2007 BYU Cougars football team
Encyclopedia
The 2007 BYU Cougars football team represented Brigham Young University
(BYU) in the 2007 college football season
.
In this year BYU clinched its second consecutive Mountain West Conference
(MWC) championship title outright after defeating Utah on 24 November. It was BYU's second consecutive, undefeated season in the MWC, its fourth MWC championship since the league began in 1999, and its 23rd conference title. At the beginning of the season the Cougars had won an MWC record 16 straight league games dating back to 2005 and were on a ten game overall winning streak, the longest winning streak in the country at the time. The Cougars began the season with the second longest winning streak in the country at 11 wins until their loss to UCLA in the second regular season game. The Cougars ended this season ranked 14th in the nation, highest of all schools from non-AQ conferences. This finish was the highest back-to-back rankings in the AP Poll since the Cougars won the national championship in 1984.
The Cougars improved their bowl record for the second year in a row. They defeated UCLA
17-16 in 2007 and blew out the Oregon Ducks
38-8 in 2006 in the Las Vegas Bowl
at Sam Boyd Stadium
in Las Vegas, Nevada
.
The Cougars played their home games at LaVell Edwards Stadium
, named after its legendary coach, LaVell Edwards
.
. On the third snap during the April 14 scrimmage, Cooper suffered a season-ending injury (Lisfranc fracture
). Hall was named the starting quarterback the following Monday, and Brendan Gaskins as the back-up. Jacob Bower transferred out in late January. Cooper then decided to transfer in July.
Among the 7 returning starters on offense and the 5 returning starters on defense are: Sete Aulai (center), Travis Bright
and Ray Feinga
(offensive guards), Dallas Reynolds
(Offensive Tackle), Manase Tonga
(fullback), Matt Allen and Michael Reed (wide receivers), Jan Jorgensen (defensive end), Bryan Kehl
and David Nixon
(linebackers), Ben Criddle (cornerback), and Quinn Gooch (free safety). Dustin Gabriel had a foot injury during Fall camp to end his 2007 season, and make him unable to start as KAT. Russell Tialavea, nose tackle, went out in Fall camp with a torn ACL and MCL.
Fall camp started August 4. In the preseason, several players suffered foot and leg injuries (Gabriel, Tafuna, Cooper), like Lisfranc fractures, that may be related to the Nike shoes the players were wearing.
(MWC) eagerly hoped for progress on national distribution of the MountainWest Sports Network
(the mtn.), particularly on satellite. DirecTV
continued to negotiate with Comcast
for distribution in the MWC "footprint", but Dish Network
discontinued negotiations until the FCC resolved a legal question regarding the Big Ten Network (BTN) that could potentially affect the mtn. While satellite distribution seems closer, national distribution appears unlikely for the 2007 season. Currently Dallas-Fort Worth
is the only remaining MWC market that has no provider for the mtn.
was named to the Rivals
Freshman All-America
Second Team. Unga, has 1,211 rushing yards and 629 receiving yards for the season, is the Cougars' all-time leading freshman running back and the first BYU freshman to pass the 1,000-yard mark in a single season. He has rushed for over 100 yards in seven games this season, the most for a freshman at BYU. He is five yards short of the MWC all-time leading freshman running back.
Senior wide receiver Matt Allen was named one of 11 finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy
.
First Team Offense: Max Hall
, Dennis Pitta
, Ray Feinga
, Dallas Reynolds
, Harvey Unga
* and Austin Collie
*.
First Team Defense: Jan Jorgensen and Bryan Kehl
.
Second Team Offense: Austin Collie
and Harvey Unga
.
Second Team Defense: Kelly Poppinga
.
Honorable Mention: Austin Collie
(KR) and Quinn Gooch
* CFN only
took his first snap in Division I football after a 4-year hiatus of not playing a real game since high school, and the Wildcats began their first year using a version of BYU's spread offense. BYU's experienced defense held the Wildcats scoreless until the last minute of the game. Bronco took blame for calling a blitz that allowed an Arizona touchdown. The offensive line was solid allowing Hall to show his competence with 66% completion, 288 passing yards and some decent scrambles. Unga impressed with 196 all-purpose yards. But special teams revealed room for improvement. Starting BYU fullback Manase Tonga
was suspended only for this game due to an arrest related to a traffic stop. BYU Backup inside linebacker Terrance Hooks was also suspended for this game. At half time, BYU retired the number 14 at halftime in honor of Gifford Nielsen
and Ty Detmer
. Hodgkiss will continue to use the number until the end of the season. Redshirt Freshman, Harvey Unga
was named the MWC Offensive Player of the Week with 67 yards rushing, 127 yards receiving, and two touchdowns.
