Provo • The game teetered on the edge for 10 minutes.
Both teams traded missed fourth-down conversions. They traded potential game-winning drives with under three minutes to play. And for awhile, it looked like the game would fizzle into overtime with missed opportunities.
Until, with under a minute to play on a fourth-and-10, East Carolina quarterback Holton Ahlers lofted a ball to a falling Isaiah Winstead. Flags immediately flew on a pass interference — extending the drive and setting up a walk-off 35-yard field goal.
27-24 ECU as time expired.
The loss put BYU (4-5) under .500 for the first time since 2019. It also extended BYU’s losing streak to four games, putting in doubt the program’s chances to make a bowl game. Its shocking skid that started in October will now bleed into November.
BYU’s defense did not come up with a stop from the first quarter until the under 10 minutes left in the game. East Carolina poured in over 400 yards of offense in under 27 minutes on the field. 200 yards came on the ground.
East Carolina running back Keaton Mitchell finished with 176 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown. Ahlers ended 15 of 22 for 197 yards and three total scores.
Unlike past weeks, BYU’s offense stayed on the field and ran the ball well. It drained the clock, knowing the the defense couldn’t get off the field.
But when BYU had two chances to win the game, with multiple drives in the final 10 minutes that could have given it the lead, it didn’t capitalize.
On the first drive, a holding call on lineman Kingsley Suamataia brought back a first down run and ultimately killed a chance to get inside ECU territory. On the second drive, with under three minutes to go, the offense went three and out and ultimately set the visitors up for the winning drive.
Jaren Hall finished 18 of 25 for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Lopini Katoa had 20 carries for 116 yards a score.
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