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Read KSL's Take here (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac) By DOUG ALDEN AP Sports Writer
LOGAN, Utah (AP) -- Although BYU-Utah State hasn't been much of a rivalry for decades, the latest meeting was certainly heated.
No. 8 BYU beat Utah State 34-14 Friday night to remain unbeaten and extend the nation's longest winning streak to 15, but the Cougars had to fight all the way through this one.
"We give them credit. They fought hard," BYU linebacker David Nixon said. "We got a win and that's all we want."
Utah State became the first team to score on BYU in nearly three full games and the Aggies frustrated the Cougars into repeated mistakes and penalties, but only after the Cougars pounced on three turnovers and took a 24-0 lead before the first quarter was over.
BYU (5-0) converted the two fumbles and an interception into 17 points and held on for its ninth straight victory over the Aggies (1-4) despite some sloppy moments.
Max Hall threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted twice and committed one of several personal fouls by the Cougars, who had 12 penalties for 123 yards.
"I think it started getting a little chippy there at the end. The score was kind of out of hand, but they felt like they could still push us a little bit. Then we pushed back," said Nixon, who had an interception. "We can't give up those stupid penalties like that."
A 34-0 deficit didn't discourage the Aggies, nor their fans who chanted "over-rated!" and celebrated every mistake the Cougars made.
"They value the rivalry. The community values the rivalry," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "The game being that heated right up to the end was a positive thing."
Hall was sacked for the first time this season when the Aggies brought him down with 4:02 left in the game. The Cougars also had a field goal blocked and got a break when what had appeared to be a fumble was overturned by the officials.
Although the outcome was never in question, Utah State fans stayed until the very end to get every last taunt in at BYU, which hadn't visited Logan since 2002.
"It was a battle," Hall said. "They did some things on defense to confuse us."
Robert Turbin's touchdown with 13:47 to play ended the shutout streak that spanned two games and more than three full quarters. It started when BYU blocked an extra point attempt by Washington with 2 seconds remaining in a 28-27 win on Sept. 6, followed by shutouts of UCLA (59-0) and Wyoming (44-0).
The scoreless streak spanned 166 minutes, 15 seconds before Turbin's run cut the lead to 34-7.
"If we come out in the first half like we did in the second half, we would have had an opportunity to win this game," said Turbin, who had eight carries for 74 yards. "I don't want to say we came out tentative, but we came out in a way that we were trying to feel our way through."
Austin Collie caught both touchdown passes from Hall and Harvey Unga ran for 89 yards and a touchdown for the Cougars, who had 406 total yards. Brandon Bradley returned a fumble 38 yards for a touchdown for BYU.
"Those turnovers were a huge factor. They capitalized on all those like a Top Ten team will do to you," Utah state coach Brent Guy said.
BYU's offense barely got a workout in the first quarter Friday. The Cougars scored on their third play and another drive later in the period took just one play after Nixon's interception and a personal foul penalty gave the Cougars the ball at the 11.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-10-04-08 0219MDT