Arizona Leads Series 11-9-1
, who originally committed to BYU, transferred to UCLA after his mission and was the starting quarterback for the Bruins. The Bruins jumped out to a commanding lead at the end of the first half scoring their first touchdown on a 56 yard interception. The Cougars drew within 3 points in the third quarter, and were poised to pull ahead reaching the "blue zone" with less than 6 minutes in the game. However a forced fumble, as Hall intended to pass, stopped the Cougars final, successful drive. Max Hall
outplayed Olson; he impressed completing 30 of 52 passes for 391 yards compared to Olson's 126 yards. Despite the score, the Cougars outplayed the Bruins, even in the first half; the Cougars got 431 total yards to the Bruins' 236, but 11 penalties and 3 turnovers cost the Cougars the game. This game ended the Cougars 11 game winning streak and their best chance at a run for a BCS bowl game this year.
UCLA Leads Series 7-1
BYU Leads Series 6-1
BYU Leads Series 22-6
BYU Leads Series 42-14-1
BYU Leads Series 11-3
BYU Leads Series 1-0
BYU Leads Series 35-27-3
BYU Leads Series 7-2
and Robbie Bosco
for passing yards in their first 10 games as a starter. Hall went out in the third quarter after suffering a shoulder separation.
BYU Leads Series 39-30-3
is typically the most anticipated conference game for each of these two teams. In 2006, the rivalry was ranked in the Wall Street Journal as the 4th best college football rivalry game in the country. (See also Utah-BYU rivalry
.) This was the 83rd game between Utah and BYU with the series going 49-30-4 for Utah since 1922. Utah dominated the series 34-2-4 through 1964. Since that time BYU has led the series 28-15. Utah's 4-game-winning-streak against BYU ended last year with a game-winning, last-second play. In 2007, BYU achieved its first back-to-back wins over Utah since 2000-2001.
The game was largely a defensive struggle until the last few minutes of the fourth quarter. The Utes took the lead 10-9 when Darrell Mack scored the first touchdown of the game with just 1:34 left. On the ensuing possession, however, BYU converted on fourth and eighteen from their own 12 with a 49-yard pass from Max Hall to Austin Collie. Harvey Unga made the game-winning touchdown run with 38 seconds remaining, and Austin Collie caught a pass in the back of the end zone for a two-point conversion, putting the Cougars up 17-10. Unga became BYU's first freshman running back to gain 1,000 rushing yards in a season. This was also Collie's 6th game for over 97 yards receiving. BYU racked up 424 offensive yards to Utah's 244. Unga was named the MWC Offensive Player of the Week, and freshman kicker, Mitch Payne, was named MWC Special Teams Player of the Week making 3 of 4 field goals.
Utah Leads Series 49-30-4
BYU leads the series 24-7-1
quarterback Max Hall went 21-35 for 231 yards and two touchdowns. Manase Tonga led the rushing with 3 carries for 21 yards. The MVP of the game, Austin Collie had 6 catches for 107 yards and 1 touchdown. For UCLA, quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson went 11-27 for 154 yards and 1 touchdown and interception. The rushing game was led by Chris Markey who ran 27 times for 117 yards. This was the first time the Cougars gave up 100 yards rushing to a single player. Bethel-Thompson's favorite target was Brandon Breazell who caught 4 passes for 44 yards and 1 touchdown. The Bruins struck first with a 22 yard Kai Forbath field goal. A 29 yard field goal by BYU kicker Mitch Payne made it 3-3 after the 1st quarter. In the 2nd, Hall hooked up with Austin Collie for 14 yards and a touchdown to make it 10-3. Forbath then hit a 52 yard field goal to cut the lead to 10-6. With 1:03 left in the 1st half, Hall found Michael Reed for 13 yards and a touchdown. As time expired, Bethel-Thompson hit Breazell to make it 17-13 in favor of BYU at the end of the 2nd quarter. There was no scoring in the 3rd. In the 4th, Forbath made it 17-16 with a 50 yard field goal. BYU punted to UCLA with around 2 minutes left to set up a final drive for the Bruins. Bethel-Thompson, a fourth-string walk-on quarterback, along with Chris Markey drove to the BYU 49. On 3rd and 8 Bethel-Thompson hit Logan Paulsen to get to the BYU 13. That set up a chip-shot 28 yard field goal for Forbath, who already hit 2 50+ yarders. The kick was too low and Manumaleuna blocked it and sealed the game for the Cougars.
