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The Holy War has become Unholy.
The BYU-Utah rivalry is one of the best rivalries in the country.
It's not just because the schools lie 45 miles apart, nor is it because of the church and state insults that seem to fly between the fans and players.
The craziness continues its game of one-upmanship.
My first recollection of the rivalry game was when Scott Mitchell and the Utes dealt the Cougars their first blowout loss in the LaVell Edwards era. A 57-28 drubbing in 1988 that Ty Detmer avenged with a 70-31 beat down in 1989.
There's the Kaneshiro clank in 1998, LaVell's last game in 2000, the 3-0 shutout in 2003 where BYU failed to score for the first time since 1975.
These were amazing games with incredible endings that were topped just a few years later.
Beck to Harline in 2006, 4th and 18 in 2007 made "Magic happen" and "Max Hall Hates Me" in 2009. The Utes Brandon Burton blocked a field goal attempt in 2010 as time expired to give the Utes the win.
Classics upon classics speckle the rivalry history books, but 2012 will stand as the strangest.
With BYU trailing 24-21 with 1:11 remaining in the game, BYU begins their march, from their own 8. They even converted a 4th and 12 to Cody Hoffman reminiscent of "Magic Happens".
Then things got truly ridiculous. Sitting at Utah's 49, with 8 seconds left on the clock, BYU got three chances at winning or tying the game.
Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said, "We should be 4-1, we won that thing three times."
Victory #1
With 8 seconds remaining in the game, Riley Nelson's pass falls incomplete. Time appears to run out and fans storm the field and fans, players and coaches celebrate victory. But wait there's more. The referee puts a second back on the clock and gives BYU another chance.
Victory #2
BYU decides to have Justin Sorensen attempt a 51 yard field goal. The field goal is blocked, but J.D. Falslev picks up the loose ball and advances the ball. With the play still alive, fans storm the field a second time and celebrate victory. The referee throws a flag on the crowd for Unsportsmanlike Conduct and assesses a 15 yard penalty and BYU gets another chance.
Victory #3
BYU switches kickers and Riley Stephenson attempts a 36 yard field goal. It clanks off the left upright and falls to the ground and the game officially ends. Utah is victorious, final score 24-21.
This game reminded me of the Stanford-Cal classic when the band runs on the field mixed with the 1972 Gold Medal Basketball game when the Russians got three chances to inbound the ball against the Americans.
On Monday, this absurd and crazy ending will sweep the nation on both television and radio. There will be many that vilify the Utah fans for nearly costing their team a victory and others will beat up BYU for not capitalizing on their three separate chances.
However, no one will accuse this game of being boring.
