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LAS VEGAS (AP) -- BYU's Curtis Brown and Naufahu Tahi scored two touchdowns apiece Saturday and the Cougars ran off 34 unanswered points in a 55-14 victory over UNLV.
John Beck added 267 passing yards and three touchdowns in leading the Cougars to their fourth win in five games.
It was the second straight high-scoring effort for BYU, a week after the Cougars topped Air Force 62-41.
UNLV tied the game at seven early in the second quarter on a Jarrod Jackson 5-yard touchdown pass to Greg Estandia, but BYU intercepted Jackson passes on the following two possessions and capitalized on the short field to expand its lead to 27-7 by halftime.
Brown scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, Beck connected with Todd Watkins on an 11-yard scoring strike and Jared McLaughlin booted a 37-yard field goal to cap the run.
BYU continued its dominance on both sides of the ball in the second half.
Following Jackson's third interception in four possessions, Beck found Brown for an 11-yard touchdown at the 12:51 mark of the third quarter, and Tahi added a 1-yard touchdown run to close the quarter.
Beck's final touchdown came on an 11-yard scoring strike to Jonny Harline.
Wayne Latus' 1-yard touchdown run with 4:49 to play capped the scoring for BYU.
Erick Jackson had a 15-yard touchdown run for the Rebels in the fourth quarter, but UNLV (2-7, 1-5) finished with just 1 yard rushing on 20 carries.
Jarrod Jackson was sacked five times -- three times by Justin Maddox -- in finishing with eight carries for minus-40 yards.
Jackson went 31-for-52 for 330 yards and three interceptions.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
First Quarter
BYU--Tahi 1 run (J.McLaughlin kick), 6:15.
Second Quarter
UNLV--Estandia 5 pass from J.Jackson (Aguayo kick), 12:21.
BYU--FG J.McLaughlin 45, 8:42.
BYU--Watkins 11 pass from Jo.Beck (J.McLaughlin kick), 6:17.
BYU--C.Brown 1 run (J.McLaughlin kick), 3:22.
BYU--FG J.McLaughlin 37, :00.
Third Quarter
BYU--C.Brown 11 pass from Jo.Beck (J.McLaughlin kick), 12:51.
BYU--Tahi 1 run (J.McLaughlin kick), 5:15.
Fourth Quarter
UNLV--E.Jackson 15 run (Aguayo kick), 13:49.
BYU--Harline 11 pass from Jo.Beck (J.McLaughlin kick), 10:07.
BYU--Latu 1 run (J.McLaughlin kick), 4:49.
A--23,677.
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BYU UNLV
First downs 29 19
Rushes-yards 46-224 20-2
Passing 279 329
Comp-Att-Int 24-35-0 31-53-3
Return Yards 49 13
Punts-Avg. 4-32.3 5-38.2
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 1-0
Penalties-Yards 6-50 10-81
Time of Possession 32:32 27:28
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--BYU, Latu 15-93, Tahi 11-62, C.Brown 10-43, Tonga 3-20,
Meikle 2-12, Jo.Beck 5-(minus 6). UNLV, E.Jackson 11-34, Saint
Preux 1-7, J.Jackson 8-(minus 39).
PASSING--BYU, Jo.Beck 23-34-0-267, M.Berry 1-1-0-12. UNLV,
J.Jackson 31-52-3-329, Kirkland 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING--BYU, Watkins 7-66, Harline 6-80, Tahi 3-27, Allen
2-23, Tonga 2-21, M.Reed 1-22, Collie 1-17, Cooper 1-12, C.Brown
1-11. UNLV, E.Jackson 8-91, Saint Preux 8-59, Anderson 4-53,
Estandia 4-45, Wheaton 3-36, Flair 2-27, S.Williams 1-14, Kirkland
1-4.
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(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)</p>