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU) in the 2007 college football season
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
.
In this year BYU clinched its second consecutive Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
(MWC) championship title outright after defeating Utah on 24 November. It was BYU's second consecutive, undefeated season in the MWC, its fourth MWC championship since the league began in 1999, and its 23rd conference title. At the beginning of the season the Cougars had won an MWC record 16 straight league games dating back to 2005 and were on a ten game overall winning streak, the longest winning streak in the country at the time. The Cougars began the season with the second longest winning streak in the country at 11 wins until their loss to UCLA in the second regular season game. The Cougars ended this season ranked 14th in the nation, highest of all schools from non-AQ conferences. This finish was the highest back-to-back rankings in the AP Poll since the Cougars won the national championship in 1984.
The Cougars improved their bowl record for the second year in a row. They defeated UCLA
2007 UCLA Bruins football team
The 2007 UCLA Bruins football team represented UCLA in the college football 2007-2008 season. They played their home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and were coached by Karl Dorrell for the regular season. It was Dorrell's fifth, and final season as the UCLA head coach. UCLA's...
17-16 in 2007 and blew out the Oregon Ducks
2006 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2006 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon in college football's 2006 season. The team was coached by Mike Bellotti and played their home games in Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, United States....
38-8 in 2006 in the Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
The Maaco Bowl Las Vegas is an NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. since 1992. From 1992 to 1996, matchups featured the champion teams from the Big West and Mid-American...
at Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium is a football stadium located in Whitney, Nevada, an unincorporated community in the Las Vegas metropolitan area; the mailing address of the stadium is "Las Vegas". The stadium is named after Sam Boyd, a major figure in the hotel/casino industry in Las Vegas. The stadium consists...
in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
.
The Cougars played their home games at LaVell Edwards Stadium
LaVell Edwards Stadium
LaVell Edwards Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Provo, Utah, on the campus of Brigham Young University. Primarily used for college football, it is the home field of the BYU Cougars....
, named after its legendary coach, LaVell Edwards
LaVell Edwards
R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time...
.
Pre-season
Spring Practice started March 19 and ended April 14 at the annual Blue/White Spring game. The key question was who will fill the empty quarterback position left behind by John Beck: Max Hall, a redshirt sophomore, or Cade Cooper, a junior college transfer from Snow CollegeSnow College
Snow College is a rural, two-year state college located in Ephraim, Utah, U.S. It offers certificates and associate degrees in a number of areas...
. On the third snap during the April 14 scrimmage, Cooper suffered a season-ending injury (Lisfranc fracture
Lisfranc fracture
The Lisfranc fracture is a fracture of the foot in which one or all of the metatarsals are displaced from the tarsus.It is named after 18th- and 19th-century surgeon and gynecologist Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin.-Causes:...
). Hall was named the starting quarterback the following Monday, and Brendan Gaskins as the back-up. Jacob Bower transferred out in late January. Cooper then decided to transfer in July.
Among the 7 returning starters on offense and the 5 returning starters on defense are: Sete Aulai (center), Travis Bright
Travis Bright
Travis Bright is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was signed an undrafted free agent in 2009 by the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at BYU.-High school career:...
and Ray Feinga
Ray Feinga
Leimoni "Ray" Feinga is an American football guard who is currently a member of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
(offensive guards), Dallas Reynolds
Dallas Reynolds
-Philadelphia Eagles:Reynolds was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles on April 27, 2009. He was waived on September 5, 2009, but was re-signed to the Eagles' practice squad on October 21 after Mike Gibson was signed off the practice squad by the Seattle Seahawks...
(Offensive Tackle), Manase Tonga
Manase Tonga
Manase Tonga is an American football fullback who is currently a member of the Oakland Raiders practice squad. He was signed by the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2010, cut at the conclusion of the preseason, and subsequently signed to the Practice squad...
(fullback), Matt Allen and Michael Reed (wide receivers), Jan Jorgensen (defensive end), Bryan Kehl
Bryan Kehl
Bryan Kehl is an American football linebacker for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Brigham Young....
and David Nixon
David Nixon
David Nixon was an English magician and television personality. At the height of his career, Nixon was the best-known magician in the UK.-Early life:...
