Provo • BYU saved its most improbable play for the end of its most improbable stretch.
Already in the midst of a three-touchdown flurry in less than five minutes, Parker Kingston decided he’d add to the madness.
BYU’s wide receiver was fielding a punt that sailed over his head. Instead of letting it go, he tracked it down, muffed it as he went, and ran backward to his two-yard line.
What came next was an early candidate for the play of the year.
Kingston turned upfield, broke two early tackles, and sprinted toward a sea of already frenzied students. Kingston covered so much ground on a 90-yard touchdown he stumbled to the sideline and threw up.
The return gave BYU a four-score lead and sent LaVell Edwards Stadium into collective chaos. The Cougars went on to rout No. 13 Kansas State 38-9 in their Big 12 opener.
The Cougars got there thanks to a most unlikely sequence of events.
BYU trailed most of the first half, down 6-3 with two minutes before the break. But Jay Hill’s defense proceeded to create three turnovers that resulted in touchdowns in quick succession.
The first came on a fumble forced by Jack Kelly near the 30-yard line. The ball popped out and was scooped up by Tommy Prassas for a 30-yard score.
Less than a minute later, Hill brought cornerback Jakob Robinson on a pressure. Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson felt the pocket close, hurried the ball out and it fell right in the hands of Tyler Batty for an interception. BYU finished that sequence with a Chase Roberts 23-yard touchdown.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Parker Kingston (11) returns a punt for a touchdown during the game between the Brigham Young Cougars and the Kansas State Wildcats in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024.
And the second half opened with a Harrison Taggart interception over the middle. Retzlaff guided in a touchdown to Darius Lassiter. BYU scored 21 points in 3:07 to take a commanding lead.
Then the Kingston play broke open the dam for good.
“I think a lot of people were surprised by this,” said freshman running back Sione I. Moa, who had 76 yards and a touchdown in a breakout performance. “A lot of people didn’t think we could do this. But, as [head coach Kalani Sitake] said, it didn’t come as a surprise to us.”
BYU blew out the Wildcats even as it trailed in almost every major offensive category.
Kansas State outgained BYU by over 100 yards. It ran for over 200 yards. It had 20 more plays than the Cougars.
But it was no match for the chaos caused by the Cougars’ defense and a BYU scoring blitz that left the ranked visitors stunned. Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson was pulled with six minutes to go. The lead BYU built was too much to overcome.
BYU’s defense didn’t allow a touchdown for the second time this year. It was the first time since 2020 that Kansas State was held without a touchdown.
BYU is now 4-0 and will play at Baylor next week.
