Ranking BYU’s top 10 plays of the season thus far

What a year it’s been already for BYU.

The Cougars have emerged as one of the most notable surprises in the country, boasting a 5-0 mark, ranking No. 17 in the AP poll and holding sole possession of first place in the Big 12.

It was definitely a September to remember in Provo, filled with moments that should be discussed among fans for years to come. With Kalani Sitake’s crew taking a much-needed bye this weekend, let’s revisit what I believe to be BYU’s 10 best plays of the season thus far.

10. Darius Lassiter’s 44-yard touchdown catch

Week 5 at Baylor

When Jake Retzlaff is at his best, he’s a blast to watch.

Such was the case on this perfect play action dime, where he found Darius Lassiter in stride for a 44-yard touchdown to put the Cougars ahead by 21 points. This is the kind of throw that catches the attention of professional scouts, and Retzlaff made it look effortless.

9. Blake Mangelson’s immediate interception

Week 5 at Baylor

Talk about making an early statement.

On Baylor’s first offensive play of the day, John Nelson punched a pass into the air for Blake Mangelson to snatch up for an interception, swinging all the momentum toward BYU as the Cougars accelerated their first half rout.

With Tyler Batty getting his own pick against Kansas State, you could make a case for BYU having the best ball-hawking defensive line in the country. It’s a no fly zone in the trenches.

8. Chase Roberts takes flight for an impressive grab

Week 3 at Wyoming

Chase Roberts has made plenty of highlight reel catches during his time at BYU, and this year has been no different.

His best display of the young season, however, came against Wyoming, when he hauled in a 30-yard strike on a modified flea-flicker design.

Roberts caught the ball with his body nearly parallel to the ground and smothered by a defender, with Retzlaff finding the only available window to make the contested connection.

Roberts may have avoided a taunting penalty afterward, but the Cowboys couldn’t avoid letting him gash them for six receptions and 129 yards that night.

7. Marque Collins’ red zone interception

Week 2 at SMU

BYU’s defense was unbelievable against SMU, holding the Mustangs without a touchdown and forcing three red zone turnovers.

One such takeaway came on a freakishly athletic pick from Marque Collins, who jumped the route as the help defender and tiptoed both feet in bounds to thwart a potential go-ahead scoring drive.

Everything about this play — from the toe tap to the simple crossed arms celebration afterward — looked really, really cool. Presentation matters!

6. Sione I. Moa goes “beast mode” on 21-yard touchdown run

Week 4 against Kansas State

BYU fans weren’t too familiar with Sione I. Moa prior to playing Kansas State, but his performance against the Wildcats turned him into an instant hero.

Stepping up amid an injury-ravaged running back room, the freshman logged 15 carries for 75 yards that night, including this 21-yard score where he broke at least five different tackles, survived various levels of contact and somehow, someway made it into the end zone.

Talk about an unforgettable first career touchdown. Marshawn Lynch would be proud.

5. Miles Davis converts on a critical 4th and 1

Week 2 at SMU

With the game potentially on the line at SMU, the Cougars took a major gamble and were rewarded handsomely for it.

On fourth down and one, tied at 15 points apiece and not even past midfield, Aaron Roderick dialed up a standard speed option design, with Retzlaff pitching outside to Miles Davis, who then flew 37 yards down the sideline to get into scoring territory and set up the eventual game-winning field goal for BYU.

Though Davis’ wheels were the primary factor here, the unsung hero was Retzlaff. He managed to deliver the toss with a defender just inches away from him, getting pummeled to the ground as soon as the ball left his hand. No guts, no glory.

4. Keelan Marion’s 100-yard kick return touchdown

Week 3 at Wyoming

BYU’s first kick return touchdown in a decade came at a pretty convenient time.

Following a somewhat frustrating first half showing in Wyoming, Keelan Marion opened the game’s final 30 minutes by taking the kickoff 100 yards to the house, pulling the plug on any remaining energy from Cowboys fans and melting all the Cougar tension away.

When I witnessed this return from the press box in Laramie, I thought it would be a shoo-in for BYU’s top special teams moment of the year. How could you possibly top that?

Boy, was I wrong, but more on that later...

3. Tommy Prassas scoops and scores

Week 4 against Kansas State

To quote the great Michael Scott: “Oh, how the turn tables.”

In just 39 short seconds, BYU swung a 6-3 deficit against Kansas State into a 17-6 advantage at halftime thanks to one of the most magical sequences imaginable.

A Jack Kelly hit led to a fumble, which freshman Tommy Prassas collected off the turf and delivered into the end zone to put the Cougars ahead and send LaVell Edwards Stadium into hysteria.

Along with retaking the lead, Prassas’ defensive score reignited the crowd to strengthen the already palpable home field advantage and ensure that the Wildcats would be buried for good.

On the following series, BYU stole possession back on a Tyler Batty interception before scoring yet again on a Chase Roberts touchdown.

It all happened so fast. My personal condolences to anyone who may have been in the bathroom or waiting in line for concessions and missed those 39 thrilling seconds. Truly brutal.

2. Crew Wakley’s game-saving interception

Week 5 at Baylor

Given how heroic BYU’s defense has been at times this year, it only makes sense that Jay Hill’s unit would find a way to come to the rescue yet again when the Cougars found themselves in danger at Baylor.

On the verge of suffering what could have been an embarrassing, season-altering collapse, Crew Wakley hovered to an errant Bears pass for the game-clinching interception with 49 seconds remaining.

Calling it “clutch” would be an understatement, with the pick seeming even more unbelievable when considering that Wakley wasn’t even on BYU’s depth chart to begin the season. You can’t make this stuff up. The cardiac Cougars ride again.

1. Parker Kingston

Week 4 against Kansas State

The most obvious choice. Not only is Parker Kingston’s improbable punt return the top moment of 2024 thus far, but it should definitely be considered one of the greatest plays in BYU football’s storied history.

How on earth did Kingston even gain positive yardage here, let alone go 90 yards for a touchdown? He muffed the punt at the 23-yard line and picked it up at the 10, only to go full video game mode for the score — though trying to replicate such a scene on College Football 25 seems impossible.

It was BYU’s first punt return touchdown in more than a decade, and it came with the Cougars’ defensive safe return unit on the field — by far the least likely group to orchestrate such magic.

Kingston received key blocks from Jakob Robinson and Tanner Wall, with Isaiah Glasker leading the way to the end zone to achieve viral status within the college football world and turn LaVell’s house into a madhouse.

In a way, Kingston’s return touchdown is almost a perfect representation of BYU’s season after five weeks. What Sitake’s squad is doing isn’t always conventional, and plenty of people had their reasons not to believe, but the Cougars are defying the odds in dramatic fashion and producing results that don’t just appear impressive, but give you goosebumps as well.

Let’s see if such magic will continue after the bye.