BYU vs Utah recap: defensive slugfest climaxes in a fourth-quarter Cougar capture

In one of the most highly anticipated Holy War matchups ever, BYU and Utah brought exactly the type of football game everyone expected. We laughed, we cried, we contemplated launching our televisions through the window -- that's the quintessential BYU football experience -- but Kalani Sitake and crew found a way to defy the odds and claim another all-time great edition of the Holy War.

The first quarter was a scoreless affair, though not for a lack of offense. Two red zone appearances -- one per team -- finished with two fourth down failures. Back and forth these teams went, but the calling card for both squads all season has been their defensive stopping ability. The scoreboard sat empty after the first quarter, 0-0.

As we'd learn throughout this football game, we have two football teams that refused to kick a routine field goal no matter the circumstances.

The metaphorical floodgates weren't opened, per se in the second quarter, though both squads reminded those in attendance that offense is indeed half of a football game. BYU tallied onto the board first, with a pinpoint touchdown heave to Chase Roberts that skimmed inches above the defender's turned head and comfortably snug into the receiver's hands.

Devon Dampier and the Utes responded with an endzone strike of their own, with a toss to a wide-open Ryan Davis who utilized a drag route to shake the zone coverage and find himself wide open in for the Ute's maiden trip for six.

Then came the BYU answer, a drive to within the 10-yard line expertly ticked the first half clock to within a minute, but poor time management as the timer drained below ten seconds forced the Cougars to cap off the half with a field goal, taking a 3-point advantage into the break, 10-7.

Apparently, the halftime break was very defensively-charged on both sides, seeing how the third quarter's offensive output read two goose eggs, and the Holy War inched into the fourth quarter with the Utes in possession at their own 35 yard line.

At the transition, Kyle Whittingham flipped the script and pulled starting ball-slinger Devon Dampier for backup Byrd Ficklin. Two plays in the half converted into a 49-yard touchdown sprint for the Utes' first lead of the contest, standing at 14-10 and breaking the second-half scoring seal.

That was a mistake, because it proved to be the ideal recon mission for BYU, as Bear Bachmeier and company collectively breathed: "oooooooh, so that's how you score a touchdown."

A quick touchdown drive ensued, as Bachmeier hit Parker Kingston, Carsen Ryan, and (once again) Kingston as he scuttled 12 yards into the endzone and reclaimed the lead. BYU back on top 17-14. So the Cougars took the game right back, big deal, right? With 10 minutes remaining in the contest, that's more than enough time for the Utes to answer the call.

But on his return to the game, Devon Dampier lofted a sky ball that was an easy lunch for the flying safety Tanner Wall. Wall elevated. Wall high-pointed the football. Wall reclaimed possession with a timely interception. The immediate possession was capped with a play that epitomized the very idea of team football.

Bear Bachmeier, on third down from the 22-yard-line, slipped through the Utah front line and into open space, with a hop, skip, and a jump, he was finally held up by the secondary to resist his freight route to touchdown junction. But Bear kept his legs churning, and with some help from his friends, they pushed the pile over the goal line, and the Cougars snagged the first double-digit lead of the game, which would prove too great a deficit to overcome.

The Utes' subsequent retaliatory efforts fell short on a fourth-and-15 play that was blown up and succinctly shut down with a Jack Kelly sack.

Three running plays burned all of Utah's timeouts, but a questionable decision to strike for the end zone when once again sitting comfortably in field goal range gave the Utes another possession and a final desperate chance to claw back into contention. And they certainly took a swing, getting two pass interference calls on their final drive (both of which were... very questionable). A touchdown was inevitable, and a touchdown was the result.

The finalizing onside kick was, in the words of Robert Griffin III, "cheeks". Utah touched the ball before it could cross the 10-yard threshold, and BYU knelt the game to its demise.

BYU wins its third straight Holy War and advances to a perfect 7-0. Despite several missed opportunities and plenty of points left on the board, BYU controlled the narrative throughout this one, and were the deserving victors. BYU takes control of the Big 12 and retains possession of the in-state crown.

A satisfying and affirming victory for BYU, Kalani Sitake, and Bear Bachmeier, who, despite the doubts of the nation, the whisperings of inadequacy, fraudulence, and undeserving unbeaten status, proved it on the field in another heart-pounding, pupil-dilating, and pylon-stealing classic.