It was building up to being a rough Pop-Tarts Bowl for the BYU defense in the first half. They had relinquished a 7-0 lead and a 10-7 lead and were trailing 21-10. BYU was missing its all-Big 12 linebacker and leader, Jack Kelly. You also couldn’t help but think that the rumors about defensive coordinator Jay Hill joining Kyle Whittingham at UM might have affected the Cougars' defense.
However, as is the trademark during the Kalani Sitake Era, with Jay Hill as defensive coordinator, and especially in these past two seasons, BYU never said die. The Cougars didn’t quit; they went back to work and opened the second half strong. Georgia Tech quickly got into BYU’s Red Zone again, where a touchdown very likely would have ended the game. On third and goal, freshman Nusi Taumoepeau had the ball carrier lined up for a tackle for a loss when he was blocked in the back by a Georgia Tech offensive lineman. Taumoepeau’s being in the right place paid off. Sprawling from the illegal block, his body forced a fumble that BYU recovered.
The Cougar defense desperately needed the offense to pay off the turnover. BYU looked to do just that, going on a 65-yard drive, but disaster seemed to strike when the Cougs threw an interception in the end zone. That turnover and the subsequent 80-yard drive would have taken the wind out of the sails of lesser teams. But not these Cougars of BYU. They once again bowed up in the Red Zone and held Georgia Tech to a field goal attempt. Keanu Tanuvasa blocked the kick, and BYU stayed in the fight.
Then Bear Bachmeier and the offense got going. They cut the lead to 21-18, and the defense then forced a three-and-out. The offense had to punt, but again the defense held Georgia Tech to another three-and-out. The offense then got a 25-21 lead. Evan Johnson seemed to make a bad play that looked like it would hand the Yellow Jackets the game, giving up a 66-yard pass. But the Red Zone belongs to BYU. Johnson would get redemption, picking off Georgia Tech on fourth and ten in the end zone to seal the win.
If this was the swan song of Jay Hill and his defense at BYU, then they made it one to remember. They pitched a second-half shutout to get their 12th win of the season, their fifth 12-win season in program history. Hill, Johnson, Tanner Wall, Isaiah Glasker, Faletau Satuala, and the defense did it their way, too. They once again were lights out in the Red Zone, allowing zero points on three second half Red Zone possessions by Georgia Tech.
BYU’s defense came into the Pop-Tarts Bowl ranked 11th in Red Zone defense, allowing points 35 of 48 times. 16 of those 35 were field goals and 19 touchdowns. Georgia Tech was three of six in the Red Zone, making BYU’s season totals 38 of 54, with 16 field goals and 22 touchdowns. Opponents were only scoring 70.3% of the time when they got into the Red Zone against the Cougars, and only 40.7% of the time were they scoring touchdowns.