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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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No. 8 BYU survived a close one Saturday afternoon in Provo, picking up a crucial 27-20 victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils.
The Cougars looked in control early, taking a 17-3 lead into halftime, but ASU responded with two third-quarter touchdown drives to tie the game. BYU eventually regained control in the fourth quarter, with Matthias Dunn hitting a 45-yard field goal before Sione Moa scored his second touchdown of the game to seal the win. Bear Bachmeier finished 19 of 30 for 236 yards and one touchdown, while Arizona State's Jake Fette went 22 of 42 for 166 yards and two touchdowns.
However, after the game, the Big 12 released a statement acknowledging that its replay officials made an incorrect call when awarding BYU a first-quarter touchdown. The conference said the officials should have ruled the Cougars recovered the fumble at the two-yard line, with any advancement afterward nullified. Instead, Moa was allowed to advance the ball into the end zone for a touchdown. The Big 12 confirmed that BYU should've been given a third-and-goal attempt from the two-yard line instead.
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With 11:27 remaining in the first quarter, Bachmeier attempted a quarterback sneak from the Arizona State one-yard line. But Bachmeier fumbled the ball, and Moa picked it up and continued into the end zone. Officials initially ruled that Bachmeier's forward progress had been stopped, but after two separate replay reviews, they awarded BYU the touchdown. FOX rules analyst Mike Pereira agreed with ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham that Moa shouldn't have been allowed to advance the ball.
The situation is particularly frustrating because it's not the first major officiating controversy involving BYU this season. After the Cougars beat Notre Dame 28-24 two weeks ago, the Big 12 admitted that officials failed to recognize one second remaining on the clock, which should have given the Fighting Irish another play. BYU's double-overtime loss to UCF the following week also featured disputed late-game decisions involving a 10-second runoff and a roughing-the-kicker penalty.
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Saturday's result carries massive implications for both programs as well. BYU improved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in Big 12 play, keeping themselves firmly in the conference championship and College Football Playoff conversation. Arizona State, meanwhile, dropped to 4-4 and 2-3 in conference play, putting them at risk of even making a bowl game.
The Sun Devils have legitimate reason to be frustrated given that they managed to erase a 14-point deficit and tie the game, only to come up short in the fourth quarter. A win over BYU would have given them their first signature win of the season, potentially giving them a legitimate path to the Big 12 title game. Instead, they've dropped down to .500 with a tough slate of games ahead against Colorado, at UCF, versus No. 24 Oklahoma State, and at No. 22 Arizona.
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