2.12/21/84 – National Championship Holiday Bowl: #1 BYU – 24, Michigan – 17

            The #1 ranked BYU Cougars (12-0) entered their bowl game against the Michigan Wolverines (6-5) as the nation’s only undefeated team, and with a chance to win their first national championship. The Cougars were led by junior QB Robbie Bosco - the Sammy Baugh Trophy winner who led the nation in just about every passing category including an NCAA record 12 consecutive games with 200+yards passing. Michigan, who began the season ranked #14, jumped to #3 after defeating #1 Miami to open the season, but fell out of the rankings after a lackluster loss to rival Michigan State in early October. If the Wolverines could defeat another #1 team, their season would be magical despite the losses.

BYU vs. Michigan - 1984 Holiday Bowl
Courtesy of BYU Photo

            The first quarter was dominated by defense. All-American quarterback Robbie Bosco was knocked out of the game late in the quarter with severe ankle and knee injuries by a very aggressive Wolverine defense. As he was carried off the field to the locker room, Cougar fans couldn’t help wondering if their hopes of winning the national championship were being carried off with him. Backup QB Blaine Fowler performed well, but failed to score.

Boscoe Injury

In the second quarter, Leon White appeared to steal the ball from the Michigan runner, and run it in for a touchdown, but the play was called dead. Bosco, with a tightly wrapped ankle and brace on his left knee, limped back onto the field in the second quarter. In order to avoid backpedaling after each hike, Bosco played out of the shotgun formation - something they hadn’t really practiced all year. The gutsy QB led an 80-yard TD drive, which included an awkward 13-yard QB scramble for a first down. The drive culminated in a 5-yard TD rush by Kelly Smith, who swept left, found a seam and ran it in untouched. Back on defense, the Cougars sacked the Michigan QB on third down and forced the punter to abandon the punt on fourth down, tackling him at the 5-yard line. However, Bosco tried to scramble on third down, fumbled the ball at the 1-yard line, and Michigan recovered in the end zone. The long Michigan drive that followed appeared to stall at the 15-yard line, but a BYU penalty gave them a first down. Instead of settling for a FG, RB Rick Rogers scored from five yards out to even the score at 7-7. With just over a minute remaining in the half, Bosco quickly led the Cougars into field goal range, allowing Lee Johnson to send the Cougars into the locker room with a 10-7 lead.

The Cougars’ first drive of the second half ended at midfield with a tipped interception. Their second drive ended in Michigan territory with a fumble. Their third drive ended with a blocked FG attempt that Michigan ran back past midfield. This time Michigan took advantage of their good field position to take the lead with a 10-yard TD pass to Bob Perryman. The Cougars’ fourth possession of the third quarter ended with another fumble, this time deep in their own territory. Once again the Cougar defense stepped up, keeping Michigan from converting a first down. However, Michigan kicker Robert Bergeron kicked a 32-yard FG to put Michigan up by seven early in the fourth quarter.

Glen Kozlowski
Courtesy of BYU Photo

Despite dominating the Wolverines in total yardage, costly turnovers and penalties had derailed the Cougar offense through the bulk of the first three quarters. Down 17-10, Bosco led a long drive that began on their own 20-yard line. Adam Haysbert kept the drive alive with a huge third down catch that advanced the ball to the Michigan 35-yard line. A few plays later, the Cougars found themselves 7 yards out on second down. *Star receiver Glen Kozlowski was double covered. Bosco scrambled away from the Wolverine linebackers and heaved the ball toward the back of the end zone. Kozlowski made an leaping, acrobatic catch and managed to touch down with a foot in the back of the end zone to set up the tie with under eleven minutes to play (#13). BYU’s next possession ended in yet another tipped interception at midfield. Despite giving up a first down, a huge sack on third down allowed the Cougar D to escape the possession unscathed. BYU got the ball back at their own seventeen-yard line with only 4:36 to play. Once again, Bosco led the Cougars on a long drive. Bosco scrambled for 9 yards. Lakei Heimuli thundered up the middle for 8 more. Mark Bellini caught a 20-yard pass, followed by a facemask penalty against Michigan. An 11-yard pass to Kelly Smith and a 6-yard catch by Adam Haysbert moved the ball to the Michigan 13-yard line. *On third-and-four, with a minute and a half remaining, Bosco looked for a receiver, but the Michigan defense was blitzing. Bosco scrambled forward, eluding the arms of the oncoming Wolverines. Noticing Kelly Smith streaking into the end zone, Robbie fired him the ball for the go-ahead touchdown (#6). With under a minute to play, Marv Allen intercepted a Michigan pass to seal the victory.

Kelly Smith
Courtesy of BYU Photo

        With 343 passing yards, 2 TDs, and a boatload of grit, Bosco earned offensive

Leon White
Courtesy of BYU Photo

MVP honors. LB Leon White (9 solo tackles, 2 sacks) was named the defensive MVP. His brilliant play was all the more inspiring considering the fact that his father, who was dying of cancer, watched the game from his hospital bed on the sidelines. Once the New Years’ Day bowls were concluded, and the final poll results were counted, the BYU Cougars found themselves on top, despite heavy politicking by the big conferences, to win their first and only national championship in football.

1984 Holiday Bowl Trophy
Legacy Hall

National Championship Display
UPI National Championship Trophy
Legacy Hall

Condensed game link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My2oDmYFVbo

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