On Saturday night, a controversial ending in the rivalry football game between BYU and Utah sparked a strong reaction from USC fans, for one very obvious set of reasons.
Trailing 21-19 in the game’s final two minutes, BYU faced a 4th and 10 at its own nine-yard line. With the Cougars out of timeouts, a failure to convert would end the game.
Utah sacked BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff, causing the Cougars to turn the ball over on downs. However, the Utes were called for a highly questionable holding penalty, extending the drive. BYU then drove down the field and kicked a game-winning field goal to emerge with a 22-21 triumph.
After the game, Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan ripped into the officials, claiming that the Utes had the game “stolen” from them. Many Utah fans followed suit.
However, USC fans were quick to remind Harlan and Utah fans that the Utes benefitted from a similarly controversial call against USC two years ago.
With the Trojans leading 14-0 late in the first quarter, the USC defense intercepted a pass thrown by Utah quarterback Cam Rising. However, defensive lineman Stanley Ta’ufo’ou was called for a highly questionable roughing the passer penalty, giving Utah the ball back. The Utes would score a touchdown on the next play.
The penalty completely changed the course of the game. Instead of getting the ball back up by 14 points, USC’s lead was cut to one score. The Trojans would go on to lose 43-42 on a Rising 2-point conversion run in the final minute. There was another dubious roughing-the-passer penalty called on the Trojans in the fourth quarter which kept a Utah drive alive. What Utah fans felt on Saturday night, USC fans felt in October of 2022.
At the time, Utah fans were not particularly willing to listen to the USC crowd complaining about the officiating. With the tables now turned and the Utes being on the wrong side of a call, USC fans were not about to sit around and listen to their sob stories.
While Saturday obviously won’t erase the outcome from two years ago, it is nice to see that what comes around, goes around.
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