Coastal Carolina upsets No. 8 BYU

CONWAY, S.C. — Trey Carter was fed up hearing how his team couldn’t win. No way could Coastal Carolina hold up against offensive juggernaut Brigham Young and its quarterback, Zach Wilson.

“If you watch the game, you see we can,” Carter, Coastal Carolina’s right guard, said with a grin.

Thanks to a game-saving tackle at the Coastal Carolina 1 by freshman safety Mateo Sudipo as time expired on Saturday, the Chanticleers remained undefeated, winning their 10th game, 22-17 over the No. 8 and previously unbeaten Cougars.

Sudipo stopped BYU’s Dax Milne a yard from the goal line as time ran out in the Chants’ aptly named “Victory” package.

“He deserves it,” linebacker Jeffrey Gunter said of the freshman. “He works hard.”

The Cougars (9-1, No. 13 CFP) were a midweek fill-in, traveling more than 2,200 miles to the South Carolina coast and eagerly stepping in after No. 25 Liberty had to back out of the game Thursday because of COVID-19 concerns.

It sure looked like an

uphill climb for Coastal Carolina, the Sun Belt East champs, as BYU entered with the nation’s fourth-highest scoring offense, averaging more than 47 points.

The Cougars (CFP No. 13) were looking to boost their resume for the College Football Playoff selection committee in hopes of playing in a major bowl game.

But the Chanticleers controlled the clock with three long touchdown drives and made plays when it counted — none bigger than when Sudipo corralled Milne a few steps from the end zone. It will go down as a 17-yard completion, but the Cougars needed 18 on their final play.

That sealed Coastal Carolina’s biggest victory in the program’s four FBS seasons. And now, it’s the Cougars dreaming of New Year’s Six bowls to come.

“It was the best feelings I’d ever felt,” Gunter said.

Wilson was 19-for-30 passing for 240 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The BYU defense, which had allowed foes an average of less than 90 yards rushing coming in, was pounded by Coastal Carolina for 281 yards, including 128 yards and a pair of touchdowns by CJ Marable.

“We’ve got a tough, tough scrappy offensive line. We’re not huge guys,” said the 6-foot-1, 300-pound Carter. “But we’re going to get after you.”

It was a hectic week for Coastal, too, coach Jamey Chadwell said, in changing opponents and game plans so late in a game week.

And the Chanticleers, he said, were given little chance of success.

“One thing I know about our football team, if you slight us, we use that as motivation,” Chadwell said.

BYU coach Kalani Sitake said his team had one goal going forward: “Focusing on improving and making sure we’re at our best next week against San Diego State.”

Richard Shiro The Associated Press Dax Milne (5) and Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall (10) after Milne was stopped short of the end zone on the final play.