(linebackers), Ben Criddle (cornerback), and Quinn Gooch (free safety). Dustin Gabriel had a foot injury during Fall camp to end his 2007 season, and make him unable to start as KAT. Russell Tialavea, nose tackle, went out in Fall camp with a torn ACL and MCL.
Fall camp started August 4. In the preseason, several players suffered foot and leg injuries (Gabriel, Tafuna, Cooper), like Lisfranc fractures, that may be related to the Nike shoes the players were wearing.
MountainWest Sports Network
Fans, coaches, players, and officials of the Mountain West ConferenceMountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
(MWC) eagerly hoped for progress on national distribution of the MountainWest Sports Network
MountainWest Sports Network
MountainWest Sports Network, informally known as the mtn. , is an American regional sports network dedicated to the Mountain West Conference.-History:...
(the mtn.), particularly on satellite. DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
continued to negotiate with Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
for distribution in the MWC "footprint", but Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
discontinued negotiations until the FCC resolved a legal question regarding the Big Ten Network (BTN) that could potentially affect the mtn. While satellite distribution seems closer, national distribution appears unlikely for the 2007 season. Currently Dallas-Fort Worth
Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
is the only remaining MWC market that has no provider for the mtn.
During the season
The Cougars were ranked #25 in Sporting News pre-season ranking. They started the season unranked in the Coaches Poll (with 47 votes) and unranked in the AP Poll (with 14 votes).Injuries
Garret Reden suffered a season ending injury. Starting free safety, Quinn Gooch ended his season when he tore his ACL in the second half of the TCU game.Postseason awards and citations
Freshman Harvey UngaHarvey Unga
-Chicago Bears:Unga was selected by the Chicago Bears with a seventh round selection in the 2010 Supplemental Draft. He was signed to a four-year contract on July 21, 2010....
was named to the Rivals
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
Freshman All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
Second Team. Unga, has 1,211 rushing yards and 629 receiving yards for the season, is the Cougars' all-time leading freshman running back and the first BYU freshman to pass the 1,000-yard mark in a single season. He has rushed for over 100 yards in seven games this season, the most for a freshman at BYU. He is five yards short of the MWC all-time leading freshman running back.
Senior wide receiver Matt Allen was named one of 11 finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy
Wuerffel Trophy
The Wuerffel Trophy is an award given annually by the All Sports Association of Fort Walton Beach, Florida to the college football player "who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement." It is named for Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel, a former football...
.
All-Mountain West Conference Football Teams
Harvey Unga was named as the MWC Freshman of the Year, BYU's third recipient of that award following Luke Staley in 1999 and Austin Collie in 2004.First Team Offense: Max Hall
Max Hall
Max Hall is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at BYU.-Early years:...
, Dennis Pitta
Dennis Pitta
-Baltimore Ravens:Pitta was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was signed to a three-year contract on June 21, 2010.-External links:**...
, Ray Feinga
Ray Feinga
Leimoni "Ray" Feinga is an American football guard who is currently a member of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
, Dallas Reynolds
Dallas Reynolds
-Philadelphia Eagles:Reynolds was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles on April 27, 2009. He was waived on September 5, 2009, but was re-signed to the Eagles' practice squad on October 21 after Mike Gibson was signed off the practice squad by the Seattle Seahawks...
, Harvey Unga
Harvey Unga
-Chicago Bears:Unga was selected by the Chicago Bears with a seventh round selection in the 2010 Supplemental Draft. He was signed to a four-year contract on July 21, 2010....
* and Austin Collie
Austin Collie
Austin Kirk Collie is a Canadian-American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Colts in the fourth round in the 2009 NFL Draft...
*.
First Team Defense: Jan Jorgensen and Bryan Kehl
Bryan Kehl
Bryan Kehl is an American football linebacker for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Brigham Young....
.
Second Team Offense: Austin Collie
Austin Collie
Austin Kirk Collie is a Canadian-American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Colts in the fourth round in the 2009 NFL Draft...
and Harvey Unga
Harvey Unga
-Chicago Bears:Unga was selected by the Chicago Bears with a seventh round selection in the 2010 Supplemental Draft. He was signed to a four-year contract on July 21, 2010....
.
Second Team Defense: Kelly Poppinga
Kelly Poppinga
Kelly Scott Poppinga is an American football linebackers coach for the Brigham Young University. Poppinga was an American football linebacker. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Brigham Young.Poppinga has also been a member of the...
.
