BYU Gets Break to Defeat Utah State in Overtime, 34-31

Owen Pochman kicked a 33-yard field goal in overtime and Kevin Feterik threw for four touchdowns as Brigham Young defeated Utah State, 34-31, on Friday night at Logan, Utah.

When the kick sailed through the uprights, the Cougars (3-1) celebrated while 31,220 fans, the third-largest crowd in the 32-year history of Romney Stadium, went away disappointed.

The Cougars blew a 31-20 lead in the fourth quarter and caught a huge break when Brad Bohn, who kicked a career-best 55-yard field goal as the first half expired, missed from 42 yards on Utah State’s overtime possession.

Bohn had connected on a 37-yard attempt seconds earlier, but the Aggies (1-3) were penalized for illegal procedure and moved back five yards. Bohn’s 42-yard try was wide left and BYU took over.

*

Four Tennessee players suspended as part of the school’s academic fraud investigation have been cleared to play in today’s game against Auburn, school President J. Wade Gilley said.

Gilley said investigators “found nothing” indicating any wrongdoing by the players, so the Southeastern Conference will allow them to play.

“There’s no cloud over the players,” Gilley said.

In addition to the four seldom-used redshirt freshmen, starting center Spencer Riley was cleared of any wrongdoing, Gilley said.

Riley had not been suspended, but school officials decided to look again into a 1995 allegation that an athletic department employee had co-written a paper with the player. Riley was cleared in 1995, and investigators found no new evidence to change that finding.

*

When high-scoring Stanford and San Jose State play today at Palo Alto, each team may be missing a key offensive player.

San Jose State tailback and kick returner Deonce Whitaker has tested his sprained right ankle by practicing in pads, but it will not be known until game time whether he can play.

Stanford quarterback Todd Husak has practiced little this week, and is questionable because of a painful rib injury.

*

The University of Georgia said damages might total $100,000 after vandals broke into Sanford Stadium with bolt cutters and drove across the football field Friday.