Tim McTyer and Omar "the Blanket" Morgan both came to BYU from the junior college ranks, Los Angeles Southwest Junior College and El Camino Junior College respectively. McTyer was a senior and Morgan was a junior during the 1996 season, helping the Cougars go 14-1 with a win in the 1997 Cotton Bowl.
The bowl game was hotly contested and full of great highlights for both Brigham Young and Kansas State. In the closing minutes of the game QB Steve Sarkisian connected with K.O. Kealaluhi for the go ahead touchdown, but left three minutes and thirty nine seconds on the clock. Wildcat quarterback Brian Kavanagh deftly orchestrated a drive down the field. McTyer made the first big save of the drive when he pushed a would-be Wildcat receiver out of the back of the end zone before his feet could touch the ground. A couple plays later, from the 12-yard line Kavanagh's pass was intercepted by Morgan. BYU took possession on the 4-yard line and ran the clock out to win the game.