Miracle Crashes

In the 1980 Holiday Bowl, where BYU was matched up against SMU, BYU was spiralling down out of control. For all the effort they were putting into the game, it seemed as though BYU's defense just couldn't handle the strength of the SMU offense. Down by three touchdowns in the 4th quarter, with only 4 minutes left in the game, there were many a stalwart Cougar fans leaving the stadium, convinced that the game was about to end in another crushing bowl defeat.

But the game wasn't over, not for Jim McMahon, that is. Furious at the lack of support from the BYU crowd, McMahon screamed at the fans that the game was not over yet. It was when LaVell Edwards was about to kick the ball off at a 4th down that McMahon decided to take matters into his own hands. "How am I supposed to win the game, coach, if you kick off right here and don't allow us to convert to a first down?" (This was the story relayed to me by my dad... if there are any indescrepancies, take it up with Papa Bear). "Alright Jim," I can just hear coach LaVell Edwards saying, "go ahead and get us a first!"

And he did!

Again, and again and again. With the future NFL quarter back, Jim McMahon, leading the way, the Cougar offense scored two 2 more touchdowns, putting them at 45-39 with the SMU defense, less than a touchdown away from victory. With 13 seconds left in the game, the Cougar offense took over at the 41 yard line. After two incomplete passes, and as the clock expired, McMahon threw a Hail Mary into the end zone. Smothered by SMU defenders, BYU tight end Clay Brown somehow managed to leap up and haul in the football, scoring one of the most miraculous touch downs in college football history!! With the score tied, BYU's Kurt Gunther kicked for the extra point, giving BYU a 46-45 victory over the Mustangs.

This spectacular 4th quarter come-back game was appropriately labeled the "Miracle Bowl."

Wearing our Cougar Bule on Saturday, thoroughly defeated and depressed, and upon contemplating why BYU didn't have any more of those "Miracle Bowls" left in them, my sister Lisa pipped up from the back seat, "Well, at least they have Miracle Crashes!"

Truer words have never been spoken! Looking at BYU's past losses, its amazing--and, dare I say "Miraculous"?--that when they lose, they don't JUST "lose." They TANK! And I'm not just talking about their spectacular 28-54 loss against Florida State on Saturday. Take last season, for example. After passing most of the season with flying colors, winning finally got the best of our beloved Cougars, when they were slaughtered by TCU, 7-32. And then lets not forget that painful Utah game, in which we lost, 24-48. The bowl game, while slightly better for ware, was still lost by a good touch down and a half lead by Arizona, ending the game at 21-31.

So as I sit here looking for the bright side in this sad turn of events for the 2009 Cougar football season, I'm forced to admit that although my Cougars might lose a game or two, at least they lose spectacularly!!