No. 17 BYU routs San Diego State 41-12


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PROVO, Utah (AP) -- Max Hall threw three touchdown passes and Austin Collie had his eighth straight 100-yard receiving game for No. 17 BYU, which set a school record with its 18th straight home win by beating San Diego State 41-12 Saturday.

The Cougars (9-1, 5-1) went unbeaten at home for the third straight season and stayed alive in their quest for a third straight Mountain West Conference title.

BYU scored the first 27 points, then after two field goals by San Diego State, Hall found Collie for two more touchdowns early in the fourth quarter against the injury-plagued Aztecs (1-9, 0-6).

San Diego State had four turnovers, including a fumble on the second-half kickoff that set up a quick score to put BYU up 27-0 early in the third quarter.

After winning the past two by a total of 10 points, the Cougars got a much-welcomed blowout to cap their home season.

Hall completed 25 of 30 passes for 317 yards and Collie had nine catches for 127 yards. Seniors Fui Vakapuna and Wayne Latu ran for touchdowns in their final home game for the Cougars, who had 421 yards and held the Aztecs to 280 yards.

BYU needs to close the season with wins at Air Force and No. 10 Utah for at least a share of a third straight conference title.

Lane Yoshida kicked two field goals in the third quarter for San Diego State, which added a touchdown in the final minute on a 9-yard pass from Ryan Lindley to Darren Mougey.

San Diego State has been hurt by injuries this season. Only seven Aztecs have started every game and 40 players have had at least one start for coach Chuck Long.

Collie had 48 yards receiving at the end of the third, then took a short pass from Hall and ran it in for a 61-yard touchdown early in the fourth to break 100 for the eighth straight game and put BYU up 34-6.

The Aztecs gambled a couple of times in the first quarter while trying to keep the ball out of the Cougars' hands. San Diego State converted on a fourth-and-1 and later a fake punt. If either play had failed, BYU would have taken over around midfield and had only a short distance to go.

San Diego State's first play was telling. Lindley lined up in the shotgun and wasn't ready for the snap, which hit him in the facemask and BYU recovered at the 49-yard line. The Cougars took seven plays to reach the end zone on Vakapuna's 7-yard run with 9:42 left in the first quarter.

The Aztecs' beleaguered defense held BYU to 10 points, then finally broke in the second quarter. Hall threw a 56-yard pass to Michael Reed, then a 6-yard touchdown pass to Andrew George to put BYU up 17-0 with 5:19 left in the half. David Nixon, also playing in his final home game, got the Cougars the ball back with an interception at the 32 and BYU added a field goal by Mitch Payne to take a 20-0 lead at halftime.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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