54-10. It is a score that will now forever be etched into both Utah and BYU fans minds. Just saying it, Fifty-Four to Ten, doesn't make it any more believable. But of all the memorable games in this storied rivalry, this one will go down as one of the most memorable.
But not because of the way the game was played. In fact, it was downright ugly at times. Nine total turnovers, seven by BYU, a missed chip shot field goal, sidearm duck throws, and of course, fumble after fumble after fumble.
No, this game will never be forgotten because nobody, and I mean nobody, not even Kyle Whittingham knew this was possible. Just look at the recent history of this game. Five out of the last six contests had gone down to the final play. In the only "blowout" during that stretch, BYU actually had a 3rd quarter lead. Maybe this game wasn't going to go down to the last play again, but certainly it wouldn't be a 44-point blowout.
Especially since BYU should have beaten Texas, and the Cougar defense looked as good as its been in many years. Utah appeared to be the more beat up team, having limped away from USC with a hard-fought loss.
But I guess the lesson in this rivalry is to expect the unexpected.
Utah scored 44 unanswered points. On the road. Without their best lineman, Tony Bergstrom. That just doesn't happen, especially when it seemed that these teams were so evenly matched coming into the game. But for this night, Jordan Wynn outplayed Jake Heaps, the Utes defensive front dominated BYU's offensive line, John White outgained the entire BYU running attack in one carry, and most emphatically, Kyle Whittingham outcoached Bronco Mendenhall.
BYU has way too much talent to give up 44 unanswered points, especially at home. The players looked like they gave up at the end, which I've never seen happen under a Mendenhall-coached team.
As for the Utes, all you can say is wow. Jordan Wynn can throw underhanded for all I care if he keeps playing like that. The guy looks like his shoulder is about to fall off, the ball comes out like a wounded duck, and yet he continued to find and hit the open receiver.
Plus, John White is a stud. He may be 5-foot-8, but he barrels down the field like a runaway bowling ball. True, most of his 174 yards came after the game was already decided, but he just put a hurt on the entire BYU nation they haven't felt in a long time.
Just think, if Coleman Peterson's field goal isn't blocked, and Utah somehow beats USC in overtime, we'd be talking about a top-20 ranking and Pac-12 championship aspirations. If the defense can make plays like they did against the Cougars, those two goals are still entirely possible. Trevor Reilly? Quade Chappuis? V.J. Fahoka? Really? That defense is deeper and more talented than I ever thought it was.
While Utah has put up more points on BYU (57 in 1988) and has actually had a larger margin of victory (49 in 1922), they've never dominated and demoralized BYU in Provo like this before.
So, no matter what happens the rest of this year, or for the next few years in fact, Utah fans will always be able to utter these words: "Fifty-Four to Ten."
Now that's gonna leave a mark.
