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COUGARS TO FACE NEW MEXICO IN FINAL HOME GAME
After losing its first three MWC games, BYU has won two straight, including a 35-31 win over Wyoming on Saturday. Needing to win one of their final two games to become bowl-eligible, the Cougars will play host to New Mexico (5-5, 3-1) on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The Lobos will enter Saturday's game following a 15-8 victory against San Diego State. The game, which is scheduled for 4 p.m. (MT), will be broadcast locally on KSL-TV, Ch. 5 by SportsWest.
BROADCAST PLANS
Saturday's game will be broadcast live to a local television audience on KSL-TV. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. (MT). Tom Kirkland will call the action, with former BYU quarterback, Blaine Fowler, lending expert analysis. Fans can also tune to KSL 1160-AM with Greg Wrubell calling the action and Marc Lyons lending expert analysis. Bill Riley will report from the sidelines.
NEXT WEEK
Following Saturday's game against New Mexico, the Cougars will travel to Utah on Saturday, Nov. 23 for the final regular-season game of the year. Game time is slated for 1 p.m. (MT).
THE LOBOS
New Mexico enters this weekend's matchup needing to win two of its final three games in order to qualify for a post-season bowl bid. The Lobos improved their chances with a 15-8 victory over San Diego State on Saturday. Like BYU, New Mexico has won two straight games. A candidate for the cardiac award, the Lobos have had three overtime games this season, posting a 1-2 record. Casey Kelly leads the New Mexico offense, connecting on 126-of-219 attempts for 1,227 yards on the season. Kelly has recorded 8 touchdown completions, and is averaging 136.3 yards per game. Tailback Dontrell Moore has 1,227 rushing yards on the season, averaging 136.3 yards per game. All totaled, the Lobos are averaging 319.6 yards per game, and scoring an average 24.5 points per contest. Defensively, New Mexico has allowed 368.3 yards per game, and 27.3 points per contest. The Lobos are led by middle linebacker Charles Moss, who has a team-leading 83 tackles on the season. Defensive end Daniel Kegler, a 6-foot-3, 260-pound junior has recorded a team-high 6.5 sacks on the season. Two players, including Moss and Terrell Golden have two interceptions.
BYU vs. NEW MEXICO
Saturday's game will mark the 52nd meeting between BYU and New Mexico. The Cougars lead the series, 38-12-1. Additionally, BYU owns a 20-4 record when playing in Provo, including a streak of 14 straight wins in Edwards Stadium. The Cougars have not lost to New Mexico in Provo since a 14-0 UNM victory in 1971. New Mexico head coach Rocky Long, a native of Provo, Utah, is 0-3 against BYU. The Cougars have won 28 of the last 30 meeting, including 20 of the last 21 games. BYU has won four straight games after losing at New Mexico, 38-28, in 1997. Under current head coach, Gary Crowton, the Cougars are 1-0 against the Lobos, including last season's 24-20 Luke Staley-less win in Albuquerque. In Provo, the Cougars average 35.54 points against New Mexico, while holding the Lobos to just 16.8 points per contest.
A LOOK BACK (BYU 24, UNM 20)
Without Luke Staley, Brandon Doman took matters in his own hands and led the Cougars to another come-from-behind victory, defeating New Mexico, 24-20 in Albuquerque. Similar to the UNLV game two weeks before, the Cougars found themselves down three points late in the game. BYU again faced a fourth-down situation, but this time it was fourth-and-11. Doman ran the option behind some key blocks on the right side of the line, and took the ball for a first down to keep the drive alive. On the next play, Doman rolled right and threw off-balance into the end zone where Andrew Ord came down with the touchdown catch. Matt Payne connected on the PAT to give the Cougars a four-point lead. With Brian McDonald-Ashford sidelined with a knee injury, and Staley out while the University investigated his academic eligibility status, Ned Stearns took over and finished the game with 18 carries for a career-high 72 yards. Doman tried to make up for Staley's absence through the air, finishing the game 22-of-41 for 258 yards passing, three touchdowns and no interceptions. After the Cougars scored the go-ahead touchdown, cornerback Jernaro Gilford intercepted his second Casey Kelly pass to seal the BYU victory.
