#90 - 11/16/91 – BYU secures share of WAC title in the highest scoring tie in NCAA history: #23 BYU – 52, SDSU – 52

        In today’s college football universe, the tie no longer exists. However, in the 20th century, there was a lot more pressure placed on head coaches late in the game, after a crucial touchdown, when they had to decide whether they were going to go for a tie with the extra point, or go for the win (but risk a tough loss) by going for two. They didn’t have the cushion of OT to hedge their bets. That was the dilemma that Coach LaVell Edwards faced when the #23 BYU Cougars (7-3, 6-0) faced the San Diego State Aztecs (8-2, 6-1), in front of 56,737 fans (the largest home crowd in Aztec football history) with the WAC title on the line.

BYU got the ball first, and Ty Detmer, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, guided them into enemy territory. On first down, Ty rolled right and surveyed the field. He let loose a rocket across the field to where RB Jamal Willis was wide open. Willis caught the 31-yard TD pass right in front of the end zone and dove in to give the Cougars an early lead. Unfortunately, the kicker shanked the extra point attempt wide left. On their very first play from scrimmage, the Aztecs caught the Cougars with their figurative pants down by launching a 75-yard TD strike from QB David Lowery to WR Darnay Scott, who simply breezed past the Cougar defenders as if they were mere pedestrians. The Aztecs took advantage of a Cougar interception, returned by Darrell Lewis to midfield, by marching 50 yards and scoring a touchdown on Marshall Faulk’s 2-yard TD rush. After one quarter, SDSU led 14-6.

The Cougars longest drive of the night started at their 3-yard line. On third-and-9, from their 4-yard line, Detmer took the snap and scrambled right to avoid the Aztec rush. While still inside his own end zone, he aired it out to Micah Matsuzaki, who caught the ball in the center of the field and ran it to the Aztec 31 for a 65-yard gain. Detmer capped the drive by hitting Nati Valdez with a precision 20-yard TD pass that Valdez caught as he was dropped just over the goal line. Mark Atuaia caught a short pass to convert the 2-point play, evening the score at 14-all. On first down, SDSU cloned their very first play with an 80-yard TD strike from Lowery to Faulk. The Cougars marched into field goal range, and Earl Kauffman booted a 37-yard FG to pull the Cougars within four. The Aztecs went to the air again, catching a long bomb at the Cougar 4, where Marshall Faulk rumbled into the end zone for his third TD of the half. SDSU wasn’t done with the big plays, however. Near the end of the half, Lowery aired it out again - a 79-yard TD bomb to Darnay Scott, giving the Aztecs a 35-17 halftime lead. Although the Cougars drove to the Aztec 5 to set up first-and-goal in the final minute of the half, a couple of penalties and sacks pushed the Cougars back to midfield, where the half ended after the Aztecs intercepted a desperation 4th down pass to keep the score at 35-17, SDSU.

The third quarter started with an 85-yard Aztec drive, with Marshall Faulk scoring his fourth touchdown of the day with a 15-yard TD reception. After a Cougar punt, the Aztecs stuck in the dagger, driving home a 41-yard FG to take a 28 point lead late in the third quarter. As Aztec Nation rowdily cheered, many of the Cougar fans in attendance started heading for the exits. However, a wounded Cougar is dangerous. Detmer and company quickly advanced to midfield. On first down, Ty scrambled away from the pass rush and lobbed the ball to Jamal Willis, who caught it just past the 40. Willis, evaded one defender, bounced off another, and used a block by WR Tyler Anderson to juke past the last one en route to a 49-yard TD reception. On SDSU’s possession, Josh Arnold picked off a pass at midfield. The short drive was punctuated by a 10-yard TD pass to Byron Rex. After trading turnovers, the third quarter ended with BYU down 45-31.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Cougar D finally figured out how to stop the long bomb, forcing an Aztec punt. The offense then embarked on an 82-yard drive, with Detmer connecting with a wide-open Peter Tuipulotu for a 20-yard TD reception. After 3 straight Cougar TDs, the Aztecs were getting restless. They went back to their aerial attack - airing it out for a 47-yard TD pass to Keith Williams. With 8 1/2 minutes to go, Detmer had plenty of time. He orchestrated an 8-play, 72-yard drive, extended by one of the greatest catches in Cougar history. *On third-and-five, at the Aztec 46, Detmer faked a handoff and rolled left. He then threw a high pass to Jamaal Willis, who showed off his vertical jump to make a spectacular one-handed catch, which he turned into a 20-yard gain for a first down (#92).  Several plays later, Detmer completed a short 4-yard pass to Mark Atuaia for the score. San Diego tried to make it a two-score game by going for a FG, deep in Cougar territory, but the attempt was deflected, giving the Cougars one last chance with 2:46 remaining. 77 yards away, the Cougars employed their hurry-up offense. Six plays later, they lined up at the 5-yard line with 0:30 remaining. *A pair of backs lined up behind Ty, who took the snap and tucked the ball into the arms of Jamaal Willis as he himself rolled left, taking some of the defenders with him. Willis meanwhile ran around the right side of the line, waltzing into the end zone untouched for a 5-yard TD rush (#78). Trailing 52-51, Edwards faced his decision. The Aztecs were 6-1 in conference play. The Cougars were 6-0, with one more game remaining against Utah. Knowing that a tie would guarantee the Cougars at least a share of the conference championship, he sent in his backup place-kicker, Keith Lever, who booted the ball through the goalposts, knotting the score at 52-52.

Ty Detmer's Jersey in Legacy Hall

Jamaal Willis's jersey in Legacy Hall

When does a tie feel like a victory? BYU rallied from a 45-17 second half deficit to tie the Aztecs, securing the Holiday Bowl bid as WAC champions. They would win the title outright the next week with a 48-17 win over Utah. Freshman Jamal Willis gained 163 yards through the air and 71 more on the ground, scoring 3 TDs. Senior Ty Detmer, with a patch covering stitches over his left eye from a gash he received in the first quarter, finished the game with a then team record 599 passing yards (2nd), 603 yards of total offense (1st), and a career high 6 touchdowns (T4th). The Cougars survived an offensive onslaught by future NFL Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk, who gained over 200 yards, scoring 4 TDs, without suffering a loss in the highest scoring tie in NCAA history. This Ty felt victorious.

 

Game link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buCz8b_bmXI

*BYU Tv's Top 100 plays in BYU Football TV history (updated 12/12/20 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYzgPw-bQ_c)