Honorable Mention: Austin Collie
Austin Collie
Austin Kirk Collie is a Canadian-American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Colts in the fourth round in the 2009 NFL Draft...
(KR) and Quinn Gooch
Schedule
Arizona
This was the 21st game between Arizona and BYU. BYU was favored to win in this defensive contest. BYU quarterback Max HallMax Hall
Max Hall is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at BYU.-Early years:...
took his first snap in Division I football after a 4-year hiatus of not playing a real game since high school, and the Wildcats began their first year using a version of BYU's spread offense. BYU's experienced defense held the Wildcats scoreless until the last minute of the game. Bronco took blame for calling a blitz that allowed an Arizona touchdown. The offensive line was solid allowing Hall to show his competence with 66% completion, 288 passing yards and some decent scrambles. Unga impressed with 196 all-purpose yards. But special teams revealed room for improvement. Starting BYU fullback Manase Tonga
Manase Tonga
Manase Tonga is an American football fullback who is currently a member of the Oakland Raiders practice squad. He was signed by the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2010, cut at the conclusion of the preseason, and subsequently signed to the Practice squad...
was suspended only for this game due to an arrest related to a traffic stop. BYU Backup inside linebacker Terrance Hooks was also suspended for this game. At half time, BYU retired the number 14 at halftime in honor of Gifford Nielsen
Gifford Nielsen
Gifford Nielsen is a former NFL quarterback who played for the Houston Oilers. He announced his retirement as the sports director of KHOU-TV in Houston, TX, on March 30, 2009...
and Ty Detmer
Ty Detmer
Ty Hubert Detmer is a former National Football League and NCAA quarterback. He starred at Brigham Young University, where he set many records and won the Heisman Trophy in 1990...
. Hodgkiss will continue to use the number until the end of the season. Redshirt Freshman, Harvey Unga
Harvey Unga
-Chicago Bears:Unga was selected by the Chicago Bears with a seventh round selection in the 2010 Supplemental Draft. He was signed to a four-year contract on July 21, 2010....
was named the MWC Offensive Player of the Week with 67 yards rushing, 127 yards receiving, and two touchdowns.
Arizona Leads Series 11-9-1
UCLA
This was the 8th game between UCLA and BYU with UCLA favored to win by 8 points or so. This game was widely considered to be the Cougars' toughest regular season game. Emotions were high as Ben OlsonBen Olson
Benjamen James Olson is an American football quarterback. He played for the UCLA Bruins football team. He excelled in football at Thousand Oaks High School, earning high school All-American honors in 2001....
, who originally committed to BYU, transferred to UCLA after his mission and was the starting quarterback for the Bruins. The Bruins jumped out to a commanding lead at the end of the first half scoring their first touchdown on a 56 yard interception. The Cougars drew within 3 points in the third quarter, and were poised to pull ahead reaching the "blue zone" with less than 6 minutes in the game. However a forced fumble, as Hall intended to pass, stopped the Cougars final, successful drive. Max Hall
Max Hall
Max Hall is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at BYU.-Early years:...
outplayed Olson; he impressed completing 30 of 52 passes for 391 yards compared to Olson's 126 yards. Despite the score, the Cougars outplayed the Bruins, even in the first half; the Cougars got 431 total yards to the Bruins' 236, but 11 penalties and 3 turnovers cost the Cougars the game. This game ended the Cougars 11 game winning streak and their best chance at a run for a BCS bowl game this year.
