PROVO — Finally.

BYU players and coaches breathed a long sigh of relief and lingered on the field with former standout running back Jamaal Williams and other luminaries after snapping a seven-game losing skid Saturday with a 41-20 win over San Jose State.

The Spartans (1-8) were on their own losing streak under first-year coach Evan Brennan, but the Cougars (2-7) were riding their longest skid since 1968, when they finished 2-8.

“It was nice to be able to get a lead and to not have to play from behind and catch up while getting tight,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “We got ourselves in a hole way too many times in a lot of games. Our goal was to get some confidence, establish an identity and to work on it throughout the game.”

KJ Hall ran for 112 yards and a touchdown, and quarterback Tanner Mangum completed 18-of-34 passes for 283 yards, three touchdowns and an interception for the Cougars.

The win came in front of 46,451 fans at LaVell Edwards Stadium, the smallest crowd for a football game since stadium expansion in 1982.

Here are three thoughts on a much-needed win in Provo.

Aggression giveth, aggression taketh away

BYU’s more aggressive mindset led to an early 14-0 lead, but it also led to an early interception by Mangum on a tipped pass attempt in the first quarter.

On the subsequent drive, Dayan Ghanwoloku had an interception of his own — that was called back by a roughing-the-passer call against BYU linebacker Butch Pau’u.

BYU’s defense added to its turnover haul with an interception by Michael Shelton, giving the Cougars three turnovers — just in the first half. The Cougars forced six fumbles, recovered four of them, and extended the field with 7.8 yards per play — including an eye-popping 11.2 yards per rush from Hall.

“Right off the bat, we went to take some shots and that’s what we wanted to do,” Mangum said. “We practiced it all week, to play with an aggressive mindset. It was fun to see a lot of guys making plays out there.

Overall, the aggressive play paid off against a woeful San Jose State team. The Cougars finished with a season-high five turnovers forced, including four recovered fumbles and two fumbles that involved defensive back Zayne Anderson.

“San Jose State made some mistakes, and we were able to capitalize,” Sitake said. “Our guys were in the right spot.

“Our guys work hard. They give us the effort, and if we can do the right thing as coaches, we can get them ready to win.”

El-Bakri unleashed on special teams

Sitake’s game-week call to be “more aggressive” was heeded by fullback Brayden El-Bakri. In addition to his role on the offense, the former Brighton High standout took to special teams on kickoff coverage, and made his presence felt.

His personal aggressive mindset helped the Cougars start the game with a quick 14-0 advantage.

The 6-foot, 240-pound junior raced downfield and forced a fumble on the kickoff after BYU went up 7-0 with its first offensive series. The brutal hit — which forced a significant stoppage and was initially called targeting before being overturned on review — was a clear aggressive mindset for a team that had lost seven in a row for the first time since 1968.

“Brayden El-Bakri was a big-time player for us early on,” Sitake said. “He’s a tough kid, and probably one of our better guys on kickoffs and special teams.

“He has a knack for making tackles and big plays. And he can run the ball, too.”

El-Bakri made two tackles on special teams, and ended with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He also ran for 21 yards on three carries while hefting his lead blocker duties.

San Jose State is not a good team, but a win's a win

Make no mistake; this isn’t a “good” win — but it is a necessary win for BYU.

The Cougars’ seven-game losing streak was the longest in 49 years, and morale was plummeting after a pair of off-the-field incidents that came to light over the week.

Yes, the Spartans entered the game ranked 114th nationally on offense, scoring 16.4 points per game. Indeed, the Spartans were 119th nationally on defense, allowing 41.4 points per game.

But in a season that has proven to be harder than any BYU player or coach ever imagined, a win’s a win.

BYU will take it any way it can get it.

“We still have a lot to fix, but I’m just pleased that we got the win,” Sitake said. “It’s something that we’ve been needing, and I’m excited for that.”

Hall had the second 100-yard rushing game of his career, and the Cougars topped 300 yards of offense — in the first half. BYU finished with season highs in points (41), yards (439) and turnovers forced (four).

BYU finished with a season-best 598 yards of offense, and Mangum threw for three touchdowns in a game, the first since a win over Utah State in 2015.

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