BYU football: How Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters helped the Cougars win a bowl game

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters, one of BYU’s unlikely heroes in its unlikely 24-23 victory over SMU on Saturday night in the New Mexico Bowl, said the only thing he could think to do in the final seconds was to offer a brief prayer for BYU’s defense.

It apparently worked, as cornerback Jakob Robinson tackled SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai at the one-yard line to preserve another one-point victory over the Mustangs in the bowl game.

I just pointed to the sky and said: Thank you, Heavenly Father, Maiava-Peters said of the moments after the tackle, with eight seconds left.

And BYU fans around the world were thankful for the third-year freshman quarterback, the fourth player to step in, surprisingly to many people, to fill in for injured starting QB Jaren Hall.

It’s definitely a different feeling when the defense is out there, but like (coach) Kalani (Sitake) says, it’s complementary football that we play. So I just had faith in defense, I said a little prayer, it was like a real (long prayer). It was real, really, true. Then J-Rob made a play. I just felt comforted, I guess.

Maiava-Peters wasn’t perfect, but his elusive extended plays and making something out of nothing gave the Cougars a 24-10 lead that and Ben Bywaters’ bowl-record 76-yard interception return for a touchdown.

This, BYU’s final game as an independent, will forever be remembered for Robinson’s big stop, Bywaters’ big pick-six and Maiava-Peters’ unexpected performance when offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick made him start over the more experienced Cade. Fennegan.

Rod went with the hot hand, Sitake said.

After SMU went 57 yards on its opening possession and took a 3-0 lead on a 35-yard field goal, Maiava-Peters let it be known that he wasn’t daunted by his first start. He reeled off a 15-yard run the first time he touched the ball and completed his first five passes.

And he can always say he led the Cougars’ touchdown drive on the first opportunity, scoring it himself on a 1-yard TD run on fourth down when Sitake successfully completed a punt to end a fourth-and-1.

The Cougars had failed six straight on fourth-and-1 before the TD drive.

However, SMU quickly regained the lead when Mordecai threw a 9-yard TD pass to Roderick Daniels on third-and-goal from the five with 2:16 left in the first quarter.

BYU forced SMU to punt on the Mustangs’ third and fourth possessions in the first half. After the first punt, Maiava-Peters drove the Cougars to the SMU 15, picking up first downs with his legs twice.

Jake Oldroyds 31-yard field goal tied the game at 10-10. It was Oldroyd’s 50th career field goal, and he became the school’s all-time leading scorer with 336 points, passing Mitch Payne.

The Cougars hurt themselves with three facemask penalties in the first half, the first of which led to an SME field goal.

“Don’t make any mistakes (in the second half) and we’ll win this game,” Sitake told BYU Sports Radio Network on his way off the field at halftime.

Maiava-Peters was 7-of-10 for 47 yards in the first half, with a passer rating of 109.5. He threw just two passes in the second half, the first was incomplete and the second was intended for Keanu Hill but was intercepted by Shanon Reid.

The Kahuku, Hawaii native did more damage with his feet, rushing for 96 yards on 17 attempts. His final passing grade was 74.6; SMU QB Mordecai finished with better numbers, 27-of-37 for 218 yards and two TDs, but a pick-six thrown to Bywater and an inability to convert a two-point attempt let his performance down.

As for Maiava-Peters, she’s not ready to say she’ll be a starter next year, assuming Hall, a fifth-year junior, turns pro.

My mentality is still the same. Like I’m behind. I know I still have to fight in the offseason for my job, he said. (BYU) has a lot of people coming in. I just have to keep my head down and stay humble, for sure.

And maybe keep praying.