When Oklahoma State scored a go-ahead touchdown with under 1:30 on the game clock against 13th-ranked BYU, the odds were heavily against the Cougars' comeback bid. And as BYU gained possession and began their last minute drive, all signs pointed to the Cougars earning their first taste of defeat in the 2024 season.
But magic happens when the moon rises over LaVell Edwards Stadium, and Jake Retzlaff stood poised to march his team to a victory.
The unlikely nature of a BYU win cannot be overstated--ESPN's FPI gave BYU a 1% chance to walk away with a win. With the game clock winding down and hope quickly draining from the home crowd, any team may start to feel hopeless. BYU had especially little reason for optimism.
— Robby McCombs (@rtmccombs) October 19, 2024
Standing behind the center was Jake Retzlaff, a quarterback who was projected to be the worst play caller in the Big 12 Conference, but was unexpectedly performing among the best of his peers up to this point in the season.
That was, until a turnover-infested outburst kept the Cowboys in the football game. Missed opportunities and errant passes (from both Retzlaff and running back Hinckley Ropati) stunted BYU's progress in a game where the Cougars seemed to move the ball effortlessly on a weakened OK State defense.
Two INTs from Retzlaff may have punctured the optimistic atmosphere in Provo, Utah, but Jake's confidence supersedes that which may be considered rational, realistic, or even conceivable.
That is his greatest superpower.
Even as the clock ticked away second by precious second on the Cougars' way to a quick 4th-and-8 situation, Retzlaff's belief in both himself and his teammates would soon prove to be warranted.
A quick completion to Chase Roberts moved the chains for the first time in the Cougars' two-minute drill, but when Oklahoma State's prevent defense momentarily grounded BYU's air attack, the BYU QB found his Thanos moment with a 27-yard run that proudly declared the mantra, "Fine, I'll do it myself."
Now at the 35 yard line of OK State, and needing a touchdown, the Cougars were left with one option as the remaining seconds grew closer to zero with every play: take a shot at the endzone, or fall victim to the nearly insurmountable odds.
Catching the chest-high snap and standing strong in the pocket formed by his offensive line, Retzlaff ripped a pass downfield to his favorite big-play target, Darius Lassiter. The following moments can only be properly appreciated when paired with Celine Dion.
Needed to be done pic.twitter.com/YOiYagcS8s
— Joe Wheat (@joewheat27) October 19, 2024
Though all laws of reason stood in the way of BYU's Friday night victory, life found a way in Provo, Utah as the Cougars advanced to an unthinkable 7-0 record.
BYU, much like Jake Retzlaff, has overcome the arroneous external expectations of the national media, fans, and casual observers up to this point in the season, and their last-minute drive against Oklahoma State perfectly encapsulated the fighting spirit of Kalani Sitake's football team, and has left us with the most exciting moment of BYU's unbelievable season.