BYU forward Jonathan Tavernari will have a hard time finding something to complain about regarding tonight's Cougar performance on the basketball floor.
Using a 16-0 run in the first half, BYU picked up its 50th-straight home win on Friday night, burying the Rice Owls of Conference USA 83-52 at the Marriott Center.
Tavernari led BYU with 18 points, while Jimmer Fredette and Lee Cummard had 13 each.
The Cougars made 12 of 22 three-point field goal attempts in the game, including 9-for-15 from beyond the arc in the first half.
Tavernari, Chris Miles, Jackson Emery and Noah Hartsock all had five rebounds for the Cougars.
BYU won the rebounding battle, 31-28, and forced 16 turnovers.
After BYU's big win over North Florida on Thursday night, Tavernari said the Cougars were soft and lackadaisical and needed to improve a lot.
Next up for the Cougars is a matchup with Cal Poly on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. in the Marriott Center.

Perusing a bunch of college football-related Web sites and blogs today, I haven't found many people who are picking BYU to beat Utah on Saturday.
The Utes' superior speed and defense and the fact that Utah is playing at home seem to be the primary reasons folks are taking the Utes.
It would be interesting to see how people would view the game if it were being played at LaVell Edwards Stadium. It would probably be what oddsmakers call a pick em, rather than Utah being favored by a touchdown.
I said before the season and I will say it again: Utah's biggest advantage over BYU this year isn't speed, or Louie Sakoda or Brian Johnson. It's the schedule; Utah's toughest three games this season -- Oregon State, TCU and BYU -- were or are at home.
Does anyone think the Utes would be undefeated right now if they had played TCU or Oregon State on the road? I'm not sure.
Yes, I know that home-field advantage hasn't meant much in the rivalry game the past 15 years. I have a feeling it will be a factor tomorrow.

------------------

That was just a long lead-in to this next item. There's at least one "indicator" that BYU will win.
Every year for the past 20 years, the football coaches at Utah and BYU pick teams and play against each other in the National Kidney Foundation of Utah's Rivalry for Charity Golf Tournament.
The coach of the losing team has to sing the winning school's fight song (as worst as they can). The tradition dates back to the days of LaVell Edwards and Ron McBride, who had a lot more fun with it than the current two coaches.
For something like 18 of those 20 years, the loser of the golf tournament in June has gone on to win the football game in November.
Last June's loser was BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall.

--------------------

I collaborated with our Utah beat writer, Lya Wodraska, to write an article for this morning's paper about players that grew up fans of one school but are now playing for the other. Two of our examples were BYU's Jan Jorgensen and Utah's Sealver Siliga.
As usual, Jorgensen provided several interesting anecdotes and stories about what that experience was like. Here are some of his comments that didn't make the article:
* The rivalry "means a lot to me because for me I have dreamed about playing in this game ever since I was a kid. And so for me it means a lot. It is fun for me to go out and live my dream. You know, I have done it two years in a row. it is going to be fun to do it again this year."
* How do you control your emotions in this game?
"It is tricky. I think the offense has to do it more than the defense. Defense is an emotionally driven thing. You have to play with emotion on defense.The emotion definitely benefits the defense as long as you are not so emotional that you start making mistakes.
"But on the offensive side of the ball they have to be a little bit more controlled. They have to think and be able to make decisions a lot more. They have to do a lot more things, depending on what happens.
The defense, I think it is going to help us. But the offense, they are going to have to just calm themselves down and try to execute."

Just got another indication that BYU tight end Dennis Pitta will play in Saturday's game. A BYU official said to use the term "probable" rather than "questionable" when describing the junior's status.
Pitta was asked Monday if it is hard to "bite his tongue" when it comes to talking about the University of Utah. He looked at the television news reporter like she was crazy and/or trying to get something inflammatory out of him.
"There's nothing that I could say about them that would be mean in any way," he said. "I respect them as a football team. And I think they are a good football team. I know we have our work cut out for us this week. That's what college football is all about."
Pitta does think that BYU always has a target on its back, no matter who the Cougars are playing.
"I don't think this year is any different, just because we called it a Quest of Perfection," he said. "I mean, every team wants to beat BYU. We understand that going into every game."

-----------------

Obviously, there are tons of stories out there on the internet about the game and rivalry. The New York Times and Denver Post sent reporters to Utah this week to write about the cultural aspects of the rivalry.
For the Times' look at the game, go here.
For the Post's look, go here.
Also, the Las Vegas Sun says it would behoove BYU to lose on Saturday in order to get more than $500,000 in BCS money.

