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Miami • The story of BYU's football season played itself out in 60 minutes Monday.

Actually, it took a little bit longer than that.

The Cougars' beleaguered defense almost delivered a victory, but couldn't quite finish the job in a 55-48 double-overtime loss.

BYU rallied from 10 points down in each half and took the lead in the fourth quarter, only to have Memphis force overtime with a touchdown in the last 45 seconds of regulation.

So the Cougar team that won four games, lost four and won four more in row to finish the regular season concluded the year with one last defeat.

In the end, Memphis needed a 55-yard field goal just to the game to a second overtime. The Tigers then scored a go-ahead touchdown and clinched the victory with an interception of BYU quarterback Christian Stewart's pass.

BYU gave it a good shot, that's for sure.

The Cougars were in danger of being blown out in the second quarter, when Stewart was sacked and BYU punted, trailing 24-14.

To that point, the BYU defense had shown little sign of being able to stop Memphis' offense. But the Cougars responded with a three-and-out sequence, forcing a punt. BYU's offense then pieced together a 14-play, 62-yard drive that featured two fourth-down conversions - including Stewart's 23-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Leslie.

On the next Memphis possession, BYU linebacker Alani Fua made an acrobatic interception and returned the ball 37 yards to the Tigers' 15. Paul Lasike converted the takeaway into a 3-yard touchdown run, giving the Cougars their first lead, 28-24.

So the Cougars had to feel very good about being in front at halftime, when so much was going against them as of early in the second quarter.

But then they gave back everything they had gained by producing a horrible third quarter. BYU's offense produced only 17 yards and the defense allowed two long touchdown drives as Memphis built a 38-28 lead.

Manoa Pikula's interception gave BYU some life early in the fourth quarter, although the Cougars settled for a short field goal, making it 38-31. And then Chris Badger's fumble recovery on the kickoff return led to Lasike's tying touchdown with 10:52 left.

BYU linebacker Zac Stout's 19-yard interception return for a touchdown sent the Cougars ahead and almost stood as the game-winning play. But Memphis receiver Keiwone Malone made two phenomenal fourth-down catches, including a 5-yard touchdown, as the Tigers forced overtime.

The tying score brought back memories of John Beck's pass to Jonny Harline in the 2006 BYU-Utah game, only this one went the wrong way for the Cougars.

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