UCLA Leads Series 7-1
Tulsa
This was the 7th game between Tulsa and BYU. The Cougars defeated the Golden Hurricane 49-24 in Provo last season, but were handed a loss in this game. Coach Mendenhall took responsibility for the loss; he stated that he did not prepare the team for the superior offensive prowess Tulsa possessed. Tulsa's offense was led by its senior quarterback, Paul Smith, who drew BYU's secondary out of their zones and then threw over the top for large gains several times. BYU's defense adjusted well in the second half, nevertheless, the team was also plagued with 14 penalties for 138 yards, 4 turnovers including a pick six for 49 yards early in the third quarter, and some poor kicking (including 2 missed PATs and a 29 yard field goal attempt). Statistically BYU gained more yards than Tulsa in this shootout at 694 yards versus 595 yards of total offense. Collie impressed with 8 kick returns for 237 yards, and Hall passed for 537 yards, but not enough for the offense to seize the win.BYU Leads Series 6-1
Air Force
This was the 28th game between Air Force and BYU for BYU's Homecoming game. Air Force hired new head coach Troy Calhoun this year after Fisher DeBerry retired.BYU Leads Series 22-6
New Mexico
This win was the 57th game between New Mexico and BYU. BYU beat the Lobos 42-17 on Senior Day last year. This game featured the MWC's leading passer, UNM's Porterie, and was expected to test BYU's secondary particularly after the Cougar's shootout with Tulsa. The game was tied at the end of the third quarter with a 71 yard touchdown reception by the Lobo's running back, Ferguson, and a 2-point conversion after BYU jumped out to lead with a pick six by Kehl in the first 2 minutes of the game and took advantage of five turnovers and a blocked PAT by Criddle. Overall the Cougars showed balance and performed well in all aspects of the game on both sides of the ball. Bryan Kehl was named the MWC Defensive Player of the Week with 10 tackles including a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception for a 36-yard touchdown.BYU Leads Series 42-14-1
UNLV
This was the 14th game between UNLV and BYU. BYU won the last meeting, 52-7, in 2006 and was favored to win this game by 10 points. The game was at Sam Boyd Stadium, and will be Family Weekend for UNLV. It was estimated that 15,000 BYU fans attended the game.BYU Leads Series 11-3
Eastern Washington
This was the first matchup between Eastern Washington and BYU. Corby Hodgkiss took a 39-yard touchdown interception on Eastern Washington's first drive. Bryan Kehl and Quinn Gooch also came away with an interception each. Due to weather and an early defensive touchdown, BYU went away from the pass fairly early. The final quarter was one of the shortest in recent memory as the refs were very liberal with the clock. This was mostly due to the fact the score was 42-7 and there was a blizzard. The last 10 minutes in the game it was hard to see the field yet the cougar faithful cheered loudly until the end.BYU Leads Series 1-0
Colorado State
This was the 65th game between Colorado State and BYU. BYU beat the Rams 24-3 on the road in 2006. BYU extended its conference record to 4-0 (including a conference win-streak of 12-0), its home-win-streak to 10-0, and became bowl eligible. The Rams reached the redzone 3 times in the first half, but only came away with one field goal. Hall completed 22 of 30 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns, and his first game with no interceptions. Unga rushed 11 times for 51 yards making him BYU's all-time leading freshman running back with a season total of 735 yards. Unga also grabbed three receptions for 110 yards including a 53 yard catch and scramble. Collie caught 8 balls for 111 yards including a 45 yard touchdown reception. Pitta added a 45 yard reception in the final quarter. Gooch took his second interception of the season, and Jorgensen added 2.5 sacks to lead the team with 6.5 sacks. Gaskins came in for Hall in the last minutes of the game to throw his first pass in a Division I FBS game which resulted in an interception and a 31 yard return for a CSU touchdown.BYU Leads Series 35-27-3
TCU
This was the 9th game between TCU and BYU. BYU went on the road to win 31-17 in this meeting last year, sparking their 8-0 run through the MWC. Kelly Poppinga was named the MWC Defensive Player of the Week with a career-high 17 tackles including a tackle for a loss and an interception in this game.BYU Leads Series 7-2
Wyoming
This was the 72nd game between Wyoming and BYU. BYU dominated the Cowboys from the opening kickoff last season, 55-7. This year BYU controlled the game from the beginning taking a 21-3 lead at half time. Sophomore Max Hall was named MWC Offensive Player of the Week with 331 passing yards, over 70% completion and three touchdowns. Hall broke the MWC's all-time sophomore passing leader by reaching 3,121 passing yards. In BYU quarterback-factory history, Hall ranks third behind Ty DetmerTy Detmer
Ty Hubert Detmer is a former National Football League and NCAA quarterback. He starred at Brigham Young University, where he set many records and won the Heisman Trophy in 1990...
and Robbie Bosco
Robbie Bosco
Robbie Bosco is most widely known as an American football quarterback at Brigham Young University. Bosco is a native of Roseville, California....
for passing yards in their first 10 games as a starter. Hall went out in the third quarter after suffering a shoulder separation.
BYU Leads Series 39-30-3
Utah
This rivalry game, unofficially dubbed "The Holy War,"Holy War (Utah vs. BYU)
The Holy War is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the University of Utah Utes and the Brigham Young University Cougars. The game is part of the larger Utah–BYU rivalry...
is typically the most anticipated conference game for each of these two teams. In 2006, the rivalry was ranked in the Wall Street Journal as the 4th best college football rivalry game in the country. (See also Utah-BYU rivalry
Utah-BYU rivalry
The University of Utah and Brigham Young University have a longstanding athletic rivalry that encompasses several sports. The annual college football game is frequently referred to as the Holy War. In the 1890s, when BYU was still known as Brigham Young Academy, the two schools started competing...
