45. 11/9/74 – 4th Quarter Comeback Takes down #18 ASU: BYU – 21, #18 Arizona St. - 18

             During their 16 years in the WAC, the Arizona State Sun Devils posted a 71-18 record (for a .797 winning%). They were the cream of the conference, and everyone knew it. The Cougars, on the other hand had one conference title (1965) to their credit. However, 1974 marked the year in which the axis of power began shifting from Phoenix to Provo. The BYU Cougars (4-3-1; 3-0-1) started off the season by losing their first 3 contests; but all three were non-conference games. By the time they hosted the #18 Arizona State Sun Devils (5-2; 3-1), the Cougars were embroiled in a three-way battle for the Conference title with the two schools from Arizona. This contest would go a long way in determining the winner.

            The Sun Devils stopped the Cougars on their initial possession, then parleyed good field position into a TD when QB Ray Alexander connected with Morris Owens for a 38-yard TD pass. The extra point, however, failed. A long Cougar drive on the ensuing possession ended abruptly when they fumbled away the ball at the ASU 17. The Cougar D forced a Sun Devil punt, and QB Gary Sheide led the Cougars inside the ASU 10 before tossing up his first interception of the night. On the bright side, the Sun Devils were pinned at their own 2, and the Cougar D managed to catch ASU in the end zone for a safety. On their drive, the Cougars fumbled away the ball at midfield, missing yet another opportunity in ASU territory.

            Changing direction to start the second quarter didn’t change the Cougars’ luck. Sheide was intercepted again as the Cougars made a play for the end zone. Luckily, the Sun Devil Offense was in a generous move, throwing the ball back to the Cougars. The Cougars once again made it over the border, only to be stopped on 4th-and-inches at the ASU 43. The Cougar D succeeded in driving the Sun Devils backward on their next possession, forcing a punt. Unfortunately, Sheide wasn’t done playing Santa Claus, tossing up his third interception of the afternoon - this one a 40-yard pick 6, courtesy of Ed Vaughn. ASU tried for the two, but the attempt failed and they kicked it back to the Cougars with a 12-2 lead. On the Cougars’ next possession, they didn’t turn the ball over; but they did lose 4 yards before punting. Luckily, ASU fumbled the ball back to the Cougars at the Sun Devil 24. This time the Cougar Offense finally succeeded in putting points on the board with a 6-yard pass from Sheide to Tom Mahoney. Naturally, the point after failed. The TD didn’t end the exchange of gifts, however. It was followed by a Sun Devil interception (thanks to Mike Russell, who returned it 15 yards to the Sun Devil 33), a Cougar fumble at the ASU 1-yard line, and another Sheide interception In Sun Devil territory. The Sun Devils attempted a 42-yard field goal on the final play of the half, but of course it was blocked. When the first half mercifully came to an end, the Sun Devils led by a score of 12-8.

            The third quarter seemed to signal a change in fortunes. After forcing an ASU punt, the Cougars embarked on a 62-yard drive on their first possession of the half. Jeff Blanc rammed the ball over the goal line from a yard out to put the Cougars up 14-12 after the extra point attempt, you guessed it, failed. Then the gift giving returned. ASU fumbled the ball at the Cougar 35. Not to be outdone, Sheide threw his fifth interception of the day - another Pick 6 that Mike Haynes ran back 55 yards to give ASU an 18-14 lead.

After 8 turnovers, the Cougars were ecstatic to be down by only 4 points as they started the fourth quarter. After a couple of punts, Gary Sheide led the Cougars on a nine-play 80-yard drive that culminated in a 9-yard TD pass to Tim Mahoney. This time, the extra point sailed true and the Cougars took a 21-18 lead with 6:11 remaining. ASU had a couple of shots at a rebuttal, but tossed up a pair of interceptions, and BYU held on to win it.

LaVell Edwards 1974
Courtesy of BYU Photo

It wasn’t a pretty win; in fact, with 14 combined turnovers, a safety and 5 missed extra points, it was one of the ugliest games in Cougar history. Credit for the win has to go to the Cougar Defense, which held ASU to 76 yards rushing and 108 yards passing. Following the game, Coach LaVell Edwards declared, “I'd have to say this is the biggest win I've had at BYU.” Why? The win placed the Cougars in the driver’s seat in the WAC. They would clinch the conference title two weeks later with a 48-20 win over Utah, earning their first conference title of the LaVell Era.

 

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