BYU beats Boise State with dramatic comeback in final seconds — VIDEO
September 12, 2015 - 10:23 pm
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Mitchell Juergens (87) scores the go ahead touchdown against the Boise State Broncos in the fourth quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Brigham Young won 35-24. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Mitchell Juergens (87) scores the go ahead touchdown against the Boise State Broncos in the fourth quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Brigham Young won 35-24. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars defensive back Kai Nacua (12) dives into the end zone after intercepting the ball during the fourth quarter against the Boise State Broncos at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Brigham Young won 35-24. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars celebrate an interception and touchdown by defensive back Kai Nacua (12) against the Boise State Broncos during the fourth quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Brigham Young won 35-24. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Tanner Mangum (12) throws the ball during the first quarter against the Boise State Broncos at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Tanner Mangum (12) looks to throw the ball against the Boise State Broncos during the first quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Tanner Mangum (12) scrambles out of the pocket and throws for a touchdown against the Boise State Broncos during the first quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars running back Adam Hine (28) keeps Boise State Broncos safety Chanceller James (3) away from the ball as he runs during the first quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Boise State Broncos cornerback Donte Deayon (5) intercepts the ball in front of Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Nick Kurtz (5) during the first quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Jeremy McNichols (13) runs the ball through a host of Brigham Young Cougars and towards the end zone during the first quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Jeremy McNichols (13) falls into the end zone for a touchdown against the Brigham Young Cougars during first quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Boise State Broncos quarterback Ryan Finley (15) runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Brigham Young Cougars at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars head coach Bronco Mendenhall talks with an official during the second quarter against the Boise State Broncos at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Boise State Broncos quarterback Ryan Finley (15) throws the ball against the Brigham Young Cougars during the second quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Boise State Broncos quarterback Ryan Finley (15) throws the ball during the second quarter against the Brigham Young Cougars at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars and Boise State Broncos line up before the snap during the second quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Jeremy McNichols (13) is tackled by Brigham Young Cougars defensive lineman Bronson Kaufusi (90) during the second quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 12, 2015; Provo, UT, USA; Boise State Broncos wide receiver Shane Williams-Rhodes (1) catches the ball and looks for Brigham Young Cougars defensive back Michael Wadsworth (30) during the second quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
PROVO, Utah — Tanner Mangum produced yet another dramatic comeback for BYU in the final seconds.
Mangum connected with receiver Mitchell Jurgens on a 35-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 45 seconds left to complete a fourth-quarter rally that lifted BYU to a 35-24 victory over No. 20 Boise State on Saturday night.
Cornerback Kai Nacua sealed the win by returning an interception from midfield for a touchdown with 30 seconds remaining. It was one of a school record-tying three interceptions for Nacua, playing his first game after a one-game suspension.
Mangum finished with 309 yards and two touchdowns on 17-of-28 passing to lead BYU (2-0).
Quarterback Ryan Finley had 297 yards and a touchdown on 25-of-38 passing for the Broncos (1-1).
Boise State cashed in on its opening drive of the second half. Running back Jeremy McNichols darted into the end zone from 3 yards to put Boise State up 17-7. BYU committed a roughing-the-passer penalty on third-and-16 at the Cougars’ 45 to keep the drive alive.
Another deep pass from Mangum kick-started BYU’s offense later in the quarter. After getting sacked for an 11-yard loss, Mangum found receiver Devon Blackmon for a 70-yard pass — setting up a 21-yard run by running back Adam Hine that made it 17-14.
Boise State answered on the subsequent drive. Finley connected with McNichols on a 29-yard strike to push the Broncos’ lead to 24-14 with 2:03 left in the third quarter.
Momentum turned in BYU’s favor early in the fourth quarter. An interception return by Nacua set up the Cougars at the Boise State 12. Mangum finished the short drive with 1-yard run on a quarterback keeper to make it 24-21 with 10:22 remaining.
That set the stage for BYU to win it in the final minute.
Mangum wasted no time making his presence known. His first completed pass was an 84-yard bomb to Jurgens that gave BYU a 7-0 lead just 51 seconds into the game.
Boise State’s defense settled in after giving up the big play. The Broncos ended BYU’s next drive when cornerback Donte Deayon picked off another deep ball from Mangum at the Boise State 6.
Then Boise State took advantage of a short field after a BYU punt later in the first quarter, tying it 7-7 when McNichols plowed into the end zone from 3 yards.
Defenses dominated the second quarter. Neither offense could mount an effective drive until Boise State drove to the BYU 13 and Tyler Rausa kicked a 31-yard field goal on the final play of the half to give the Broncos a 10-7 lead.
Boise State and BYU combined for 100 yards of total offense in the second quarter.
NOTES: BYU had minus-14 yards rushing on 19 carries in the first half. … Tanner Mangum’s 84-yard touchdown pass to Mitchell Jurgens was the fifth longest pass play in BYU history and the longest TD pass for the Cougars since 1996. … Boise State entered the game with an all-time record of 92-11 (.819) as a Top 25 team. The Broncos have also won at least 10 games eight times in the last nine seasons.