Provo, Utah – As far as Cory Rodgers was concerned, he got the ball across the goal line before fumbling.
The officials agreed, or at least they couldn’t disagree.
Rodgers’ fourth touchdown withstood a replay review and TCU made the extra point that Brigham Young botched in overtime to beat the Cougars 51-50 Saturday.
The Cougars took a 50-44 lead in OT when John Beck threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Todd Watkins. But Justin Luettgerodt’s snap on the extra point bounced, and the Frogs wrapped up kicker Jared McLaughlin to keep BYU’s lead to six.
TCU answered with Rodgers’ 3-yard touchdown run.
“I thought I was in – definitely in,” Rodgers said of the final touchdown, when he was stripped of the ball in the goal-line pileup but the officials ruled it first crossed into the end zone.
The play was reviewed and replays were inconclusive, so the call stood and Chris Manfredini finished it with the extra point. The Horned Frogs (3-1, 2-0 Mountain West) rallied from an 18-point deficit for a second straight overtime win. They also defeated Utah 23-20 in overtime.
BYU (1-2, 0-1) had led 41-29 in the third quarter, then needed to rally for a last-second field goal and force the overtime.
The officials went upstairs after ruling Rodgers, who scored TCU’s first touchdown on a 100-yard kickoff return, made it in before Luettgerodt nearly redeemed himself by stripping the ball from behind.
Rodgers scored on third-and-1, taking an end-around handoff to the right corner of the end zone.
TCU rallied from a 41-29 deficit to take a 44-41 lead with 1:25 remaining, then BYU answered with a late drive and Jared McLaughlin’s 39-yard field goal, his third of the day, to force overtime as time expired.
Beck finished with career bests in passing yards and touchdowns, completing 30-of-51 passes for 557 yards and five scores. Watkins caught three touchdown passes and Zac Collie had the other two for BYU.
Rodgers had two rushing touchdowns, the 100-yard kickoff return in the first quarter after the Frogs fell behind 14-0, and caught nine passes for 137 yards and one more TD.
UTEP 21, New Mexico 13
El Paso, Texas – Joe Fleskoski returned an interception 68 yards for a touchdown and Nate Draughon recovered a blocked punt in the end zone as UTEP (3-0) struck for two quick third quarter scores.
With New Mexico (3-1) driving midway through the third quarter, Fleskoski picked off Kole McKamey’s pass at the Miners’ 32, broke to the sideline and went in untouched with 8:33 left in the third.
On the ensuing kickoff, New Mexico’s Marcus Smith had trouble fielding the ball and was tackled at the Lobos’ 10.
The Miners forced a punt and Chris Francies blocked Tyler Gaus’ kick.
Draughon fell on the ball near the back of the end zone, and the Miners had turned a 10-7 deficit into a 21-10 lead.
New Mexico’s DonTrell Moore gained 161 yards on 28 carries and became the 65th player in NCAA history to get more than 4,000 yards rushing. He now has 4,089.
Utah State 31, UNLV 24
Logan, Utah – Leon Jackson III threw for 212 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Aggies.
Tony Pennyman had 97 yards receiving, including a 12-yard touchdown catch, on a career-high 10 receptions for the Aggies (1-1). Pennyman also returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown.
The Rebels (1-3) had a chance to tie it at the end of regulation, but Shane Steichen had three consecutive passes broken up at the goal line.
San Diego State 52,
San Jose State 21
San Diego – Kevin O’Connell completed 23-of-29 passes with career-highs of 271 yards and four touchdowns as the Aztecs (1-3) defeated the Spartans (1-2).
