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Ranking the Top 10 Moments in LaVell Edwards Stadium Over the Last 10 Years

The top 10 moments in Lavell Edwards Stadium since 2016
Casey Lundquist|
BYU wide receiver Darius Lassiter celebrates game-winning touchdown against Oklahoma State
BYU wide receiver Darius Lassiter celebrates game-winning touchdown against Oklahoma State | BYU Photo

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BYU Cougars

Last year, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake wrapped up his 10th season as BYU's head coach. Here at BYU On SI, we have been looking back at the 2025 season, including the top plays and top individual performances in 2025.

In this article, we will rank the top 10 moments in Lavell Edwards Stadium during the Kalani Sitake era.

10. First Big 12 Win in 2023

After waiting for decades, BYU finally got an invite to join a power league in 2021. In 2023, BYU played its first Big 12 schedule. The first home game was against fellow Big 12 newcomer Cincinnati. Jakob Robinson opened the scoring with a 42-yard pick-six.

BYU would go on to win 35-27 in its first ever Big 12 win.

9. BYU Runs Over Virginia in Bronco Mendell's Return

In 2021, BYU allowed 49 points against Virginia and still managed to win by three scores. BYU allowed 42 points in the first half of Bronco Mendenhall's return to Provo.

On the other side of the ball, the BYU offense put together one of the best performances in program history. Jaren Hall had 391 total yards and 4 touchdowns. BYU star running back Tyler Allgeier was unstoppable, running for 266 yards and 5 touchdowns. BYU's offense finished with 734 total yards.

8. BYU Spoils Boise State's Undefeated Season in the Rain

Kalani Sitake needed a big win when Boise State came to Provo in 2019. The Cougars, coming off back-to-back-to-back losses to Washington, Toledo, and USF, hosted the undefeated and no. 14 Boise State Broncos.

The Cougars were down to their third-string quarterback in this game. Baylor Romney led BYU to a 28-25 win over Boise State in game that featured multiple trick play touchdowns.

7. BYU Takes Down Top 10 Baylor

In 2021, Baylor dominated BYU before going on to win the Big 12 championship. In 2022, the two teams met as ranked foes. The Cougars took down a top 10 Baylor team in a game that was nearly an excruciating loss.

BYU had two chances to win this game with field goals. BYU kicker Jake Oldroyd missed a 37-yard field goal at the end of regulation that would have won the game. In the first overtime, Oldroyd missed another potential game-winner and the game went to a second overtime.

In second overtime, BYU got a stop and BYU fans rushed the field.

6. The Punch Heard 'Round Provo

After a 2-0 start to the 2021 season, BYU hosted a top 25 Arizona State team. The Sun Devils were led by now NFL star Jayden Daniels. The Cougars, leading 21-17, were knocking on the door of another score.

Then, Jaren Hall threw and interception and Arizona State was taking it back the other direction. BYU running back Tyler Allgeier chased down the ASU linebacker, jumped on his back, and punched the ball out. The ball was recovered by Jaren Hall.

That play made the difference in the game, and BYU went on to win 27-17.

Earlier in this game, the BYU crowd forced four ASU false starts in the same drive.

5. BYU takes down USC in Overtime

Before becoming the BYU quarterback in 2023, Kedon Slovis faced BYU as the USC starting quarterback in 2021. On that day in September, the Cougars took down the Trojans in overtime when Dayan Ghanwoloku intercepted a Kedon Slovis pass.

BYU fans rushed the field. It was a much-need win for a BYU program that had struggled at home in the preceeding seasons.

This game was also the Zach Wilson breakout game. Wilson made plays with both his arms and his legs against USC.

4. BYU Dominates No. 13 Kansas State

In September of 2024, BYU dominated a top 15 Kansas State team in a game that was full of highlight plays. Late in the first half, BYU linebacker Jack Kelly forced a fumble and Tommy Prassas scooped it up for the touchdown. Moments later, a BYU interception led to another score. A game that was once 6-3 flipped in a matter of seconds, and BYU took a 17-6 lead into the locker room. To start the second half, a second BYU interception set up a third consecutive score.

Now leading 24-6, the BYU defense forced a Kansas State punt. That's when BYU punt returner Parker Kingston turned near disaster into one of the top plays of the college football season.

3. BYU Ends the Streak Against Utah

It had been 12 years since BYU had beaten Utah when the Cougars hosted the Utes in September of 2021. Just one day earlier, BYU accepted an invite to join the Big 12. The following night, BYU broke the losing streak and beat Utah 26-17.

BYU was so close to ending the losing streak at various time in the 2010's. In this contest, BYU left nothing up to chance and won by multiple scores. A long drive led by the BYU ground attack ended this game. Jaren Hall and Tyler Allgeier moved the ball on the ground, driving 71 yards in 12 plays to setup the game-clinching field goal.

2. "There's a Bear on the Loose in Provo"

It's been rare for BYU and Utah to face each other as ranked teams, but that's exactly what happened last October. The Cougars and the Utes played each other in a game that eventually decided who would face Texas Tech in the Big 12 championship game.

With four minutes remaining, BYU true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier delivered a run that will be remembered for a long time. On 3rd & long, there was "a bear on the loose in Provo." Bachmeier broke through multiple arm tackles before dragging the Utah defense into the end zone. The crowd erupted in three separate stages on this play: at the first missed tackle, at the first down, and once Bachmeier crossed the goal line.

Bachmeier's heroic run swung the game in BYU's favor.

1. BYU Stays Undefeated with Comeback Against Oklahoma State

In October of 2024, BYU hosted Oklahoma State on a Friday night in LaVell Edwards Stadium. The Cougars, a perfect 6-0 at the time, had one final drive to avoid a letdown at home. The final drive, which lasted 62 seconds, included a fourth down conversion from Jake Retzlaff to Chase Roberts, and the game-winning touchdown pass from Jake Retzlaff to Darius Lassiter.

The crowd pop on this play was one of the best in the stadium's decorated history.

Retzlaff found Lassiter in between a trio of Cowboy defenders, then Lassiter did the rest, making two players miss on his way to the end zone.

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Casey Lundquist
CASEY LUNDQUIST

Casey Lundquist is the publisher and lead editor of BYU On SI. He has covered BYU athletics since 2020. During that time, he has published over 3,500 stories that have reached millions of readers.

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