Instant Takeaways From BYU’s New Mexico Bowl Victory Over SMU

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The BYU Cougars stopped the SMU Mustangs on a two-point attempt with eight seconds to go and captured a victory in the 2022 New Mexico Bowl.

The Mustangs and Cougars played at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Saturday, December 17.

RELATED: BYU Football Holds Off SMU To Win 2022 New Mexico Bowl

BYU beat SMU, 24-23.

BYU WINS! pic.twitter.com/oXBgTU2Y0l

— New Mexico Bowl (@NMBowl) December 18, 2022

Takeaways from BYU’s New Mexico Bowl Win

Jakob Robinson comes up with the play of the night

SMU gets aggressive and goes for two and the win and they dial up a QB sneak for Tanner Mordecai. BYU nickel back Jakob Robinson came up with his ninth and most important tackle of the night by stopping Mordecai to clinch the win for the Cougars.

#BYU defense gets the stop to win the game.

That would have been a MIRACLE statement two months ago.

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 18, 2022

Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters is a gamer

Some players perform better in a game than they do in a practice. That seems to be the case for BYU quarterback Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters. If you based his potential in the program off limited practice windows, you’d think he would never get on the field.

What makes him a threat is when he uses his legs and extends plays. There’s a reason Maiava-Peters was a heralded recruit that had offers from Michigan and Oregon early in his recruitment, his athleticism.

In his first start, Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters (@jay_4QB) wins the @NMBowl Offensive Player of the Game award. 🏆 🤙#BYU #GoCougs #BYUFOOTBALL #NewMexicoBowl #SMUvsBYU
📷: BYU Photo pic.twitter.com/vWsswRrZ9M

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 18, 2022

Maiava-Peters finishes the entire game with 47 passing yards and 95 rushing yards.

Ben Bywater had the best game of his season

Linebacker Ben Bywater had the best game of his 2022 season in the New Mexico Bowl. And he also came up with the play of the night.

With 8:17 left in the third quarter, one snap after BYU’s fumble recovery was negated due to an SMU rusher having his elbow down, Bywater picked off SMU QB Tanner Mordecai and returned the interception 76 yards for the score.

It was the first pick-six in the 17-year history of the New Mexico Bowl.

Highlighted by his pick-six, BYU LB Ben Bywater earned @NMBowl Defensive Player of the Game honors.#BYU #GoCougs #BYUFOOTBALL #NewMexicoBowl #SMUvsBYU
📷: BYU Photo pic.twitter.com/7YpkCJuVnE

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 18, 2022

Throughout the night, Bywater was all over the field racking up tackles. You could see he was playing with a lot of confidence as he nodded his head after big tackles. It was an excellent performance from Bywater, who led a depleted linebacking unit that saw Keenan Pili exit to the portal and Max Tooley and Payton Wilgar sidelined with injuries.

Ryan Rehkow was excellent

Early in the game, it looked like punts were optional as BYU was going for it on fourth down. As the offenses settled down and the punt team took the field, Ryan Rehkow shined.

Ryan Rehkow is booming these punts.#BYU #BYUFootball #NewMexicoBowl

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 18, 2022

Rehkow had three punts over 60 yards, including a kick that sailed 67 yards. We talk a lot about Jaren Hall, Puka Nacua, Blake Freeland leaving early for the NFL; Rehkow might be good enough for the league as well after this season.

The effort was night and day different from Shreveport

A big question coming into this game was the “care factor.” Which team would show up and bring the effort to win the New Mexico Bowl?

With all the injuries and coaching staff changes, it could have been easy for BYU to fold up shop on the season and call it a season. But they didn’t. Last year in Shreveport, they let the disappointment of not going to a New Year’s Six bowl get the best of them. They didn’t respect the opponent, as they lost to UAB.

The effort tonight from #BYU in this New Mexico Bowl is night and day different from last year's debacle in Shreveport.#BYUFootball

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 18, 2022

Tonight in Albuquerque, BYU cared and that alone was a win. BYU coach Kalani Sitake loves the spot of being doubted. Many people cast doubt on this BYU squad against an SMU team that featured a high-flying passing attack. BYU answered the call to show up and bring effort.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Mitch will be in Albuquerque for the 2022 New Mexico Bowl between BYU and SMU. Follow his coverage on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.

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