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Boise • BYU's bid to upset the nation's No. 14-ranked team on its own field was doomed by its inability to capitalize more on five Boise State turnovers.
Sound familiar, Cougar fans?
Eerily similar to the rivalry game when Utah committed six turnovers and beat the Cougars, BYU lost 28-27 in front of a mildly disappointing crowd of 34,575 at Albertsons Stadium in a game that ended after midnight.
Rhett Almond's 44-yard field goal attempt was blocked with 10 seconds remaining in the game. The Cougars got two more plays because the field goal attempt was blocked on second down, but couldn't score.
BYU drove from its 8 to the Boise State 27 in the final minutes before the Cougars elected to try the field goal, out of timeouts.
Jeremy McNichols 4-yard touchdown run after tight end Jake Knight's 46-yard reception gave the Broncos the one-point lead with 10:37 remaining after the Cougars got three points from back-to-back Boise State turnovers, and that proved to be the difference in the game.
BYU drove to the Boise State 41 after losing the lead, but an incomplete pass on third-and-4 halted the surge and the Cougars punted. The Broncos took over with 6:37 left and were able to run the clock down to 2:16.
The Cougars were trying to beat a ranked team on the road for the first time since 2006, a win at No. 17 TCU.
The Cougars took a 24-21 lead on Taysom Hill's quarterback sneak with 6:55 left in the third quarter. They had a chance to take control after Boise State's fourth turnover, a muffed punt, but lost 8 yards from the 27 and had to punt.
Three plays later, Boise State fumbled again, and the Cougars were back in business at the Boise State 21. A holding call negated Hill's run inside the 10, however, and BYU had to settle for Rhett Almond's 37-yard field goal with 13:33 remaining. The 27-21 lead didn't last.
BYU entered having given up 402 yards a game. Boise State had 379 in the first half alone and would have had more if not for two BYU interceptions by Fred Warner and Dayan Lake, a blocked field goal by Lake and a fumble caused by Kai Nacua.
The Broncos finished with 571 yards, and quarterback Brett Rypien was 24 of 37 for 437 yards and three touchdowns.
The Cougars played without all-time leading rusher Jamaal Williams, who sprained his ankle in practice and then tweaked it again in pregame warmups. Squally Canada picked up 83 yards in relief.
The ending was almost as crazy as the first half.
Consider that the Broncos outgained the Cougars 379-114 in yards in the first two quarters, but led 21-17 at the break.
The Cougars were only in the game because they intercepted two of Rypien's passes and returned them for touchdowns. Warner took the first pick 59 yards for a score, tightroping the sideline, and Dayan Lake returned one 50 yards to the end zone.
The Cougars' offense only managed three points in the first half, a 35-yard field goal by Rhett Almond. That was set up by Lake's blocked field goal and Kai Nacua's return to the 47. A holding penalty scuttled the drive.
Before the Cougars took the 17-14 lead with the interception returns, Rypien was having his way with the BYU defense. He threw touchdown passes to Jeremy McNichols and Thomas Sperbeck in the first quarter to stake the Broncos to a quick 14-0 lead.
Twitter: @drewjay