------------------------------

In the Tribune today, we have an article about the ties between the two programs.
Tribune columnist Kurt Kragthorpe wrote about the Whittingham family, which has gone from blue to red now that former BYU player Kyle Whittingham is coaching the Utes.
My notebook in today's paper is about BYU in the unfamiliar role as an underdog.

BYU's Jonathan Tavernari bailed us out tonight. By us, I mean the people whose job it was to write about the Cougars' 74-41 win over what has to be one of the worst teams in NCAA Division I basketball, North Florida.
Tavernari livened up the postgame press conference with some comments highly critical of his own team.
The Ospreys are transitioning to D-1 and have one more year, which means they can't participate in the Atlantic Sun postseason tournament and therefore can't make the NCAA Tournament for another year.
But they are still pretty bad, having lost 51 straight road games.
Despite scoring 25 points in the win, Tavernari teed off on himself and his teammates. He called the Cougars lackadaisical and slow and unbelievably bad and a lot of other things.
"We are not even close to where we need to be," he said.
Oddly, BYU coach Dave Rose didn't sound nearly as down on his team as J.T. was, saying the Cougars were good defensively at executing their assignments.
No other player reached double figures (from either team), although Chris Miles and Charles Abouo had nine apiece for the Cougs. Abouo played well, making 4 of 6 shots, and is going to be a lot better than a lot of people thought he would be.
He's athletic, he's built well, and he can shoot it. He is just a little bit of a tweener, though -- not big enough to play inside and not quick enough to guard a guard on the perimeter.
Tavernari said the only stat he liked from the game was that the Cougars had 21 assists on 31 field goals.
"We should have won by 50, 60," he said, and added that the Cougars were "soft."
The Cougars will play Rice on Friday night at the Marriott Center. Tipoff is 8:30 p.m.

--------------------

Hats off to BYU's women's volleyball team, which pulled off a big upset tonight in the Smith Fieldhouse.
The Cougars downed No. 15 Colorado State in five hard-fought sets, their biggest victory of the year.
The scores were 25-19, 25-19, 16-25, 23-25 and 22-20.
BYU is now 13-12 overall and 6-9 in conference play.

Just got word that tight end Dennis Pitta practiced today with the Cougars. A BYU spokesperson confirmed that No. 32 was out there today, running through the drills and participating in the scrimmages.
That's important, because BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall has said many times that if players don't practice on Thursdays, they don't play on Saturdays.
Another source told me that Pitta looked OK, and was not limping or anything like that. He was wearing a brace on the right knee. He suffered an MCL sprain in last week's game at Air Force.
Also, all the other players who have been dinged up practiced Thursday. That list includes Andrew Rich (head injury), Ray Feinga (back strain), Shawn Doman (appendicitis) and Daniel Sorensen (ankle sprain).
Mendenhall told the spokesperson that Pitta is still listed as questionable and will be a game-time decision.

Just got off the phone with Dustin Derrick, a 24-year-old BYU student from American Fork, and he is one happy camper.
Derrick is headed to the ESPN headquarters in Bristol, CT, courtesy of the Gillette Game Face College Tour, this weekend to watch the BYU-Utah game in the worldwide leader's studios.
"It's pretty incredible," Derrick said. "What other dream could you have?"
As the grand prize winner of the Gillette Game Face College Tour, Derrick will meet ESPN analysts and hosts Reece Davis, Lou Holtz and Mark May and will watch all of the day's college games.
He will also participate in a photo shoot to be featured in an upcoming edition of ESPN The Magazine.
Derrick won by downloading a picture of his "game face" on a Gillette Web site where it was judged based on passion and individualism.
The mechanical engineering major said his brother is an artist and every morning before BYU home games they paint their faces, tailgate for hours, and then watch the game.
"I am still in disbelief that I won," he said.
Derrick's game face mirrored that of a fierce Cougar -- in blue and white paint -- that made his passion apparent to Gillette.
Derrick said not only does he receive the free trip, he gets an Xbox game console and other prizes.
His prediction for the game? BYU 35, Utah 24

