27.11/1/08 - Big Plays lead to a Comeback Win in a See-Saw Battle: #17 BYU - 45, Colorado St. - 42

            The #17 BYU Cougars (7-1) travelled to Fort Collins to face the Colorado State Rams (4-4) expecting a win over their conference rivals. After all, the Cougars held a 35-27-3 series lead over the Rams and had won their last four contests. Due to a great start, the Cougars had risen as high as #8 in the AP poll, but a loss to ranked TCU pushed them back down. The Cougs were hoping to rebound in hopes of securing a big bowl game.

The Cougars’ first possession ended in disaster. The Rams’ Mychal Sisson recovered a fumble at the BYU 20 and ran it in for a TD. Luckily, their second possession was much better. *Facing third-and-16 at their own 42-yard line, Cougars’ QB Max Hall took the snap and scanned the field. WR Austin Collie was racing down the right sideline, trying to hold off the Rams’ defender who was sticking to him like glue. As the pocket began to collapse, Hall let loose a missile that reached Collie at about the 26-yard line. Collie created some space with one arm while making a one-handed catch with the other, then raced the last 25 yards into the end zone for a 58-yard TD reception (#48). Unfortunately, Colorado State didn’t waste any time in reestablishing their lead. They marched 74 yards upfield, with John Mosure closing out the drive with a 9-yard TD rush.

Austin Collie Scores 3 TDs
Courtesy of BYU Photo

Early in the second quarter, BYU caught a break when CSU’s quarterback fumbled the snap and Shawn Doman dropped on it for a turnover at the Ram 39. Four plays later, Hall threw a bullet to Collie streaking across the back of the end zone for a 15-yard TD reception, tying up the score at 14-all. After a punt return placed the ball at the Cougar 47, the Rams scored in three plays, the TD coming on a 32-yard pass from Billy Farris to Dion Morton. Cougars turn! Starting at their 27, the Cougars fought their way to the Rams’ 10. Once again, Hall looked for Collie, hitting him in the end zone and knotting the score at 21-21 at halftime.

BYU got the ball to start the second half, hoping to break the pattern, but were forced to punt. True to form, CSU drove 67 yards for another touchdown, this one a 6-yard pass to Rashaun Greer. Although the Cougars marched 76 yards on the ensuing drive, they were stopped on third down at the Ram 13. Rather than risk going away empty handed, the Cougars sent out Mitch Payne, who drilled a 30-yard FG, breaking the pattern; Rams - 28, Cougars 24 through three quarters.

On their first drive of the fourth quarter, the Cougars finally took their first lead of the game. *Max Hall, who’d been relying more and more on TE Dennis Pitta as the game progressed, looked for him again on third-and-15 at the Ram 23. Right before Hall was plastered by a charging Ram, he launched the ball to his big tight end. Pitta grabbed the ball as he fell into the end zone. Two Rams came crashing in from either side, popping Pitta’s helmet off as he secured the ball for a 23-yard TD reception (#77). After the Rams were forced to punt on consecutive possessions, it looked as if the Cougars might start pulling away. However, a costly fumble in Cougar territory gave the Rams the ball at the Cougar 28. Four plays later, Gartre Johnson gave Colorado State the lead again on a 7-yard TD rush. When the Cougars got the ball back, they quickly advanced 40 yards on 3 consecutive completions for first downs. Hall then handed the ball off to RB Harvey Unga, who juked his way out of one tackle, then outraced the Rams to end zone for a 40-yard TD rush. 38-35 Cougars. With just over three minutes remaining, the Cougar D stopped CSU at the Cougar 46 on a fourth down attempt. The Cougars tried to run the clock out, but faced third-and-9 with two minutes to go. Max Hall went to the air again, but was picked off by Gerard Thomas who ran it back to the Ram 45. The Rams took the lead back with a 55-yard touchdown strike from Billy Farris to Dion Morton. Trailing by four with 1:36 remaining, the Cougars ate up chunks of yardage as they zipped up the field to the Ram 17.  With under 30 seconds remaining, Hall connected with his tight end once again. Pitta snatched the ball as a Ram defender tried to intercept, then turned and careened the final five yards into the end zone for the game-winning score with 22 seconds left. CSU valiantly tried to answer, but the Rams were brought down by the swarming Cougars. Game over!

Max Hall Throws 5 TD passes
Courtesy of BYU Photo

Despite the win, the Cougars remained at #17. A loss to undefeated Utah in their final game of the season wasn’t enough to drop them out of the polls and they secured a bowl game against Arizona in the Las Vegas Bowl. Despite their eventual loss to the Wildcats, the Cougars finished the season with a 10-3 record and a #25 ranking - having remained in the Top 25 the entire season. For the season, Austin Collie set BYU single-season records with 106 receptions (1st), 1,538 receiving yards (1st), 15 receiving touchdowns (T1st) and 2,112 all-purpose yards (1st). Collie also led the nation with 118.3 yards per game and tied an NCAA single-season record with 11 consecutive 100-yard receiving games (1st). In only 3 seasons at BYU, Austin set career records with 215 receptions (3rd) for 3,255 yards (2nd) and 30 TD receptions (2nd) while recording 17 total 100 yard receiving games (2nd).

 

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