Who they are: BYU football closes regular season with up-and-down showing in win over Houston
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- BYU junior linebacker Jack Kelly tackles Houston quarterback Zeon Chriss as the ball bounces away during the Big 12 game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU seniors walk across the field after the Big 12 game against Houston at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU players congratulate junior Jake Retzlaff (12) after he scored a touchdown during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU sophomore LJ Martin carries the ball during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU junior Jake Retzlaff throws a pass during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU sophomore Isaiah Glasker makes a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior Blake Mangelson makes a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU junior kicker Will Ferrin kicks a field goal during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU sophomore LJ Martin carries the ball during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU flags get carried around the field during a break in the action during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU junior Jack Kelly knocks the ball loose during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU mascot Cosmo hypes up the crowd during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU junior Crew Wakley pursues the ball carrier during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU flags are carried around the field during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU and Houston players have to be separated after an altercation during the Big 12 game in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU junior Jake Retzlaff scores a touchdown during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU sophomore Sam Vander Haar punts the ball during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior Tyler Batty tries to make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU sophomore LJ Martin takes a handoff from junior Jake Retzlaff during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior Tyler Batty makes a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU defenders make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU players make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior John Nelson runs onto the field before the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior Connor Pay runs onto the field before the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- The BYU marching band plays before the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU junior Keelan Marion carries the ball during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff tries to avoid a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU sophomore Evan Johnson makes a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU junior Jack Kelly tries to make a diving tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior Tyler Batty runs onto the field before the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior Sam Dawe runs onto the field before the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior Mason Fakahua runs onto the field before the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior Blake Mangelson runs onto the field before the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior Tyler Batty (92) gets a hug from director of athletics Tom Holmoe before the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior Caleb Etienne takes the field before the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior Logan Lutui takes the field BYU seniors take the field before the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU seniors take the field before the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff tries to avoid a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU defenders try to make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU defenders try to make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU defenders try to make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU freshman LJ Martin carries the ball during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU defenders try to make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU mascot Cosmo performs a stunt during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU freshman Tommy Prassas tries to break up a pass during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU senior Darius Lassiter gets held during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff runs the ball during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
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- BYU junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff runs the ball during the Big 12 game against Houston in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
The news that Iowa State had defeated Kansas State got to BYU at halftime of their regular-season finale against Houston at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday night. The Cyclone win combined with Arizona State’s easy victory over Arizona meant even with a win BYU would not reach the Big 12 title game because of how the tiebreakers worked out.
It had mixed impact, according to BYU players and coaches.
Head coach Kalani Sitake felt like his squad didn’t finish the game how he wanted and thought the news might have thrown them off a little bit.
“I found out at halftime and I think probably a lot of them did too, but you’ve just got to keep playing,” Sitake said. “I didn’t think that they there was a lack of effort. There was just a lack of concentration, maybe a lack of a little bit of focus. But the guys kept fighting.”
BYU junior linebacker Jack Kelly, though, said at that point the home team knew the reality of the situation.
“Everyone still knew what we had at hand,” Kelly said. “We knew that we had to send the seniors out on a good note and hit that double-digit win mark we were looking for. It wasn’t really a huge loss. Obviously we would like to play in that game, but at the end of the day we wanted to win for our seniors and our final game here at LES this season.”
What ended up happening on the field perfectly reflected what the BYU football team was in 2024:
It had frustrating lapses and certainly didn’t play at a high level for four quarters, but through complimentary football and determination, it made the big plays it needed to secure the 30-18 win.
“The game was a little interesting, but I’m just really proud of the boys,” Sitake said. “It was not the way that I saw it happening but we definitely did enough to get the win. We could have put it away earlier probably, but I just love the guys’ belief in each other. We’ll just keep building on this.”
The home Cougars have had each of the three phases step up to win games and, while all three had their up and downs on Saturday, this time it was the BYU defense that made the key fourth-quarter play against the visiting Cougars.
After going down by 14 late in the third quarter, Houston fought back. The visitors put together a long touchdown drive, successfully converted the two-point attempt, then force BYU into a three-and-out.
A first-down run gave Houston the ball in BYU territory with a chance to take the lead midway through the final period, but three plays only netted three yards.
The visiting Cougars decided to roll the dice and go for it, meaning a lot was riding on the outcome of that one play.
“We knew it was going to be a big swing either way,” Kelly said. “We knew that the coaches were going to call a good play for us, and we just had to execute.”
Houston sophomore quarterback Zeon Chriss took the snap and dropped back, only to find three BYU defenders almost immediately in his face. Senior Isaiah Bagnah beat his man off the right side of the line, senior Tyler Batty came up the middle and Kelly looped around the left end.
Kelly got to Chriss first as he tried to roll to his right, lunging and knocking the ball out of Chriss’s hand.
Bagnah had a shot at scooping up the fumble but couldn’t get the handle and it continued bouncing backwards until BYU senior Blake Mangelson finally secured it at the Houston 18-yard line for a crushing 38-yard loss and turnover.
“We just trusted everyone that was on the field, and it happened to go our way,” Kelly said. “It feels really good (to make that type of play). Everyone on defense is going to be fired up for each other, and then it gives a spark to the offense as well. It’s really big in those moments.”
BYU senior defensive end Logan Lutui said those are the moments defenders live for.
“Whenever we’re up, we say that we are the ones to finish the game,” Lutui said. “We should just be able to go on the field and finish that game off. I think everybody was pretty fired up.
“When a team wants to go for it on fourth down, if you get a stop right there that’s a turnover. So everybody’s licking their chops and ready to go. We wish we could’ve turn that into six points, but we’re glad that we ended up falling on that ball.”
BYU ended up running most of the clock out and getting a 7-yard TD run by junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff to put the game out of reach.
It was one of four turnovers forced by the BYU defense (two interceptions and two fumbles), which also was credited with seven tackles for a loss and two sacks.
On the flip side, though, the home team ended up with three giveaways as the offense had two fumbles (including one at the Houston 4-yard line) and it also lost a muffed punt.
“Give a lot of credit to Houston for making plays but we made a ton of mistakes,” Sitake said. “I think you put the defense in a really tough situation when you fumble the ball (in the red zone) and you don’t put up the points.”
But in the end, BYU still was able to send its seniors out as winners in their final home game.
Sitake said watching a group of 22 players walk across the field at LaVell Edwards Stadium after the game was a chance to celebrate and reflect.
“Obviously I was happy that we won the game, because that makes a more cheerful walk than last year,” Sitake said. “Seeing them walk, it takes me back to all the things that these guys have done and the changes that they’ve made.
“They’ve been on a path to becoming a man, from a young man to a man and adulthood. I wish I could take credit for it, but it’s just a path that their parents set them up for. I’m just really grateful that I had a part in seeing them grow.”
Lutui called that walk “surreal” and said it brought back a lot of memories.
“There were those long summer days when we were running those stadiums,” Lutui said. “There are great memories from Saturday nights in that stadium with that group of guys. It’s always hard to move on to the next thing, but I’m glad I was able to finish it off with this group of guys and the way we did it. I’m so proud of our team and the way we fought back, especially from last year, knowing that we’re one of the top contenders of the nation.”
BYU — which ended up in a four-way tie for the Big 12 regular season title and had the conference’s best non-league win at SMU — now awaits its official bowl bid, which will come next week after the conference championship games are completed.
