Field Level Media
Oct 31, 2021
No. 25 BYU took advantage of two fourth-quarter takeaways to break away in a high-scoring duel, spoiling former coach Bronco Mendenhall's return with a 66-49 victory over Virginia on Saturday night in Provo, Utah.
BYU accumulated 734 total yards.
Sophomore Jaren Hall passed for a career-high 349 yards, and classmate Tyler Allgeier rushed for a career best 266 yards and tied a school record with five rushing touchdowns for the Cougars (7-2), who needed the fireworks to overcome the Cavaliers (6-3), who piled up 588 yards of total offense.
A former walk-on, Allgeier went over the 1,000-yard mark rushing for the season.
His 31-yard touchdown run following BYU's fumble recovery put the Cougars up 59-49 early in the fourth quarter, and his 4-yard scamper after a Virginia interception gave the Cougars a 17-point cushion midway through the fourth quarter.
Hall's and Allgeier's heroics overcame a spectacular performance by Virginia's Brennan Armstrong, who passed for four touchdowns and rushed for two more before being forced out of the game with an apparent rib injury early in the final period.
Armstrong (22-of-34 passing) ended with 337 yards to raise his season total to a Virginia record 3,557 yards. Bryce Perkins set the former mark of 3,538 in 2019.
Brothers Puka and Samson Nacua both had big nights for the Cougars. Samson, a senior, set a single-game career high with 107 yards on three catches and Puka, a sophomore, added another 107 on eight receptions. Each had a touchdown reception.
The Cougars opened the game by scoring touchdowns on their first four drives, and the Cavaliers closed out the first half with five touchdown drives of their own for a 42-38 lead at the break. The two teams alternated scores in the second half until BYU's fourth-quarter burst.
The two teams combined for an astounding 80 points and 832 yards of total offense in the first two quarters alone.
--Field Level Media