beck's pass to Harline capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive in the game's final 1:16. Beck converted a fourth-and-4 with a 17-yard strike to Harline and then completed a 19-yard pass to McKay Jacobson to the Utah 11 with 9.6 seconds left. Beck spiked the ball and the clock showed 7.8 seconds remaining. Beck attempted a fade to Harline in the right corner but the pass was broken up by Brice McCain.

Only 3.2 seconds to go. Time for one last play.

"I just took a deep breath and told myself I'd been preparing for this moment all my life," Beck said. "I've noticed as a quarterback, when you move around the defense moves with you. I moved to the right and saw Jonny go to the left. He was wide open."

Harline, all by himself in the left corner of the end zone, went to his knees to cradle the most important catch of his life.

"When you're out there, you're not thinking about making the game-winning play," Harline said. "You're just thinking about catching the ball. That's what I was thinking: 'Just catch it.' "

BYU (8-0 MWC, 10-2 overall) jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead but then saw Utah bounce back with 10 points in the second quarter. Louie Sakoda ran a fake punt 18 yards to set up Utah's first touchdown, then kicked a field goal as time expired in the first half to make the score 14-10.

"One of biggest determinants of the game was field position," BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "Utah won field position and that made it more difficult for our defense. We haven't played that short of a field in a long time and it kept me off balance."

Utah (5-3, 7-5) kept up the pressure with a 57-yard scoring pass from Brett Ratliff to Marquis Wilson and near the end of the third quarter, Ratliff connected with former Pleasant Grove standout Colt Sampson on a 4-yard touchdown for a 24-14 Utah lead. It was the first time BYU had trailed since the Boston College game on Sept. 16 and its largest deficit since the Las Vegas Bowl against Cal back in December.

But BYU rallied behind Beck, who cooled off after the first quarter but found his groove again in the fourth. The senior quarterback was 15-of-20 for 156 yards and three scores in the final 12 minutes. BYU closed to 24-20 when Beck hit Harline on a 4-yard touchdown pass, but the extra point was blocked. The Cougars took the lead with 3:23 to play when Beck tossed a 2-yard scoring pass to Daniel Coats, capping a 13-play, 90-yard drive to make the score 27-24.

Utah responded with a clutch drive. Ratliff scrambled for a first down on fourth-and-2 at the BYU 25, then fired a 19-yard touchdown pass to Casteel with 1:19 to play. Utah led 31-27, but 1:19 was just enough time for BYU to make its game-winning play. Beck was 6-of-9 for all 75 yards on the final drive.

"This was a classic game and both teams made comebacks," Utah's Eric Weddle said. "On the last play we dropped eight and covered them well. They just found a way to get open."

Beck finished with 375 yards and four touchdowns and Harline caught seven passes for 118 yards and three scores. Ratliff had 358 yards passing and three touchdowns, and Casteel posted 100 yards and two scores on five catches. The two teams combined for 903 yards and curiously, no turnovers.

But it will be BYU's last drive and Beck's touchdown pass to Harline on the game's final play that will dominate conversations until next year. Beck, who has taken his share of criticism in his four years at BYU, was carried off the field by his teammates after the touchdown pass that finally beat Utah for first time since 2001.

"If there would have been a series to define John's growth, development and leadership, it would be that last drive," Mendenhall said. "His critics are finished. They have no voice."

Both teams completed the regular season and both teams will play in a bowl game. BYU has already accepted an invitation to the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 21 (against a Pac 10 team to be named later) and Utah will likely end up in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth.

Daily Herald Sports Editor Darnell Dickson can be reached at 344-2555 or by e-mail at ddickson@heraldextra.com.

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This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B1.