73. 11/21/81 - Sixth Consecutive WAC Title: #18 BYU - 56, Utah - 28

            The BYU Cougars (9-2; 6-1) faced their rivals, the Utah Utes (8-1-1; 4-0-1), in the final game of the season with the WAC title on the line. Although the Utes had finished as runner-ups for the conference title (to BYU) in both 1978 & 1979, the last time they’d even earned a share of the conference championship was 1964. This would mark the first time in the rivalry’s history in which the winner would win the championship outright - mano-a-mano. With so much riding on the outcome, 47,163 fans crammed into Cougar Stadium, recording the largest crowd ever to witness a sporting event in the state of Utah.

It took only 15 seconds for the Utes to give the red contingent in Cougar Stadium something to cheer about. On first down, Del Rodgers took the hand-off and broke free for an 87-yard TD rush. BYU’s brash quarterback, Jim McMahon, swaggered onto the field as if the Cougars already had the game in the bag. He then proceeded to direct an 84-yard scoring drive, handing off to Scott Pettis for a 5-yard TD dash. After a Utah punt, the Cougars were driving again, but fumbled away the ball on what was ruled a completed pass. The Utes then retook the lead with a 43-yard FG by Gilbert Alvarez. McMahon responded with an 80-yard drive, capped by an 8-yard TD pass to TE Gordon Hudson, who was brought down from behind as he crossed the line. After one quarter, BYU led 14-10.

Early in the second, Utah pulled within one point, courtesy of a 27-yard FG by Alvarez. The Cougars went back to work, racking up 80 more yards to extend their lead with 1-yard TD rush by Waymon Hamilton. Utah drove into BYU territory, but missed a 51-yard FGA. On BYU’s next drive, McMahon completed a third down pass to Scott Pettis for 32 yards and a first down at the Ute 6. A 6-yard TD pass to David Mills with 2:02 remaining in the half tallied seven more points following Kurt Gunther’s extra point. On the kickoff, the Ute return man fumbled the ball, but the Utes recovered at their own 6. On second down, BYU’s Dave McKee stepped in front of a pass by Ute QB Tyce Ferguson and ran it back 18 yards, untouched, for a Pick Six. Now with only 1:46 to work with, the Utes went back to work. Moving 79 yards in five plays, the Utes pounded the ball home with a 1-yard TD rush by Rodgers. They then went for two, converting with another rush by Rodgers. At intermission, the Cougars led 35-21.

On their opening drive of the second half, the Cougars were compelled to punt despite invading Ute territory with a 45-yard drive. The Utes then proceeded to drive 83 yards, pulling within a score after Del Rodgers dashed into the end zone from 7 yards out for his third TD of the day. After failing to score on their next two drives, the Cougars finally made it back into the Blue Zone with a 37-yard catch by Gordon Hudson that reached the Ute 1-yard line. After two unsuccessful efforts by Waymon Hamilton to bust through Utah’s line, Hamilton finally succeeded on his third try to extend the Cougar lead with a 1-yard TD rush. As the quarter drew to a close, Vai Sikahema returned a Ute punt to the 50. With 0:21 remaining in the quarter, and the Cougars leading by only 2 TDs, everyone expected the Cougars to slow down the tempo. Instead, a Vai Sikahema rush for 8 yards was augmented by a 15-yard penalty against Utah. On second down, McMahon threw a 27-yard TD pass that was caught by Dan Plater with 4 seconds remaining in the quarter. After three quarters of play, Cougar fans were breathing easier with a 49-28 lead.

Defense ruled the fourth quarter. The only score was a 37-yard TD pass to Gordon Hudson. When the final whistle sounded, BYU clinched their 6th straight WAC title (7-1) with a 56-28 victory.

Gordon Hudson
Courtesy of BYU Photo

In the victory, Jim McMahon threw for 565 yards (6th) and 4 TDs, while racking up 552 yards of total offense (7th). Hudson caught 13 passes (T5th) for an NCAA record 259 receiving yards for a TE (2nd overall, BYU), including 2 TDs. 

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