Backup quarterbacks Case McCoy and David Ash pumped new life into a struggling Texas offense, and Cody Johnson scored a fourth-quarter touchdown as the No. 24 Longhorns rallied to beat BYU, 17-16, on Saturday night in Austin, Texas.
With McCoy and Ash rotating snaps after ineffective starter Garrett Gilbert was pulled in the second quarter, the Longhorns (2-0) used a punishing running game to rally from a 13-3 halftime deficit.
McCoy took most of the snaps on the drive to the winning touchdown, twice hitting Jaxon Shipley for big gains before Johnson punched in his second touchdown.
McCoy and Ash combined for 9-for-11 passing for 92 yards. Ash also ran for 36 yards.
“When I was named the backup, I knew that you’re always one play away,” McCoy said. “I felt our team rallied around me and David.”
Jake Heaps, a graduate of Skyline High School in Sammamish, led BYU (1-1) with 235 yards passing with one touchdown and two interceptions.
“Everybody was feeling it, everybody was feeling really confident,” Heaps said. “It’s tough to lose a game like this, especially when we let someone come back and beat us. It’s uncharacteristic of our football team.”
Justin Sorensen kicked field goals of 30, 33 and 32 yards for the Cougars.
No. 25 TCU 35, at Air Force 19: The Horned Frogs (1-1 overall, 1-0 Mountain West Conference) rolled to their 18th consecutive conference win.
The Falcons (1-1) had their five-game winning streak snapped.
At South Dakota 30, Eastern Washington 17: Dante Warren threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score, and Jim Thompson returned an interception 67 yards for a touchdown as the Coyotes (1-1) beat the defending FCS champion Eagles (0-2).
Bo Levi Mitchell was 38-for-60 passing for 369 yards and two touchdowns for EWU.
At Montana 37, Cal Poly 23: Jabin Sambrano and Dan Moore scored two touchdowns each to carry the Grizzlies (1-1) over the Mustangs (0-2).
The Grizzlies took the lead late in the third quarter on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Johnson to Kavario Middleton, a former Lakes High and University of Washington tight end.
At Idaho 44, North Dakota 14: Quarterback Brian Reader threw for 299 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Vandals (1-1) past the Fighting Sioux (1-1).
At Montana State 38, UC Davis 14: Cody Kirk rushed for a career-high 155 yards and two touchdowns as the Bobcats (1-1) routed the Aggies (0-2), a future Big Sky Conference rival.
UC Davis, now in the Great West Conference, will join the Big Sky next year.
At Colorado State 33, Northern Colorado 14: Raymond Carter ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Rams (2-0) over the Bears (0-2). Colorado State has won the past 16 meetings and is 17-0-1 in the series that began in 1893.
At San Diego 30, Western New Mexico 10: Mason Mills threw two touchdown passes, and Ryan Costa had an 88-yard interception return for a score, leading the Toreros (2-0) over the Mustangs (1-1).
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