In a sport notorious for its strict and timid schedule, games were planned 15 years ago, often avoiding difficult matches, where antidotes appeared. Independent BYU, who had more confusing schedules than anyone else this season, adhered to the belief that “anytime, anywhere, any team.” And Coastal, a member of the Sun Belt Conference, said, “Bring it.”
“At least we got the ball,” coastal coach Jamie Chadwell said before the match. Indeed, the game has turned into one long display of indomitable spirit, macho and courage.
Local fans at Myrtle Beach wore the famous Catholic vs. prisoner shirt from the 1988 Notre Dame-Miami match and a T-shirt with the words “Mormon vs. Mallet.” (BYU is the flagship university of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the coastal team has incorporated flowing blonde mullets into the sport this season.) In the final play of the first half, Hale Mary made the game the most tingling. It was. Zach Wilson was intercepted by the BYU quarterback and returned from the coastal goal line. After returning to Japan, Shanti Clears’ Teddy Gallagher and Jeffrey Gunter attacked Wilson. Throw him twice on the ground and spark a dust-up that clears the bench ..
In the second half, Coastal Carolina scored lines of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, frustrating a powerful BYU attack, simply a good football. The Cougars fumble led to Chants’ Gore Headfield goal and Coastal launched an 85-yard touchdown drive at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
The game stood there when BYU scored its own 18-yard line with 55 seconds remaining and no timeouts. This was a mission-impossible situation for missionaries, but it was also an opportunity for Wilson to have a Hyesman moment and erase what was a difficult night.
BYU then took a holding penalty and the odds increased: 91 yards in 43 seconds.
Wilson threw a long one at Gunner Romney. Gunner Romney caught a 33-yard jump and knocked out when his head hit the grass. With the exception of his second receiver, Wilson looked elsewhere — 12 yards to run back on Tyson Argaia, and 15 yards to Dachshund to Coastal 31 with 7 seconds remaining.
Wilson threw a short to Milne, 13 yards, with three seconds remaining as Coastal defended the end zone against Hale Mary. In the final play, Wilson saw Milne again and struck to his right in the post pattern. Milne, who won an inside release at defensive back KJ Johnson, was caught in a pass at 3.
Milne took two steps towards the end zone and was contacted by the freshman Safety Mateos Dipo. Later, safety companion Braden Matt also threw his body into the clash, and Milne’s momentum cooled as Sdipo wrapped the BYU receiver and threw it on the grass.
Game over. Coastal Carolina wins 1.
The play vaguely reminded me of what made the Super Bowl XXXIV, with Titans receiver Kevin Dyson catching the slant and Rams linebacker Mike Jones tackling him in one of the final plays. That play has always been historically important, but for cougars and chanticleers this It was their Super Bowl.
Neither goes to the playoffs. Neither has won the national championship. But they had this moment. It was when the college football country saw two teams whimsically gathering from outside the facility to perform a classic.
In a difficult season, there was something that all sports fans could appreciate and celebrate. Until this week, in Tealfield, there was no one saying a word about when the year began between the two programs. They have little in common other than ambition and the ball, but they were only one yard away on a thrilling night in December.