.) This was the 83rd game between Utah and BYU with the series going 49-30-4 for Utah since 1922. Utah dominated the series 34-2-4 through 1964. Since that time BYU has led the series 28-15. Utah's 4-game-winning-streak against BYU ended last year with a game-winning, last-second play. In 2007, BYU achieved its first back-to-back wins over Utah since 2000-2001.
The game was largely a defensive struggle until the last few minutes of the fourth quarter. The Utes took the lead 10-9 when Darrell Mack scored the first touchdown of the game with just 1:34 left. On the ensuing possession, however, BYU converted on fourth and eighteen from their own 12 with a 49-yard pass from Max Hall to Austin Collie. Harvey Unga made the game-winning touchdown run with 38 seconds remaining, and Austin Collie caught a pass in the back of the end zone for a two-point conversion, putting the Cougars up 17-10. Unga became BYU's first freshman running back to gain 1,000 rushing yards in a season. This was also Collie's 6th game for over 97 yards receiving. BYU racked up 424 offensive yards to Utah's 244. Unga was named the MWC Offensive Player of the Week, and freshman kicker, Mitch Payne, was named MWC Special Teams Player of the Week making 3 of 4 field goals.
Utah Leads Series 49-30-4
San Diego State
This game was originally scheduled to be played on October 27, but was rescheduled due to wildfires in southern California. This was the 32nd game between San Diego State and BYU. The Aztecs fell 47-17 in Provo last October. This game marked the Cougars' MWC record 16th straight conference victory. Freshman running-back Harvey Unga scored a career-high four touchdowns with 161 rushing yards and 29 receiving yards. Sophomore quarterback Max Hall completed 19 of 26 throws for 227 yards and three touchdowns. BYU was slow to put the game away, but had a 14 point lead by the end of the third quarter. Harvey Unga and Jan Jorgensen were named MWC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week.BYU leads the series 24-7-1
Las Vegas Bowl
Eathyn Manumaleuna blocked a last second field goal by UCLA and BYU hung on to beat the Bruins 17-16. BYUBYU
-Education:* Brigham Young University, a university located in Provo, Utah, USA administered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.**BYU Salt Lake Center, a satellite center in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA...
quarterback Max Hall went 21-35 for 231 yards and two touchdowns. Manase Tonga led the rushing with 3 carries for 21 yards. The MVP of the game, Austin Collie had 6 catches for 107 yards and 1 touchdown. For UCLA, quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson went 11-27 for 154 yards and 1 touchdown and interception. The rushing game was led by Chris Markey who ran 27 times for 117 yards. This was the first time the Cougars gave up 100 yards rushing to a single player. Bethel-Thompson's favorite target was Brandon Breazell who caught 4 passes for 44 yards and 1 touchdown. The Bruins struck first with a 22 yard Kai Forbath field goal. A 29 yard field goal by BYU kicker Mitch Payne made it 3-3 after the 1st quarter. In the 2nd, Hall hooked up with Austin Collie for 14 yards and a touchdown to make it 10-3. Forbath then hit a 52 yard field goal to cut the lead to 10-6. With 1:03 left in the 1st half, Hall found Michael Reed for 13 yards and a touchdown. As time expired, Bethel-Thompson hit Breazell to make it 17-13 in favor of BYU at the end of the 2nd quarter. There was no scoring in the 3rd. In the 4th, Forbath made it 17-16 with a 50 yard field goal. BYU punted to UCLA with around 2 minutes left to set up a final drive for the Bruins. Bethel-Thompson, a fourth-string walk-on quarterback, along with Chris Markey drove to the BYU 49. On 3rd and 8 Bethel-Thompson hit Logan Paulsen to get to the BYU 13. That set up a chip-shot 28 yard field goal for Forbath, who already hit 2 50+ yarders. The kick was too low and Manumaleuna blocked it and sealed the game for the Cougars.
