BYU football: Well-traveled tight end Carsen Ryan saves his best for last, emerges as hero in Pop-Tarts Bowl

ORLANDO, Fla. — Senior tight end Carsen Ryan knew the No. 12 BYU Cougars would be playing without their best player, running back LJ Martin, in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday afternoon.

So he took matters into his own hands, as it were.

Ryan, who transferred to BYU for his final season of eligibility after playing at UCLA and Utah, had a career-high eight receptions for a career-high 120 yards in the Cougars’ dramatic 25-21 win over No. 22 Georgia Tech at Camping World Stadium.

The performance should propel the former Timpview High star into more consideration in April’s NFL draft. Time and again the 6-foot-4, 250-pounder came up big time and time again for the Cougars, who had to go to the passing game almost exclusively with Martin watching on the sidelines and quarterback Bear Bachmeier ailing with a sprained left ankle.

“It felt great. It is so special, just seeing everyone after we won that game and the fight that we had as a team, and being able to play like that, it is so special,” Ryan said. “It is the best game I have had in my career in college.

“I am just so grateful for the opportunity to be here and for the coaching staff and the players and the teammates who have helped me get to this point.”

Ryan served notice that he would be a factor on the first play of the game, as he hauled in a 12-yard pass from Bachmeier. He made another nice catch on that same drive, but the drive stalled at the Georgia Tech 1-yard line when Enoch Nawahine was stuffed on fourth down.

On BYU’s second possession, Bachmeier threw a 6-yard pass to Ryan and a 28-yard pass to Parker Kingston before connecting with Chase Roberts for a 7-yard touchdown.

Kingston caught five passes for 76 yards and Roberts caught seven passes for 57 yards in the final game of a brilliant college career.

“I knew we were going to have to throw the ball a lot and I was going to be a part of that,” Ryan said. “All month, we have been practicing and putting plays in to give me the ball.

“The ball came my way a lot, and I was able to get the opportunity to make plays.”

Ryan was also effective as a blocker, shoving Nawahine into the end zone for a touchdown with 11:13 remaining that trimmed Georgia Tech’s lead to 21-16.

Then Bachmeier ran for the two-point conversion, a run that doesn’t get put in the official game stats but was incredibly fortuitous nevertheless.

“He is a fighter,” Ryan said of the freshman. “I give him so much credit. He’s pretty banged up. For him to run and get in the end zone, I know that hurt his ankle, hurt him a lot.

“He’s just such a fighter, a dude. It is so good play with him and see the maturity and the grit. I am so proud of him.”

In the second half, Ryan added catches of 18, 18, 13 and 8 yards. The 8-yard catch came during BYU’s game-winning 70-yard touchdown drive. Jovesa Damuni did the honors from the 4-yard line.

“It is just special,” Ryan said of his single season at BYU. “I’ve had a different journey here. This is my one season with this team and with these guys, and I am just so grateful for that chance.

“The friendships I have made and the brothers I have now, I will never forget how much I’ve learned spiritually, mentally and as a football player.”

Head coach Kalani Sitake said the Yellow Jackets (9-4) required the Cougars to play one of their best games of the season, and they did that after a poor first half.

“Really proud of the guys for getting to 12-2,” Sitake said. “Really proud of the coaches, staff and support staff. Really proud of the fans who showed up.”

Attendance was 34,126 and roughly two-thirds of the crowd was cheering for BYU.

“The fact that we did it (12 wins) with a Big 12 schedule says that these guys are great athletes, great players, great talents,” Sitake said.

“It has been a nice thing for me to see in 10 years of being a head coach, and I am really excited about Year 11, too.”