STILL BOWL HOPING
With its 35-31 win over Wyoming on Saturday, the Cougars (5-5, 2-3) remain in strong contention for one of the Mountain West Conference's four post-season bowl opportunities. Two MWC teams have already achieved the required six wins to become bowl-eligible, including Colorado State (8-2, 4-0) and Air Force (7-3, 3-2). Three additional teams are still alive, while San Diego State (3-7, 3-2), Utah (3-6, 1-4) and Wyoming (2-8, 1-4) have been eliminated from post-season bowl consideration. The Cougars have won five games on the season, and with two games remaining, BYU must win one of its final two games. BYU will play host to New Mexico on Saturday, and will travel to Utah on Nov. 23 for the season finale. New Mexico is also very much alive in the bowl hunt. The Lobos, like BYU, are also 5-5 on the season. However, with a 13-game schedule, they must win two of their final three games. New Mexico plays at BYU on Saturday, at Colorado State on Nov. 23 and will wrap-up the regular-season on Nov. 30 in Albuquerque against Wyoming. The winner of the Mountain West Conference will travel to Memphis, Tenn., Dec. 31 to take on the Conference USA champion in the Liberty Bowl. The Las Vegas Bowl will have second choice among the league's bowl-eligible teams. The MWC selection will face the Pac-10's fifth selection. The game will be played at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas on Christmas Day. The third MWC selection will travel to the first-ever San Francisco Bowl on Dec. 31. The Mountain West selection will face a Big East opponent at Pac Bell Park. Finally, a fourth MWC selection will travel to the second-annual Seattle Bowl, facing a sixth selection from the ACC. The game will be played at the new Seahawk Stadium on Dec. 30.
COUGARS ENDS THREE-GAME LOSING STREAK
BYU posted its second straight win on Saturday, defeating Wyoming, 35-31, improving to an even 5-5 on the season, and 2-3 in MWC action. The Cougars overcame a 14-point run by the Cowboys in the second half, and added a late fourth-quarter touchdown to regain the lead. Quarterback Matt Berry found tight end Gabe Reid for a 4-yard touchdown strike with 3:28 remaining to give the Cougars the game-winning touchdown. The BYU defense then held Wyoming on four straight plays to take over on downs at the BYU 17-yard line with 1:45 remaining. Berry finished with a strong performance, completing 31-of-45 passing for a career-high 360 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Saturday's game was also a night of milestones for wide receiver Reno Mahe, who finished the night with six receptions for 80 yards. Mahe passed Todd Christenson for sixth place on the Cougars all-time career receptions list with 157 receptions and also moved in to 10th place on the all-time career yardage list with 2,067 career catches. Running back Marcus Whalen, recorded his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season, racking up 124 yards on 26 carries and one touchdown and moving to within 149 yards of a 1,000-yard rushing season.
POST-GAME NOTES
• Attendance at Saturday's game vs. Wyoming (61,689) marked the fourth largest home crowd of the season. The Cougars are averaging a league-leading 62,458 fans per game.
• Wyoming rover Jacque Finn picked off BYU quarterback Matt Berry at the goal line and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown, cutting the BYU lead to 28-23. Finn's interception marked the second pick a BYU opponent has returned for a touchdown this season, and ties the longest interception return by an opponent in BYU football history. The most recent was by UTEP's Michael Hicks during the 1996 season.
• The Cougars converted a season-best 11-of-16 (.688) third-down attempts, while the BYU defense held the Cowboys to just 4-of-11 (.364) attempts. It was the third time this season the BYU defense has held an opponent to four (or less) third-down conversions.
• Redshirt freshman quarterback Matt Berry completed 31 attempts for 360 yards, marking his first career 300-yard passing performance. Berry also completed three touchdowns and had two interceptions. Trailing 31-28 with 8:59 remaining, Berry orchestrated a 10-play, 80-yard drive, capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Gabe Reid for the game-winning touchdown.
• BYU senior receiver Reno Mahe finished the night with 80 yards receiving on 6 receptions. With his performance, Mahe moved in to 10th place on the all-time receiving list with 2,067 yards. Mahe needs just 139 yards to eclipse Mike Chirstopher's mark of 2,205 career yards for 9th place. Mahe also moved up the career receptions list, recording his 157th career reception to move in to sixth place, passing Todd Christensen who had 152 receptions.
• BYU tight end Spencer Nead scored his first touchdown of the season on a 15-yard reception from quarterback Matt Berry. Nead finished the night with 6 receptions for 72 yards.
• For the seventh time this season, the Cougars failed to score in the first quarter of play.
