No. 12 ranked Utah escaped Baylor with a 20-13 win after a gift from the Baylor defense late in the game, and maybe one from the officials as well.
After trailing 13-3 early in the third quarter, Utah regrouped to tie the game at 13 with just 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing possession, Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson was intercepted by Cole Bishop. The Utes then went on to score the go-ahead touchdown with just 17 seconds left, taking a 20-13 lead.
It turns out that 17 seconds was all Baylor needed to make this game even more interesting than it already was. Robertson hit Hal Presley on a quick-hitter to the sideline for 4 yards to get the Bears in position for a Hail Mary attempt. From their own 31 yard line, the Bears went deep as Robertson once again connected with Presley, who somehow got behind the Utah defense.
While Presley did not score on the 47-yard gain, he got out of bounds just in time with one second remaining to set up at a shot at the end zone. This is where the game took yet another twist.
Set up at the Utah 22 yard-line, Robertson dropped back, facing a blitz from the Utes, and heaved the ball towards the endzone. The ball reached wide receiver Ketron Jackson Jr. but went over his head as he was unable to reel it in.
Should this have been pass interference at the end of Utah-Baylor??
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 9, 2023
A reason that Jackson may not have been able to bring in the jump-ball in the endzone was because it looked like he was interfered with by Utah cornerback Miles Battle. Batlle had his arm hooked around Jackson, but the flag never came, and the game ended, much to the displeasure of the Baylor sideline.
Had pass interference been called, Baylor would have had one untimed down from the 1 yard-line.
