Seventh-ranked BYU is showcasing the intense competitiveness of the Big 12 this season as they continue to deliver nail-biting finishes.
No other conference has matched this level of suspense this year.
The Cougars (9-0, 6-0 Big 12) are among the last four undefeated FBS teams after their narrow 22-21 victory over Utah. Will Ferrin secured the win with a 44-yard field goal just three seconds before the end of this year’s first “Holy War,” marking the first time since 2010 that these in-state rivals clashed within the same conference.
“It was good fun,” remarked BYU punter Sam Vander Haar, who also plays the role of holder for Ferrin’s kicks. “I mean, it’s what you train all those hours for, is for moments like that.”
This game marked another exciting entry in a series of close calls for Big 12 teams, with 13 games this season having winning points scored in the final minute of play. Notably, nine of these thrilling finishes happened during conference matchups. BYU leads the league with two such last-minute victories, while Utah has now suffered back-to-back losses in this dramatic fashion.
Research from OptaStats on the Big 12 has revealed that the closest competitor in terms of last-minute game outcomes is the Big Ten, with 10 such games this season. The Sun Belt follows with nine, while the MAC and Mountain West each have eight, and the ACC stands at seven, which includes two wins against the Big 12. The SEC has recorded five.
BYU is currently enjoying its top Associated Press ranking since hitting No. 7 in 2009 when they were part of the Mountain West. Meanwhile, Utah (4-5, 1-5), a newcomer to the Big 12 this year, has faced struggles, losing their last match 17-14 due to a last-second field goal in Houston.
In total, the Big 12 has seen 24 of its conference games witness lead changes in the fourth quarter, while the Big Ten registered 19, the SEC 17, and the ACC 16.
For No. 18 Colorado (7-2, 5-1), the only loss this season was a hard-fought 31-28 battle against No. 20 Kansas State (7-2, 4-2), concluding with Avery Johnson’s 50-yard touchdown pass to Jayce Brown with just 2:14 remaining.
Iowa State also made headlines, going into November with an undefeated record of 7-0 and a ranking of No. 9 for the first time since 1938, thanks to a late 1-yard TD run by quarterback Rocco Becht against UCF. However, their subsequent home match resulted in a heart-wrenching 23-22 loss to Texas Tech, where running back Tahj Brooks scored a 5-yard touchdown with only 20 seconds left on the clock.
The Cyclones managed to emerge undefeated from non-conference play, clinching victory over state rival Iowa with Kyle Konrardy’s dramatic 54-yard field goal as time expired in a 20-19 win on September 7.
The ACC team Pittsburgh also enjoyed a strong start, winning its first seven games this season, including late victories over Big 12 opponents Cincinnati and West Virginia. The only setback for ACC frontrunner SMU came at home on September 6, when Ferrin’s 26-yard field goal propelled BYU to an 18-15 triumph.
Last year, BYU recorded a 5-7 season, including a 2-7 conference performance in their initial year in the Big 12 after spending 12 seasons as an independent team. Currently, they stand undefeated alongside No. 1 Oregon (10-0), No. 5 Indiana (9-0), and No. 16 Army (9-0).
In another thrilling finish earlier in the season, BYU secured a last-minute win against Oklahoma State, with quarterback Jake Retzlaff connecting with Darius Lassiter for a 35-yard TD with just 10 seconds left for a 38-35 victory.
In contrast, Oklahoma State (3-7, 0-7) achieved its lone victory against a Power Four team in a double-overtime thriller against Arkansas, during which they led after a field goal with only 55 seconds remaining in regulation, only to see the Razorbacks equalize on the final play.
Besides Utah, Kansas, and TCU, only those teams have suffered two conference losses by last-minute scores in the Big 12. If not for those narrow defeats, TCU (6-4, 4-3) could have been positioned directly behind BYU in the league standings. This month, UCF edged out TCU 36-35 after scoring late in the game, while Isaiah Hankins’ final 33-yard field goal handed Baylor a 37-34 victory over the Horned Frogs.