Statistical leaders
http://www.byucougars.com/uploads/stats/football/stats.pdf| Passing | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | COMP | ATT | Pct. | YDS | TD | INT | QB Rating |
| Max Hall | 298 | 496 | 60.1 | 3,848 | 26 | 12 | 137.7 |
| Rushing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD |
| Harvey Unga | 244 | 1,227 | 5.0 | 13 |
| Manase Tonga | 88 | 305 | 3.5 | 8 |
| Fui Vakapuna | 73 | 252 | 3.5 | 2 |
| Receiving | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | REC | YDS | YPC | TD |
| Austin Collie | 56 | 946 | 16.9 | 7 |
| Dennis Pitta | 59 | 813 | 13.8 | 5 |
| Harvey Unga | 44 | 655 | 14.9 | 4 |
| Michael Reed | 41 | 449 | 11.0 | 4 |
| Matt Allen | 31 | 358 | 11.5 | 3 |
| Manase Tonga | 27 | 248 | 9.2 | 0 |
| Tackles & Broken plays | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Solo | Asst | Total | TFL | Sacks | Int |
| Kelly Poppinga | 46 | 67 | 113 | 7.5 | - | 1 |
| Bryan Kehl | 52 | 39 | 91 | 11.5 | 4 | 3 |
| Jan Jorgensen | 40 | 37 | 77 | 20 | 14 | |
| David Nixon | 38 | 28 | 66 | 10 | 4 | |
| Corby Hodgkiss | 30 | 27 | 57 | 3.5 | - | 3 |
| Ben Criddle | 37 | 19 | 56 | 1 | - | 2 |
| Mark Staffieri | 26 | 28 | 54 | 5 | 1 | |
| Quinn Gooch | 22 | 30 | 52 | .5 | - | 3 |
Coaching staff
| Name | Position | Year at BYU | Alma mater Alma mater Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:... (Year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronco Mendenhall Bronco Mendenhall -Personal life:Mendenhall has three children: Raeder-Steel, Breaker, and Cutter. Mendenhall is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.-External links:**- References :... |
Head Coach/ Defensive Coordinator |
5th 2003-present |
Oregon State Oregon State University Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the... (1987) |
| Lance Reynolds | Assistant Head Coach Running Backs |
25th 1983-present |
BYU Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... (1980) |
| Robert Anae Robert Anae Robert Anae is the offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Arizona Wildcats football team. Prior to this role, Anae served as offensive coordinator for the BYU Cougars football team... |
Offensive Coordinator/ Inside Receivers |
3rd 2005-present |
BYU Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... (1986) |
| Brandon Doman Brandon Doman Brandon Doman is an American football coach and is currently the offensive coordinator for the Brigham Young Cougars. Doman played quarterback for BYU in 2000-2001 and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2002 NFL Draft.... |
Quarterbacks | 3rd 2005-present |
BYU Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... (2002) |
| Patrick Higgins | Outside Receivers/ Special Teams |
3rd 2005-present |
William Penn University William Penn University William Penn University is a private, liberal arts university in Oskaloosa, Iowa, United States. It was founded by members of the Religious Society of Friends in 1873 as Penn College... (1986) |
| Barry Lamb | Outside Linebackers/ Safeties |
15th 1994-present |
Oregon University of Oregon -Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :... (1978) |
| Paul Tidwell | Inside Linebackers | 7th 2001-present |
Southern Utah University Southern Utah University Southern Utah University, or SUU, is located in Cedar City, Utah. It was founded in 1897 as an extension of the Agricultural College of Utah, by the citizens of Cedar City.During its history, the school has been known as:... (1979) |
| Mark Weber | Offensive Line | 1st 2007 |
Cal Lutheran California Lutheran University California Lutheran University is a university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Thousand Oaks, California.-Mission statement:The University's mission statement is as follows:... (1980) |
| Jamie Hill | Defensive Backs | 2nd 2006-present |
San Francisco State University San Francisco State University San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges... (1986) |
| Steve Kaufusi Steve Kaufusi Sitiveni P. Kaufusi is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1989-1990.... |
Defensive Line | 6th 2002-present |
BYU Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... (1994) |
| Jay Omer | Strength and Conditioning | 7th 2001-present |
Southern Utah University Southern Utah University Southern Utah University, or SUU, is located in Cedar City, Utah. It was founded in 1897 as an extension of the Agricultural College of Utah, by the citizens of Cedar City.During its history, the school has been known as:... (1972) |
Roster
| http://www.byucougars.com/Roster.jsp?SP=130&NUM | ||||||
| Edit | ||||||
Wide Receivers
Fullbacks
Offensive Linemen
Punters/Kickers
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Tight Ends
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Defensive line
(†)† |
Linebackers
Cornerbacks
Safeties
Defensive backs |
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