• Matt Berry's 4-yard touchdown completion to Gabe Reid with 3:28 remaining in the game marked Reid's team-leading fifth touchdown reception of the season. It is the third time in the past five games the two have connected for a touchdown.
• BYU scored 21 points in the second quarter, marking the most points scored in a single quarter this season. Its previous high was 14 points against Utah State on Oct. 4. The Cougars' 21 points also marked the most points scored in the first half since posting 21 against Syracuse in the season-opener.
• BYU sophomore running back Marcus Whalen carried the ball 26 times for 124 yards, marking his fifth 100-yard game of the season. Whalen needs just 149 yards to reach 1,000 yards on the season.
28 STRAIGHT WINNING SEASONS ON THE LINE
A win on Saturday would ensure the Cougars of their 29th straight non-losing regular-season. Following a 63-33 win over Air Force on Oct. 20, 2001, the Cougars claimed their 28th straight non-losing season. BYU has not had a losing campaign since posting a 5-6 mark in 1973--former head coach LaVell Edward's second season as head coach. The Cougars' streak of 28 straight seasons ranks 11th all-time at the NCAA Division I-A level and is currently the third longest non-losing streak in the nation. (Nebraska ranks No. 1 with 40 straight seasons without a losing campaign.)
THE STREAK IS STILL ALIVE ... 348 GAMES AND COUNTING
With Marcus Whalen's 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter against Wyoming, BYU extended its NCAA record streak to 348 games without being shutout. BYU was last shutout during the 1975 season (Sept. 27, 1975 vs. Arizona State.) The Cougars don't have a single person on their 2002 roster that was alive the last time BYU was shut out.
BERRY NAMED MWC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Redshirt freshman quarterback Matt Berry was named the Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Cougars to a 35-31 victory over Wyoming on Saturday. The 6-foot-6, right-hander completed a career-high 31-of-45 (.689) attempts for 360 yards. Berry completed three touchdown passes against the Cowboys, including the game-winning toss to tight-end Spencer Nead. Trailing 31-28, Berry orchestrated a 12-play, 64-yard drive late in the fourth quarter to give BYU the go-ahead touchdown. Facing fourth-and-inches at the Wyoming 8-yard line, Berry drove through the middle on the quarterback-keeper to pick up the crucial first down. Two plays later, Berry found Reid in the endzone for the game-winning touchdown. Berry's 300-yard performance marked the Cougars' first 300-yard passing performance since Bret Engemann opened the season with 386 yards against Syracuse. Berry leads the BYU roster with 7 touchdown completions, and has thrown for 1,069 yards, averaging over 267 yards per game. Berry is the fourth BYU player to earn MWC Player-of-the-Week honors. (Bret Engemann, Sept. 1; Curtis Brown, Oct. 7; Matt Payne, Nov. 4) Following his collegiate debut -- a respectable 6-of-8 performance for 95 yards against Air Force, BYU head coach Gary Crowton announced Berry would be the Cougars' starting quarterback against UNLV. The Redmond, Wash., native became the first redshirt freshman to start at quarterback since Ty Detmer back in 1988. Berry is also the first starting quarterback to wear jersey No. 8 since Steve Young. In his first start since his senior season at Redmond (Wash.) High School, back in Nov., 1998, Berry completed 14-of-27 (.519) attempts for 186 yards against the Rebels. In his second start, against Colorado State, Berry got off to a respectable pace, connecting on 7 of his first 7 attempts for 82 yards. He did not throw an incompletion until the 9:34 mark of the third quarter. In the second half, he was 10-of-19 for 66 yards, finishing the night with a 65.4 completion percentage. In the second quarter, Berry led the Cougars on an 84-yard drive, capped by a one-yard run -- his first career rushing touchdown. In his third career start, Berry led BYU to a commanding 34-10 victory over league co-leader San Diego State. He threw for 280 yards on 19-of-31 (.613) attempts and completed 3 touchdown completions, including a 37-yard strike to Jason Kukahiko in the first quarter, a 4-yard screen pass to Reno Mahe in the third quarter, and a 27-yard, game-clinching 27-yard completion to Reid. Berry gained valuable experience during the JV season, completing 12-of-23 attempts for 144 yards against top-ranked Dixie State College, including a touchdown pass to Kish Beverley. Against Snow College, Berry led the Cougar offense on an 80-yard drive, finishing with a 28-yard touchdown pass to tight end Andy Hadfield.
