It's true that both schools were playing with backup QB's, but don't pretend like there's no difference when USU knew going into the game that Darell Garretson was their QB and BYU had to scramble and deal with the demoralizing knowledge that Hill was lost for the season on a fluke play. USU already knew that Keaton was out. BYU expected Hill to play the whole game, and the offense was completely deflated when he went down. There is a huge difference when you prepare for a game knowing your QB is out, and losing your QB mid game. The 2013 game would have been more competitive as well if Keaton hadn't gone down on a fluke play, and demoralized the Aggies. However, with the way BYU came out in that game, and how Keaton had played up to the point he was injured, they weren't going to beat BYU.

There is more parity between the two schools these days, again true. However, historical stats do matter. Even though USU has gotten better as of late, they have still only managed to beat BYU twice in recent years, and only when BYU is in bad circumstances. In 2011, USU lost a game they could have and maybe should have won, but didn't. Again this was when we had a terrible offense at the time. Google Jake Heaps, and you might be able to figure it out. The fact the USU couldn't stop Riley is on them regardless of how unlikely things turned out.

In 2012, BYU's starting QB was again out with injury, and Taysom was starting that game as a true freshman against a good USU defense, and still managed to beat them.

So again, they are closer than in the past, but it still takes the perfect storm for USU to beat BYU.