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BYU linebacker Max Tooley (31) celebrates his interception return for a touchdown against Utah State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Provo.

Rick Bowmer, Associated Press

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BYU wide receiver Keanu Hill (1) runs on the way to a touchdown against Utah State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Provo.

Rick Bowmer, Associated Press

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Utah State wide receiver Terrell Vaughn (0) falls to the turf after making a reception, as BYU linebacker Payton Wilgar, lower right, defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Provo.

Rick Bowmer, Associated Press

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What is it about big tipped passes in the BYU-Utah State football rivalry?

The most famous of those took place in 2011 when Cougar quarterback Riley Nelson had a last-second pass ricochet off running back JJ Di Luigi and bounce right to wide receiver Marcus Mathews for the game-winning TD in the 27-24 BYU win.

Two big tipped passes — one on offense and one on defense — changed the game in Thursday night’s showdown between the Cougars and the Aggies, enough that BYU was able to secure the 38-26 victory.

The offensive tipped pass wasn’t as dramatic as the one 11 years ago — but it still made a huge difference.

With BYU clinging to a 24-20 lead in the third quarter, the Cougars faced a third-and-10 from its own 25-yard line.

BYU junior quarterback Jaren Hall fired a hard pass that was intended for junior wide receiver Brayden Cosper but it bounced off his hands — and right to where senior receiver Gunner Romney was able to collect it for a 17-yard reception and a big first down.

The friendly bounce kept the Cougar drive alive, eventually resulting in an 8-yard TD pass from Hall to freshman receiver Kody Epps and BYU finally had the cushion it needed to pull away.

The defensive tipped ball was in the first half and helped the Cougars withstand a great effort by Utah State in the first half.

Aggie junior quarterback Cooper Legas — a former star at Orem — had started the game strong but faced a third-and-9 from his own 26-yard line.

He thought he spotted a receiver but his pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage by sophomore defensive lineman John Nelson.

It bounced right to BYU junior linebacker Max Tooley, who waited for a block from sophomore defensive back Jakob Robinson and cruised into the end zone for his second pick-6 of the season (he also had one against USF in the season-opener).

Those two key plays kept the mostly pro-BYU crowd of 59,417 from getting too nervous, although Utah State played one of its best games of the season.

It was feast or famine on both sides of the ball for the Cougars in the first half, thanks to the determined Aggies.

After surrendering a 12-play touchdown drive to Utah State on the opening drive of the game, BYU came back with a lightning-quick two-play response.

Hall started by hitting Romney for a 34-yard pass on Romney’s first play of the season (he’d been hurt for the first four weeks).

The next pass went to sophomore wide receiver Keanu Hill, who was wide open near the right sideline. He sprinted to the middle, then cut behind the block of junior Brayden Cosper for a 31-yard TD and just like that the game was tied.

The Cougar defense got its feast moment on the next Aggie possession on the tipped-ball interception.

That big play gave the Cougars a 14-7 lead, but BYU went into famine mode for much of the rest of the half.

The Cougar offense had two straight three-and-outs, while the Utah State offense three times marched deep into BYU territory.

One of those drives was stopped when Cougar freshman Micah Harper punched the ball away from Legas and freshman Talon Alfrey recovered the fumble.

The other two turned into a 50-yard field goal from Aggie senior kicker Connor Coles and a 14-yard TD pass from Legas to senior wide receiver Brian Cobbs, giving Utah State a 3-point lead.

BYU just missed retaking the lead late in the half but Romney couldn’t quite cradle a touchdown pass in the end zone and the Cougars had to settle for a 45-yard field goal by junior kicker Jake Oldroyd.

That tied the game at halftime, setting the stage for the key plays of the second half.

BYU got the kickoff to start the second half and marched down to take the lead on a 14-yard TD pass from Hall to freshman tight end Ethan Erickson (Erickson’s first catch of his career).

But the Aggies refused to go away, tacking on a field goal to stay within striking distance.

BYU had a chance to extend the lead early in the fourth quarter but missed a 33-yard field goal.

The Cougar defense stuffed a fourth-down attempt on the next Utah State drive, giving the BYU offense a short field. BYU senior running back Chris Brooks finished the drive with an 18-yard TD run to extend the lead.

Legas had one more TD pass in him, connecting with Cobbs again from 27 yards out with just over a minute left.

But the Cougars stuffed the two-point conversion attempt, then recovered the ensuing onside kick to end the threat.

BYU (4-1) now gets a couple of extra days of rest before it takes on Notre Dame in Las Vegas on Saturday, Oct. 8.

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