BYU Coach Kalani Sitake Gambles on Fourth Down to Seal 27-20 Win

The 27-20 victory over Arizona State on Halloween Day was secured by a single, 11-play, 95-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter. It was the third-longest such march for the BYU Cougars since 2016. The sequence included two aggressive fourth-down decisions that held off the Sun Devils and kept the Cougars in the Big 12 Championship race.

With the lead at 20-17 and 5:52 remaining in the game, the Cougars faced fourth-and-1 from their own 14-yard line. Head coach Kalani Sitake called a timeout to evaluate the situation. Although punting was a logical option, Sitake believed his defense was showing signs of fatigue. He chose to keep the offense on the field and attempt the conversion.

Quarterback Tanner Bachmeier took the snap from the shotgun and ran toward the first-down marker. Running back Sione Moa, a 220-pounder, provided immediate support. The two players gained just enough yardage to move the chains. Bachmeier noted that the team was eager to make the call work. "I think a lot of people were nervous about the fourth-and-1," Sitake said. "The team was all for it. That was a good moment for us."

Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham acknowledged the risk taken by his counterpart. "Kudos to Kalani," Dillingham said. "It takes a lot of guts to go for it, but he did it and it was the right decision for his football team, and it ended up helping him win."

The next play saw Bachmeier throw a 53-yard pass to Legend Glasker. The reception moved the ball to the Arizona State 31-yard line. Glasker, a true freshman, has recorded four receptions for 87 yards and 14 rushing yards in the game. His performance places him as the fifth true freshman in Big 12 history to reach 600 receiving yards and 100 rushing yards in a season.

The drive continued until the Cougars reached the Sun Devils' six-yard line. Facing fourth-and-4 with 2:30 left in the game, Sitake again chose to go for a touchdown rather than settle for a field goal. Bachmeier connected with Roger Saleapaga at the five-yard line. Saleapaga, a 6-4, 230-pound junior, lunged into the end zone but was tackled so hard he was knocked out of the game.

On the following play, Sione Moa ran the ball into the end zone to extend the lead to 27-17. The score solidified the Cougars' 7-1 overall record and 4-1 mark in conference play. It marked their ninth consecutive win on Halloween. Bachmeier described the sequence as a rewarding long drive where the team successfully converted on key downs.