Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
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Chase Roberts could have given up after the play.
The sophomore from American Fork High caught a short pass from Kedon Slovis in the second quarter of BYU's first road game at Arkansas, placed the ball in his other hand, and motored upfield. But when Roberts made contact with Arkansas defender Dwight McGlothern, the receiver's hand slipped, the football spilled to the turf, and Hudson Clark jumped on the loose change.
Five plays later, Cam Little kicked a 26-yard field goal, and Arkansas took a 24-21 lead into halftime. Roberts had just one target until the fourth quarter of the game.
If anyone needed a pick-me-up, it was Roberts. Fortunately for him, that's exactly what he got for the next hour or so.
"It really was my teammates and my coach trusting in me, and knowing that everyone makes mistakes," Roberts told reporters after the game. "Obviously, I was down after the fumble, and I made a lot of other mistakes as well. I didn't know I should be here. But my teammates lifted me up, and knew I was going to make the next play.
"They trusted in me, Kedon trusted in me, and we have that brotherhood and love. I'm grateful for them helping me through tough times, and I'll be right there for them, helping them when they make mistakes, as well."
By now, you've likely seen what happened. BYU rallied, Slovis found Roberts in the corner of the end zone with eight minutes remaining, and the 6-foot-4, 210-pound wide out went fully Randy Moss to haul in a one-handed touchdown grab from 7 yards out that helped the Cougars hold on for a 38-31 win over the Razorbacks.
You probably know what happened, because you were watching the game, or a friend who is a BYU fan texted you the play. Maybe you saw it on social media, or the No. 1 spot on SportsCenter's top 10 for Saturday night, or you saw the meme of BYU putting "The Catch" in the school's Museum of Art.
"Duh-nuh-nuh, Duh-nuh-nuh" pic.twitter.com/IcXzMRkqxI
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) September 17, 2023
In other words, you've seen The Catch heard 'round Cougar Nation, the one-handed grab where Slovis threw the ball between two defenders, and found Roberts' toe-tapper in the end zone for the game-winning score.
From goat to GOAT, Roberts' emotions mirrored those of his team, who fell behind two scores early, rallied to take a first-half lead behind freshman running back LJ Martin, fell behind again as Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson did KJ Jefferson things, and finally rallied, once again, to win it on Roberts' catch.
"I've always, since I was little, practiced those catches on the sideline and one-handed catches," he said. "Odell, Austin Collie, watching those guys growing up. I've never had one of those before, but I feel like focusing on catching the ball ... when you play receiver for a while, you have a feel for the field. I knew where I was in the end zone and that I could get a foot down. I just focused on catching the ball, and was able to reel it in."
It was a "pure progression read," Slovis said of the catch, noting a similar play made moments earlier when Keelan Marion caught a 37-yarder to advance to the Arkansas 18-yard line. Roberts, too, owed Marion some props as he thanked his teammate's only catch of the night.
"I had to make a safe throw with an underneath defender, and Chase made a heck of a play," Slovis said. "I didn't get to see it well, to be honest; he just kind of stuck a hand out ... because I was on the ground. Just happy to see him make the catch."
BYU trailed at three different points in the game before Parker Kingston tied the game with a one-play, 20-yard drive on his first career touchdown catch with 1:52 left in the third quarter (one of two touchdowns on the night for Kingston, including a TD toss to Deion Smith following a double pass from Slovis in the first half).
Hang it in the @BYUMOAhttps://t.co/pWeVjGLfOm
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) September 17, 2023
That set up Roberts' heroics, the highlight-reel catch, and the meme that has transcended the internet. And through it all, the Cougars never doubted, he insisted.
"We have a great offense and we can score some points, and once we get some points on the board, it's a one-score game," Roberts said. "We were able to do that, to tie it up, and then go ahead. Football is so much about momentum, and we were able to get that momentum back going in. That's football; you've always got to stay locked in. ... We have a resilient team, and Kalani's drilled that into us ever since Day 1."
But as big as the win was — the 3-0 start, the win over an SEC foe, the win in SEC territory for the second time in Sitake's eight seasons — Roberts knows it only means so much. The Hogs will get better and focus on SEC play in a conference that has been disappointing in its nonconference slate, according to several noted voices.
The same goes for BYU. Now in a conference for the first time in a dozen years, the Cougars open Big 12 play next Saturday at Kansas. What they've done to this point is fine, but it means nothing once they get to Lawrence and meet the undefeated Jayhawks.
"It's just another game," Roberts said. "Obviously, you want momentum going into conference play, so winning is obviously the key. But it's just another game, and we're grateful for the win. We're focused on Kansas now and going 4-0. We're excited."