Ever wonder what other coaches at BYU think of the football program and what coach Bronco Mendenhall is doing with it?
I got a chance to chat with BYU basketball coach Dave Rose after practice last night, and Rose said he is extremely impressed with Mendenhall. Both coaches are in their fourth seasons, although Rose's is just beginning and Mendenhall's will end in two games.
Enough of that. What does Rose think is going to happen in Saturday's big game?
"I have a good feeling about it," he said.
He thinks that the football team's mindset is perfect heading into the game. While not advocating a loss at any time, Rose believes the setback at TCU could pay dividends this time.
"As a coach, you have to like the position BYU is in," he said. "It's a big game, and if the last few are any indication, it is going to be another one for the ages. And obviously, both teams know how to win close games."
Rose declined an invitation to run a little smack talk, but noted that being able to handle adversity when it comes will be tantamount BYU's chances.
"I love college football," Rose said. "It will be a terrific game, and great for the state of Utah, regardless of the outcome."
The BYU basketball team plays at home Saturday night at 8:30 p.m., so Rose hopes to catch as much of the 4 p.m. game as possible with his team at the Marriott Center before playing host to Cal Poly.
Utah's basketball team also plays Saturday, at a tournament in Florida.

Good morning, sports fans.
Although my article about BYU's Quest for Perfection motto has been on the Web site for a couple days now, they ran it in this morning's paper. Here it is if you haven't seen it.
I kind of braced myself to get a few angry e-mails from BYU fans who maybe think it is overkill, but as of yet haven't received anything of the sort.
Instead, a few Utah fans are upset and have let that be known. They don't like this particular paragraph:
"And those astonished looks didn't just come from rival Utah fans, who enjoy mocking anything that comes out of Provo, almost to the point of obsession. They gleefully proclaimed it couldn't be done, then gloated far and wide when the Cougars were pummeled by TCU a month ago while their own team continued to cruise along perfectly."

They say it is a cheap shot at Ute fans, and some deny the obsession part.
There's a whole big debate that we could explore over which fans obsess more over the other team, but I will save that for another day. Maybe tomorrow.
I will say this, having grown up here and having watched the rivalry unfold for the last 30-plus years: Utah's players seem to "get up" for the game a little better than BYU's players, at least since the Ron McBride era began. Not every year, but most years.
How else can you explain the fact that for the past three years, BYU clearly had the better team going into the game (according to unbiased oddsmakers), but only has an overtime loss and two razor-close wins to show for it?
BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall was asked earlier this week if he will do anything differently this week to get his guys "up" for the game so they can match the intensity of Utah's players. The context of the question was the supposition that BYU was not emotionally ready at TCU or at Air Force, and it took Austin Collie's halftime speech at AFA to get them going.
"I would invite it when it is appropriate," Mendenhall said. "For instance in the last week's game, we had a team member say some things that had to be said from a player, not a coach. And there comes a time in each season when each team does claim their future, and their identity, and their results...There are also times when a coach needs to say some things that directs and puts his team in [the right mental] alignments."
Mendenhall said some teams react differently to fiery speeches and the like, and it is up to a coach to determine what works best for his team.
"As to what we will do about it, my job is to assess currently where we are, which is a football team that has won 10 games, is gaining momentum, has a difficult game coming up and a chance to improve with all of our goals still intact. Then our team will decide how important that is to them, and they will claim practices through the rest of the week, through comments and moments like I think what you are referring to."

----------------

Plenty, and I mean plenty, of reading for you today.

Here's a link to my story about my conversation with a Las Vegas Bowl official regarding which teams that bowl might take from both the MWC and the Pac-10.

Here's a link to my Mountain West Conference notes and what's at stake this week for the other teams in the league.

Here's a link to Lya Wodraska's Ute notebook, which looks at how Utah's crowd could be a huge factor.

Finally, a reminder that the Cougar men's basketball team has a game tonight in the Marriott Center against North Florida. Ten cents goes to anyone who can name North Florida's mascot without looking it up. Five cents if you know the city it is in.

With football practice closed to the media again today, I checked out BYU's basketball practice tonight in the Marriott Center.
Enthusiasm seemed high with the Cougars coming off that 30-point beat-down of Pepperdine on Tuesday night.
"Defensively, we were pretty good," coach Dave Rose said. "We executed our game plan pretty well."
Rose said the team is playing well in spurts, but now needs to develop more consistency.
BYU begins a three-games-in-three-nights stretch tomorrow night. They have North Florida on Thursday, Rice on Friday and Cal Poly on Saturday.
North Florida and Rice won three games apiece last year, while Cal Poly was 12-16.
So the Cougars should be 5-0 late Saturday night.
Rose went with the starting five of Jimmer Fredette, Jackson Emery, Jonathan Tavernari, Lee Cummard and Chris Miles against Pepperdine and that will likely be his starting lineup against the Ospreys, who play in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
The best team in that league, annually, is Belmont, which knocked off Iowa State in the NCAA Tournament a few years ago.
Senior Archie Rose is almost ready to return to practice, coach Rose said. Archie has been sidelined by a stress fracture in his foot and will be examined on Monday by doctors.
If he is cleared to play, his first taste of action should be Nov. 29 at Idaho State.
Coach Rose said that Archie will add depth to the team, but didn't say how many minutes the senior will get, or if he will crack the 8-9 man rotation.

