No. 2 BYU’s perfect season is gone, busted up in a wild 39-31 double-overtime loss to UCF on Saturday, and the way it all went down has everyone talking. UCF won it after a 26-yard field goal in their first 2OT possession got wiped clean off the board because of a roughing the kicker flag on BYU defensive lineman Kendal Wall, putting UCF at first-and-goal from the 4. Keyone Jenkins then found Grayson Brousseau for the touchdown, followed by a two-point conversion to Tyren Hornes, effectively sealing BYU’s fate. BYU’s shot to answer ended on fourth down, with Bear Bachmeier’s pass slipping right through Walker Lyons’ hands.
Did the Officials Hand UCF the Win?
That roughing the kicker call is an absolute gut punch, and BYU head coach Kalani Sitake didn’t mince words after the game. “I didn’t get an explanation on the roughing call. I don’t know. From what I saw, I don’t think that’s a personal foul for roughing the kicker,” Sitake said. Dave Portnoy from Barstool Sports was even more direct, tweeting “HOW IS THIS ROUGHING THE KICKER!!!! WORST CALL EVER! BYU SCREW JOB!” It’s tough to swallow when a call that controversial swings things so hard in crunch time.
But hold up, the officiating saga for this game is deeper than just that one flag. At the end of regulation, with the game knotted at 24-24, BYU’s Faletau Satuala blocked Stone’s game-winning field goal attempt. Stone recovered the ball, which usually stops the clock with possession. But then Stone’s helmet came off, triggering a 10-second runoff that sent the game to overtime. NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay said there shouldn’t have been a runoff. On that very same play, a BYU facemask flag got picked up. And get this: UCF only even reached field goal range on that drive because of an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on BYU, so you can’t say the flags only went one way in the final minutes. Portnoy’s “screw job” complaint overlooks the fact that the same crew’s clock decision actually spared BYU from facing UCF on another fourth down right before regulation ended.
Beyond the Flags: BYU’s Performance Struggles
While the officiating had everyone in a frenzy, Sitake also pointed to bigger issues, noting, “Sometimes the calls work out for us and sometimes they don’t, and that one, it didn’t. These mistakes shouldn’t be…” (the quote cuts off, but the implication is clear). The stats back him up on having “bigger problems than one flag.” UCF totally outgained BYU, putting up 463 yards to BYU’s 373. They piled on 242 yards in the first half alone. Keyone Jenkins for UCF had a massive game, throwing for 293 yards and accounting for four touchdowns. On BYU’s side, Bachmeier went 16-of-32 for 257 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. He did have a clutch 28-yard strike to Legend Glasker on third-and-13 in the first overtime, but it wasn’t enough. BYU’s run game only managed 116 yards, and they were without LJ Martin.
The undefeated streak is over, and now the Cougars have to figure out how to reset after such a wild, controversial loss. They have to clean up those “mistakes” Sitake mentioned, because the perfect season is gone, but the rest of the schedule is still waiting.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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