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BYU Football tops Tennessee in double OT thriller

The Cougars pulled out a miraculous win in Knoxville to avoid an 0-2 start.

NCAA Football: Brigham Young at Tennessee Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The game was over.

With only 30 seconds left in the game and BYU trailing Tennessee by 3, the Cougars faced a 3rd and 6 from their own 20 yard line. ESPN projected that the Volunteers had a 99% chance of winning. Zach Wilson didn’t care.

The sophomore quarterback, who had trouble establishing a rhythm earlier in the game, rolled out of the pocket and uncorked a deep throw to senior WR Micah Simon, who sprinted down the field 65 yards before being brought to the ground. With only 5 seconds left, sophomore kicker Jake Oldroyd snuck one just inside the uprights to send the game to OT. The teams traded TDs in the first OT.

In the second OT, after the BYU defense capped off a terrific game by holding the Vols to a FG, BYU came out running. Grad transfer Ty’son Williams, who gained some experience beating Tennessee at South Carolina, took the ball and headed for the end zone. The Tennessee defense tried to get in his way, and ended up being dragged in with him. Williams ended the day with 92 yards and 2 TDs on just 17 carries — And a place in Cougar lore.

BYU will return home to face the USC Trojans next week.