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PROVO, Utah (ABC4 Sports) – BYU learned it was eliminated from Big 12 Championship Game contention at halftime, but the Cougars still had a job to do.
Jake Retzlaff ran for two touchdowns and threw for 167 yards to lead No. 19 BYU to a 30-18 victory over Houston on Saturday night.
LJ Martin added 87 yards on the ground and Chase Roberts had three catches for 76 yards. BYU (10-2, 7-2 Big 12, No. 19 CFP) forced four turnovers, including two late in the fourth quarter, and snapped a two-game losing streak.
Despite the victory, BYU won’t play in the conference championship game. Iowa State and Arizona State will meet in the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday.
“We were close to being in a conference championship game,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “The guys are thirsty for it and they’re hungry for it. We’ve got some goals I think we can achieve. We’re so close now.”
Instead, BYU will now await their bowl game destination. The Cougars missed out on a bowl game last year after a 5-7 season.
“This is my first bowl game, so I’m just really excited for it,” running back LJ Martin said. “It just feels good to win. You never want to be on the losing side.”
Zeon Chriss threw for 156 yards and ran for two touchdowns to lead Houston (4-8, 3-6) which finished the season with three straight losses.
Houston scored its first offensive touchdown in three games when Chriss scored on a 3-yard keeper late in the first quarter. BYU answered when Talan Alfrey snagged a subsequent onside kick and raced 58 yards untouched to even the score.
BYU took a 14-10 lead midway through the second quarter when Sione Moa went off tackle and scored on a 6-yard run. Retzlaff threw a 52-yard pass to Roberts and then scored on a 13-yard QB keeper a play later to extend the Cougars’ lead to 21-10 with nine seconds left before halftime.
Chriss narrowed the deficit to 24-18 on a 1-yard keeper with 8:34 left. Houston had a shot at a go-ahead score after forcing a 3-and-out, but Jack Kelly stripped the ball from Chriss on a 4th down sack. Blake Mangelson recovered the ball at the Houston 18.
Retzlaff scored on a 7-yard run with 2:52 left to seal the win. Houston cornerback AJ Haulcy and BYU receiver Darius Lassiter were both ejected following an end zone scuffle that occurred after Retzlaff’s second touchdown run.
“We were able to lock in a little more and execute what was called,” defensive end Logan Lutui said.
A promising start on offense quickly fizzled over the final three quarters. Houston forced three turnovers but could not move the chains or take care of the ball well enough to seriously threaten BYU.
For the first time this season, BYU lost three fumbles in a game. The uncharacteristic string of turnovers, coupled with numerous dropped passes, kept the Cougars from pulling away from Houston until late.
Houston cornerback AJ Haulcy and BYU receiver Darius Lassiter were both ejected following an end zone scuffle that occurred after Retzlaff’s second touchdown run.
BYU will likely move up a spot or two in the upcoming AP Top 25 Poll as it awaits its bowl game destination.