PROVO – ESPN’s SportsCenter called it a “play of the year candidate” and gave it some kick in BYU’s wild 38-9 win over No. 13 Kansas State.

But Parker Kingston’s 90-yard punt return, which capped a 31-0 run through the “middle eight” minutes between the second and third quarters, probably shouldn’t have happened, because it’s at least not even possible that the former Roy High star covered 150 yards while weaving through packs of Kansas State defenders.

Of course, the Cougars are happy that Kingston made this decision and helped them get to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2021. But yeah, it probably shouldn’t have happened.

“It was supposed to be a safe punt,” said linebacker Isaiah Glasker, who had three tackles and one tackle for loss and was on the field during the game. “I thought he was going to catch the ball fairly, but I turned around and the ball hit the ground. I was trying to find the first guy I could block and then you see an open lane and he came up the sideline … and from then on we celebrated in the end zone.”

Defensive end Tyler Batty added: “It was just absolutely insane. And we were punt safe; the defense was on the field. To return that punt safe for a touchdown, I don’t think you can ask for anything better.”

In an instant, led by a former all-state sprinter and quarterback/running back/athlete from Roy High School, the Cougars went from a 6-0 deficit against a Big 12 title contender to a 31-6 lead in about 6 1/2 minutes of play.

After going nearly two quarters without scoring, Will Ferrin opened the scoring with a 31-yard field goal with 2:10 left in the half. One minute and 2 seconds later, Tommy Prassas recovered a fumble forced by Jack Kelly and rushed 30 yards into the end zone for a defensive touchdown.

On the next play, Jake Retzlaff took advantage of an interception and threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Chase Roberts for a 17-6 halftime lead. The Cougars came out of the locker room with another turnover and Retzlaff found Darius Lassiter for a 3-yard touchdown just under 2 minutes into the third quarter.

Then came Kingston’s moment – one captured by the live broadcast of the game on ESPN, by SportsCenter and by dozens of media outlets through Sunday morning. Before running backward and zigzagging through K-State defenders, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound redshirt sophomore from Layton dropped the ball as he tried to catch the kick at his own 15-yard line.

Instead of pouncing on the ball, Kingston grabbed the change, dodged two defenders and ran back toward the BYU goal line. No fewer than three K-State defenders slammed into each other before Glasker picked up a block near the Cougars’ sideline and began escorting the returner toward the goal.

“I felt like I had a personal escort into the end zone,” Kingston told BYUtv of Glasker. “I told him afterward, ‘Thanks, brother. He was the reason I got there.'”

They both had some help too.

Jakob Robinson threw himself into a block at halftime. Jack Kelly pushed aside a charging defender to block another ball, then stopped to guide the young player into the end zone. And Kingston nearly dropped the ball in front of the goal line before running with his arms outstretched toward the corner of the end zone near the Roar of Cougars’ student block. This was BYU’s first punt return for a touchdown since JD Falslev ran 71 yards for a touchdown against Middle Tennessee in 2013.

With Kingston’s punt return, Prassas’ fumble return and three offensive points capped by Sione I. Moa’s 21-yard touchdown run with 12:02 left in the game, BYU scored in all three phases for the first time since a 45-17 victory over Utah State in 1996. That night, Shay Muirbrook recovered a fumble 45 yards for a touchdown and James Dye returned a 79-yard punt for a touchdown.

Fitting on a night when the Cougars, in their first game against Kansas State since Steve Sarkisian defeated the Wildcats in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day, honored the 1996 team with a 14-1 win – throwback uniforms, dropshadow Y logo and all.

Kingston also wrote a small piece of history with his own name on Saturday night – even if it happened in a game that was initially a mistake.

“I saw a mistake, and I saw a mistake made right. We can block for him without dreaming … but tonight it was another fantastic play,” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said. “(Special teams coordinator) Kelly Poppinga did a great job with the special teams and made them believe they could make big plays and impact the game.”