Just enough: Wakely pick prevents collapse in No. 22 BYU football win at Baylor
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- BYU junior Crew Wakley (center) celebrates after intercepting a pass during the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- BYU junior Crew Wakley intercepts a pass during the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- BYU safety Crew Wakley (7) intercepts the pass intended for Baylor wide receiver Hal Presley (16) in the final seconds of the fourth quarter as BYU cornerback Marque Collins, right, looks to help in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Waco, Texas.
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- BYU junior Crew Wakley intercepts a pass during the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- Brigham Young wide receiver Darius Lassiter, right, pulls down a touchdown pass against Baylor cornerback Reggie Bush II in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Waco, Texas.
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- BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) celebrates with fans after a win over Baylor in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Waco, Texas.
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- Brigham Young running back Enoch Nawahine leaps through the Baylor defense in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Waco, Texas.
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- BYU junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff scores a touchdown during the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- BYU head coach Kalani Sitake disputes a call during the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- BYU junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff throws a pass during the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- Baylor head coach Dave Aranda, left, and BYU head coach Kalani Sitake, right, greet each other after an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Waco, Texas.
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- BYU junior Crew Wakley celebrates getting a sack during the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- BYU defenders make a tackle during the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- BYU senior wide receiver Darius Lassiter makes a juggling catch during the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- BYU senior defensive lineman Blake Mangelson knocks down a pass attempt during the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- BYU junior John Taumoepeau tries to sack Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson during the Big 12 game at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- BYU fans cheer on their team during the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- BYU sophomore linebacker Harrison Taggart (11) poses for a photo with Baylor senior defensive lineman Treven Ma’ae after the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. Taggart and Ma’ae were previously teammates at Oregon.
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- BYU players sing the fight song with their fans after the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- BYU players prepare to take the field before the Big 12 game against Baylor at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
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- A BYU fan holds a sign as she watches her team play Baylor in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Baylor Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Waco, Texas.
When did BYU junior defensive back Crew Wakley know he was going to intercept Baylor’s final pass?
“I knew as soon as that thing left the quarterback’s hand,” Wakley said after Saturday’s game at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas. “I’m a deep third in that coverage, and I saw that ball leave his hand. I can’t really see him because the defensive line guys were all up in his face, but I just saw him throw it. I saw the trajectory it was on and it was like a fly ball. I’m like, there’s no way (they are completing this pass). I got this.”
Wakley raced over to the sideline, where Cougar senior cornerback Marque Collins was shadowing Bear senior receiver Hal Presley. He leapt and grabbed the ball as it came down, juggling it briefly before collecting it as he hit the turf.
And, finally, BYU players, coaches and fans could celebrate.
It had been a tough second half but Wakley’s pick meant the Cougars could close out the 34-28 victory over Baylor.
“It was a little dramatic at the end there,” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said. “I’d like to see us finish, but I think you have to give a lot of credit to Baylor and (head coach Dave Aranda) getting their team to respond. We knew that would happen. This is the Big 12 conference, so guys aren’t going to quit. They’re capable of putting points on the board really quick, but we just got some stops at the end.”
Wakley grinned as he talked about the feeling of making the final big play.
“It’s one of those things that you always dream of as a kid, getting to seal the deal or hit the game-winner or whatever,” Wakley said. “It’s probably the No. 1 play in my football career.”
Cougar senior defensive end Tyler Batty said it was a big moment but that he was confident Wakley was up for it.
“Crew is a big-time player,” Batty said. “We call him Hitman Crew for a reason. We were just doing everything we could to create havoc in the backfield. Once the ball is thrown, to turn and see Crew going up for it, knowing that he’s coming down with it, that’s great feeling. That’s a dude.”
Wakley’s big play sparked a huge celebration for the BYU defense on the field but the Cougar offense was just as pumped up on the sideline. It had struggled down the stretch but were thrilled that the defenders had come up big.
“When things are not going right for us on offense, I feel like you’re supposed to be able to be able to lean on the other units on the football team, special teams and defense,” BYU senior wide receiver Darius Lassiter said. “For us to have the defense playing like that, to where we had two drives and couldn’t get anything going, and they came up with two great stops and ended up with the Crew Wakley pick, that was great. That just makes the team even better.”
Everything seemed to be clicking for the Cougars at the beginning of the game.
BYU scored a touchdown on its first possession on a pass from junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff to junior running back Miles Davis, had senior defensive lineman John Nelson tip a pass into the hands of senior Blake Mangelson on Baylor’s first play, then added a 2-yard TD pass to junior Chase Roberts from Retzlaff for the quick 14-0 lead.
The Cougars followed that up by stopping the Bears on fourth down on their next drive, then marching back down for a 17-yard TD run by Retzlaff to extend the lead.
“It was awesome,” Retzlaff said. “Shout out to Blake Mangelson for that pick. I don’t know if any team in the history of football has had so many defensive line picks this early in the season, but if they can catch it, then good. Give the offense the ball. Then Miles made a great catch on a great play call. The offense was just executing well at the start of the game. It was great.”
After giving up a Baylor touchdown, BYU added a fourth first-half score on a perfect 44-yard pass from Retzlaff to Lassiter and it looked like the Cougars were in position to turn the game into a rout.
But the Bears bounced back and things started shifting in favor of the home team.
“Their defense changed up quite a bit in the front,” Retzlaff said. “It was just lack of execution from us as well. If you combined this week and last week (the win over Kansas State), that is a full game. That’s what we want our offense to do, come out, start fast and then finish even stronger. We’ll get back in the film room and figure out exactly what was what.”
Baylor scored again in the second quarter but BYU got a 54-yard field goal in the final minute to head into the locker room with a 31-14 lead.
Despite being down, the Bears came out strong on both sides of the ball in the second half. The Baylor offense scored two more touchdowns while holding the Cougars to another field goal and suddenly it was a one-score game.
Three times in the fourth quarter the Bears got the ball with the chance to take the lead, including once off a tipped-ball interception of their own, but the BYU defense answered the call each time.
On the first drive, a big-time rush by Cougar junior defensive lineman John Taumoepeau forced Baylor junior quarterback Sawyer Robertson to throw the ball away and get flagged for intentional grounding. That put the Bears in a big hole and forced them to punt.
After the pick set the home team up with great field position, BYU only allowed one first down before forcing a key incompletion to stop Baylor on fourth down.
The Cougars only needed one first down to run out the clock, but a questionable unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed BYU back and gave Baylor one final chance.
The BYU defensive line again made a big play as Batty drew a key holding penalty to back up Robertson and the Bears before the final passing attempt.
“They were being really sticky all game,” Batty said. “On that one, I went to bull rush, trying to collapse the pocket. I swam outside and I knew that I was going to beat him. There wasn’t much he could do except grab me from behind. I’m really glad we got that penalty. That was a big bonus for us.”
Robertson then went back to a play that had worked earlier, only to have Cougar defensive coordinator Jay Hill call the right defense to put Wakley in the right spot.
“Crew read his eyes and was able to go up and high point the ball,” Sitake said. “I think it was a really good throw. We saw him make those throws before, and I thought Jay had the right scheme called at the right time. I think they were looking for a two-high-safety look, but Crew was able to get over the top of it. It was great instincts by Crew. I’m glad that our defense was able to respond, and then Crew was able to make that play.”
Batty grinned as he talked about the thrill of seeing his guys get the job done down the stretch.
“That’s what we love,” Batty said. “We love to operate like that on defense, with pressures and takeaways, turnovers. That’s our jam.”
BYU now heads into its first bye week of the season, getting a week off before hosting Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Oct. 12.
