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Former BYU defensive back Rob Daniel catches a touchdown pass during the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU wide receiver Aleva Hifo leaps high for a pass during the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU quarterback Blaine Fowler throws a pass during the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU players pose for a photo before the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU defensive back Malik Moore celebrates an interception during the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU defensive back Rob Daniel talks to reporters after the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU running back/linebacker Matt Hadley runs onto the field before the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU defensive back Austin Lee (2) breaks up a pass intended for former running back Fui Vakapuna during the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU running back Lopini Katoa catches a pass during the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU running back Naufahu Tahi catches a pass during the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU wide receiver Austin Collie talks to Team Navy during the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU running back Naufahu Tahi catches a TD pass during the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU receiver Cody Hoffman (left) outbattles former linebacker Bryan Kehl for the ball during the BYU football alumni game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Former BYU receivers Mitch Juergens (right) and Cody Hoffman run a play during warmups before the Alumni Game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Former BYU wide receiver Toby Christensen catches a pass during warmups before the Alumni Game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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BYU team captain Austin Collie (center) greets members of Team Navy before the Alumni Game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

❮ ❯

It had to be dramatic, right?

There was no way either the athletes or the organizers of what has become BYU football’s annual spring alumni game were going to let the contest be a blowout.

Just as the three previous contests had done, Friday’s touch football game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo featuring more than 40 former Cougars was going to come down to the last second.

With a pair of Fowlers firing away — former quarterback Blaine Fowler (1981-85) for Team Navy and former defensive back Gavin Fowler (2011, 2014-18) for Team Royal — the two offenses scored three TDs in the final two minutes as they took turns going in front.

Blaine Fowler had found former Cougar running back Naufau Tahi (1999, 2002-05) for a four-yard TD pass with just 19 seconds left to put Team Navy in front by five points.

But since the teams started at the opponent’s 40-yard line the fourth quarter, Gavin Fowler didn’t have too far to go with Team Royal.

A couple of completions got the ball to the 15-yard line with only four seconds remaining. After an incompletion was erased due to a timeout being called before the play, Gavin Fowler lofted one final pass to the corner of the end zone.

Former wide receiver Aleva Hifo (2016-19) was in position and leapt high for the ball, but couldn’t haul it in with former defensive back Michael Shelton (2014-18) in coverage and Team Navy hung on for the 25-20 win.

“It felt good to be out here,” said former defensive back Malik Moore (2018-23), who was on Team Royal. “It was great to be here under the lights with my homies, with former teammates. Even though we lost, it was still a fun time.”

Blaine Fowler talked about having some ups and downs as he threw a couple of interceptions but also got a couple of TD throws, including one to former defensive back Rob Daniel (2013-14).

“You forget how quick the younger guys are at closing the holes in the secondary,” Fowler said. “Austin Collie (the Team Navy captain and a former BYU receiver) designed the touchdown pass with Rob hesitating and then running along the backside of the end zone. The beauty of that one was it was on my son Gavin. He played great at quarterback but we got him when he was in at safety.”

When asked how nice it was going to be to have bragging rights over his son, Blaine Fowler said, “Thank goodness!”

Blaine Fowler was the elder statesman at the event, having completed his college football career 40 years ago. But he said he still got a thrill having the chance to come out and compete again.

“I can’t throw it with a velocity like the old days,” Blaine Fowler said. “I can’t throw 65 yards down the field like the old days, but I throw it enough around with the kids to be able to be able to make a couple of plays, to come out here with them and have the support of those guys.

“Austin (Collie) told me I was starting and that he took me with the No. 1 pick. I’m like, ‘Why in the world would you do that?’ He goes, ‘Because it’s karma. You’re the only one out here who has won a national championship.’ I’m like, ‘OK, I’ll take that.'”

The event had players who were on the field in Cougar uniforms in five different decades, from the 1980s through the 2020s. That’s an amazing legacy to showcase for an evening at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

“This is a great way that they’re able to make us more involved,” said former BYU running back Lopini Katoa (2017-22). “It was awesome. I love it, and I love the family and brotherhood that’s here.”

He said the Collie mentioned to some of the NFL players he knew what the Cougars did for the alumni and they talked about following BYU’s lead and trying to take it back to their alma maters as well.

Daniel said that while having the alumni game is a good reason for a reunion, it also pays dividends for the Cougar program as a whole.

“It’s one of the most important things, because it’s also good for our future,” Daniel said. “You’re trying to get kids to come here. They have to know that after this, it’s like a family. There’s a bond and we’re all going to take care of each other, so it’s big time.”

And even though they may not be in the same physical condition they were when they were playing, the competitive juices are still there. Just ask Daniel, who made a diving catch on a 39-yard pass for the first TD of the game.

“I couldn’t drop that one,” Daniel said with a grin. “I promised my team I was going to get the first touchdown. It was so fun being back out here in the stadium you played in when you were college. You can’t beat it.”