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GLENDALE, Ariz. — The 2015 BYU football team was known as the Cardiac Cougars, but according to the start of 2016, they may just hold onto that title. Well, we’ll get to that later.
Cougar fans have been waiting a long time for this game as story lines came at us from every corner. Taysom Hill is back and the starter, the Kalani Sitake era is underway, and let’s not even get into the Big 12 insanity. But when the Cougars finally took the field fans were excited. But it wasn’t Hill that was the star of the game, but rather Jamaal Williams and a freshman kicker.
BYU’s defense stepped up big to start the game and held strong for most of the entire match.
Harvey Langi said earlier this week that BYU’s defense wanted to “unleash the beast.” Shutout in the first half is impressive start. — Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 4, 2016
> This old [\#BYU](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BYU?src=hash) Cougar is enjoying watching this [@BYUfootball](https://twitter.com/BYUfootball) Defense. [@kalanifsitake](https://twitter.com/kalanifsitake) has these boys playing fast & physical.[\#GoCougs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoCougs?src=hash) > > — Derwin L. Gray (@DerwinLGray) [September 4, 2016](https://twitter.com/DerwinLGray/status/772285241234956288)
> This BYU defense is a lot of fun to watch. Lot's of playmakers out there for the Cougars. > > — Zak Hicken (@zakhicken) [September 4, 2016](https://twitter.com/zakhicken/status/772285085340925952)
The defense had a hiccup in the fourth quarter when they gave up a 49-yard TD with less than 90 seconds left in the game to give Arizona the lead. I’m wondering now, however, if that was just for dramatic effect.
YAY NICK WILSON IS BAAAAACKKKKK!!!! TOUCHDOWN ARIZONA! The D-Line is stepping it up...49 yard run! #BEARDOWN! #BYUvsAZ — ZonaZealots Go Cats! (@ZonaZealots) September 4, 2016
> Wow, BYU. One thing you really didn't want to do there. 49-yard TD run for Arizona. But still time left... > > — Andrew Bucholtz (@AndrewBucholtz) [September 4, 2016](https://twitter.com/AndrewBucholtz/status/772310056570200064)
Well, Andrew was right, but let’s talk a few more things before we get to that finish, shall we? Taysom Hill was 21 of 29 passing with one TD and also had 37 yards on the ground. Hill played solid, but it was Jamaal Williams that really carried the Cougars in Arizona.
I have a man crush right now and his name is Jamall Williams. #BYU — KarateKid (@The_DQ) September 4, 2016
We all do DQ, we all do. Williams finished the day with 162 yards on the ground. It would have been closer to 250 if not for a couple of unfortunate penalties that negated two long Williams’ runs and a TD.
Jamaal Williams has been a focal point in Ty Detmer's offense tonight, like this 13-yarder pic.twitter.com/gv8zJq3oR1 — Brandon Judd (@brandonljudd) September 4, 2016
> Another monster Jamaal Williams run nullified by a penalty...[\#BYU](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BYU?src=hash) > > — Jake Hatch (@JacobCHatch) [September 4, 2016](https://twitter.com/JacobCHatch/status/772291736215314432)
Williams had a monster day and was the player of the game, but the hero wasn’t anyone you know. Instead of Hill, Williams, or even Nacua being lauded as the man of the hour it was a 170-pound freshman kicker from Texas.
Hill had an amazing series with just a minute 26 to play and marched the Cougars down the field thanks to some fantastic play calling from the new offensive coordinator Ty Detmer.
Clock management was spectacular! Ty Detmer passed the test with flying colors in game one. — Hans Olsen (@975Hans) September 4, 2016
With only eight seconds left on the clock the Cougars lined up for a game winning field goal. A short 33 yard field goal doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, but let’s put this in to perspective. BYU was only 15 because their kicker missed a point-after-touchdown and then failed a two-point conversion.
Now with the season opener on the line as well as Kalani Sitake’s debut they changed kickers and went with a true freshman who had never even attempted a college field goal. Jake Oldroyd lined up, stepped up, and split the uprights.
Not even a Hollywood script writer could have come up with this. Freshman Jake Oldroyd hits a 33-yard field goal with 4 seconds left for BYU — Jeff Call (@AJeffreyCall) September 4, 2016
> 0:04 - 4th Quarter | > FIELD GOAL BYU!BYU 18-16 AZ[\#BYUvsAZ](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BYUvsAZ?src=hash) [\#GoCougs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoCougs?src=hash) [pic.twitter.com/nZgroV5KLD](https://t.co/nZgroV5KLD) > > — Daniel Haslam (@DanHaslam) [September 4, 2016](https://twitter.com/DanHaslam/status/772313716519952384)
Jake Oldroyd had never attempted a college FG.
Jake Oldroyd had never attempted a college FG. Then he went ahead and lifted BYU over Arizona in the final seconds: https://t.co/KPRhcPHLlj — ESPN (@espn) September 4, 2016
> A certain member of the [\#BYU](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BYU?src=hash) staff told [@dseanonline](https://twitter.com/dseanonline) & I on Monday that Jake Oldroyd was [\#BYU](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BYU?src=hash)'s best kicker. Looks like they were right. > > — Jake Hatch (@JacobCHatch) [September 4, 2016](https://twitter.com/JacobCHatch/status/772317376540844032)
> I loved Detmer laughing with Oldroyd on the sideline before the kick. Keeping things loose, man. [\#Texans](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash) > > — Greg Welch (@ArtDirectorBYU) [September 4, 2016](https://twitter.com/ArtDirectorBYU/status/772315516950024193)
> Jake Oldroyd. BYU legend. Put his face on Y mountain. > > — Brian Fagan (@bdfagan) [September 4, 2016](https://twitter.com/bdfagan/status/772313521488932865)
> Oh my HEART ATTACK!!!!! 😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😥 BYU pulls it out!!!— Terrell Williams (@4hill2015) [September 4, 2016](https://twitter.com/4hill2015/status/772314538171506688)
I’m not positive, but I have a feeling some shirts with “In Oldroyd We Trust” are going to start floating around BYU’s campus next week.
After the game a reporter asked Sitake what the best part of the game was for him, his answer is likely my favorite thing of the night:
“The ending, when we won.”
That’s what I want on a t shirt, “The ending, when we won. – Kalani Sitake.”
Next up for BYU is the rivalry game in Salt Lake City on Sept. 10th at 5 p.m.
John has been writing about movies, news, sports and pretty much anything awesome for more than five years. John is the co-host of the Flix Junkies podcast and will always entertain you with his stories.