BYU offensive guard Travis Bright told me earlier this week that the whole "Quest for Perfection" and what it meant and whether it backfired or not was a "dead horse that has been beat too many times."
Well, editors at The Salt Lake Tribune didn't exactly agree with the 6-foot-5, 315-pound BYU weight lifting ace, and they assigned me to write about it for a "more general audience" that might be tuning in to the rivalry this week but hasn't followed the Cougars every step of the way.
That said, I talked to about a half-dozen BYU player (and coach Bronco Mendenhall) for the article, and couldn't work everything they had to say into the piece.
What follows is some of the more interesting comments from Bright, Max Hall and Mike Reed....

Travis Bright: "I think it was good. I think it was a great learning experience and a great opportunity that TCU gave us so that we can learn from our mistakes. And I guess in a way probably it did take a little air out of us. But from last week, playing Air Force, I don't think we lost a step."

Did it add pressure to an already pressure-filled season?
"If it did, I didn't feel it. I felt like it was just another thing like Band of Brothers, Fully Invested, all those other fancy words."

Max Hall: "Maybe in the eyes of the fans and the media and people outside the program [it backfired]. I think all of us [players] knew what the Quest for Perfection meant, and what we were really trying to do with that.
"Yes, we were trying to go undefeated and I think every team wants to. But because we didn't doesn't diminish the Quest for Perfection I think at all. We are still trying our best, to be the best that we can, and we still have a pretty good shot to have a very, very good season. So we want to finish."

Mike Reed: "No, I don't think it was a mistake. But not too many people really knew the true meaning of what that really stood for this year.
"It stood for more things than going undefeated. It stood for our character, the way we carry ourselves in our school work, the way we carry ourselves in our community, the way we put in time to help others.
"That Quest for Perfection was really taken out of hand, and you know, some fans are down this year that we lost one game. But studies show that this is the best season that we have had in recent years. Not too many teams around the nation can say they are 10-1 right now, so you just come out and prepare and try to become 11-1 this weekend."

It's a beautiful Wednesday morning here along the Wasatch Front. Let's hope this beautiful weather lasts through the weekend.
As usual during rivalry week, today's Tribune is filled with stories about the big game and everything surrounding it.
I wrote primarily about recruiting, and the impact that the game has on Utah kids who are being recruited by both schools. You can read the article by going here.
Bottom line (to borrow Max Hall's favorite phrase), is that the game itself really doesn't have that much impact. I talked to six or seven recruits on Sunday night, some committed, some uncommitted, and not one said that the game has meant a lot in his decision, or will mean a lot.
"You'd be nuts to decide that way," said Chris Badger, a junior from Timpview who has offers from both teams.
I should say, however, that how well a program is doing overall has a lot of impact, something coach Bronco Mendenhall mentioned earlier this week.
"I think how [success] could influence recruiting is national recognition," he said. "You have two teams that are playing very well and are being considered on a national level, in terms of whatever rankings there are, and so that in and of itself in terms of exposure lends itself to ease in recruiting, just by credibility of what the national media thinks sometimes."
Why is it important to BYU or Utah not to slip too far below the other?
Consider what happened in basketball in the 1990s.
When Utah had an upswing under Rick Majerus and BYU slipped at the end of the Roger Reed era, the top instate recruits who had grown up leaning toward BYU -- Murray's Jeff and Britton Johnsen, Viewmont's Alex Jensen -- chose Utah. It took several years for BYU to recover.

--------------------

I also wrote today about BYU receiver Michael Reed, and his relationship with Utah quarterback Brian Johnson. They are second or third cousins, and you can read more about that here.
Reed has turned into one of my favorite guys to interview on the BYU team, and I am going to miss him. I wouldn't mind seeing him return one day as a coach after he gives pro football a shot.

