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PROVO -- There seems to be a new rivalry in the Beehive state. The BYU Utah State game came down to the final play, but for much of the first half it looked like it was all USU.
BYU was driving down the field and then ran into the same red zone troubles they've had all year.
"Same old story for BYU...good drive that ends with a FG 7-3 USU. Heaps did not look good at all," tweeted ESPN's 700's Jason Shepherd.
"More Uncle Rico throws from Heaps on 3rd downs. Sorensen sorta saves the drive with a short FG," tweeted KSL NewsRadio's Andrew Adams.
The Aggies soon started moving the ball and made third down conversion like child's play. QB Chuckie Keeton was making defenders miss and kept moving the ball and got in the end zone.
"Chuck E. Keeton puts Mike Vick to shame on that 1st down scramble. When the head is cut off the legs will follow," tweeted Patrick Kinahan.
The teams headed into the locker room at half with USU up 14- 10 and all the moment on the Aggie sideline.
BYU had the ball to start the second half and quickly went three and out. The Aggies run game then blew up the BYU defense and found the end zone to go up 21-10. BYU decided it was time for a change and brought in second string QB Riley Nelson. It appears that's the spark the Cougars needed.
Nelson got the Cougs down the field and hit Hoffman on a great fade to bring them within four. Nelson and his crew got the ball back and were driving until DiLuigi fumbled the ball in the red zone, and some wondered why the ball was in DiLuigi's hands.
"Don't like putting the ball in Di Luigi's hands on 3rd and 2. Give it to your power runner," tweeted Kevin Schaefer.
BYU's D came up big and stopped USU in three plays and forced them to punt, and then the Y's special teams had a serious mental block. Returner J.D. Falslev let the punt go over his head and the Aggies downed it on BYU's own four yard line. Nelson had 96 yards to in just about two minutes.
"Here's where heroes are made. BYU is 96yds away. Just over 2mins left and down by four. Here you go Riley Nelson," tweeted ESPN College Football.
Nelson did exactly that and made some huge plays, like a prayer he threw up to McKay Jacobsen for a huge gain and the draw he ran more than once going for at nine yards each time. As they were driving BYU was in the red zone and the coaching staff seemed to forget clock management was a part of the game.
"Somebody give the BYU coaching staff NCAA football by EA Sports so they can learn clock management," tweeted Kevin Ferguson.
Utah State called a time out to get situated on defense, but that wouldn't stop Nelson. Riley tried to hit DiLuigi over the middle but missed him high and the ball was tipped the ball was tipped right into the hands of tight end Matthews with 11 seconds left. Sorenson tacked on the extra point and put the Cougars up 27- 24. Keeton threw up a last second Hail Mary that fell incomplete and the comeback/meltdown was complete.
"One of greatest BYU drives. Ever. This has not been a good offense. That was a LEGENDARY drive," tweeted Andrew Adams.
It would appear the quarterback controversy in Provo is alive and well.