Here are some of his comments about the game:

* "Utah has already captured their share of the MWC championship. Now it is up to us to go get our piece of the pie, so we can be champions also. So it is up to us right now. We are focused on another championsihp. So anything else we can wait on. BCS bowls we can wait on that. Our bowl game that we are playing in, we can wait on that. Our main goal right now is another championship."

* Reed was asked if the Cougars are practicing differently this week.

"No, everything is the same. Guys are a little more fired up for this. You know, we got guys that are from the state of Utah. Their team, they have guys from the state of Utah. So it means a lot. This is a big rivalry.The nation doesn't know about it too much. But in-state people, we all know about it. We just gotta go our there and try to get us a win."

* He was asked if Utah will be BYU's toughest game this season.

"Every game was hard this year. Besides the UCLA game, score-wise, every game has been tough for us. And that's how it should be. No team wants you to win, especially at their place.We just gotta stay humble, stay focused, and guys got to get healthy. We just got to get out there and get us a piece of that conference title."

* What has he learned this year?

"I have learned a lot of character from this team. We could have easily put our heads down after the TCU game. It could have easily ruined our season. We could have came out the next week and lost. But no, we have a lot of character on this team. We know what's at stake. We know we have had the best season right now of any BYU team up to this point, in a few years. It could be very special for us. We could go 11-1 and have a piece of that conference championship. It's a big thing for us right now."

------------------

With our regular BYU basketball writer (that's me) caught up in writing about the football game this week, the newspaper sent my colleague, Martin Renzhofer, to Malibu, Calif., yesterday to cover the BYU-Pepperdine basketball game. Here is his report.

Also, Tribune columnist Gordon Monson says Max Hall is a better quarterback than Brian Johnson, but that Utah is going to win the rivalry game. Here's that column.

Here's a quick recap of BYU's win over Pepperdine tonight in Malibu, Calif., which was filed by The Tribune's Martin Renzhofer:

MALIBU, Calif. - Brigham Young dominated Pepperdine inside the paint, rolling to a 82-53 victory Tuesday night in the Firestone Fieldhouse.

The Cougars (2-0) never trailed, taking an early 9-2 lead and forcing five turnovers in the first five minutes. The Waves (1-2) pulled to within nine points midway through the second half, but consecutive baskets by Lee Cummard spurred BYU to a 10-0 run.

Brigham Young was led by Jonathon Tavenari with 17 points, followed by Jimmer Fredette and Cummard with 16 and 13 points, respectively.

Kind of hard to believe that Saturday's game will mark the first time since 1994 that the both teams will be nationally ranked in the rivalry game. In 1994, No. 21 Utah beat No. 20 BYU, 34-31 in Salt Lake City.
I wouldn't call it an upset, though, because Utah was a slight favorite.
BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said Monday he can't really say for certain why both teams are really good this year. Utah is 11-0 and BYU is 10-1.
"But I do think at least since I have become a head coach in this league, the league is getting better," he said. "And when you consider TCU and their influence, especially that first year, and the University of Utah, the momentum they were carrying right after Urban Meyer left, and their ability to sustain that, and the resurgence of Air Force, the progams are getting better."
Mendenhall said the obviously TCU, Utah and BYU are pushing each other to get better.
He also noted that the other teams in the league are "coming after them like crazy," noting the improvement of Colorado State, Air Force and UNLV this season.
"Then amongst [TCU, Utah and BYU] there is a lot of parity and equality," he said. ".....And knowing the two teams that play Saturday have been within a play of each other the last two years, I think that certainly adds motivation to how the teams train and how the coaches work in the offseason as well."

Just got word that BYU receiver Austin Collie is a finalist for the 2008 Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the country's top receiver.

BYU tight end Dennis Pitta, who made the Watch List for the award, did not make the cut for finalist. However, Pitta on Monday was named a finalist for the Mackey Award, for tight ends only.

Here's the Biletnikoff finalists:

Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State

Chase Coffman, Missouri

Austin Collie, BYU

Quan Cosby, Texas

Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech

Eric Decker, Minnesota

Jarrett Dillard, Rice

Casey Fitzgerald, North Texas

Jeremy Maclin, Missouri

Kerry Meier, Kansas

BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall called the Utah-BYU rivalry "one of the greatest rivalries in college football" today on his Mountain West Conference football coaches teleconference.

"Anyone that has been a part of it" know that, he said, commenting that he has spoken several times with Florida's Urban Meyer, the former Ute coach, and received the same feedback from Meyer.

Asked by a Denver Post columnist to describe the rivalry, Mendenhall said he doesn't have adequate words for it, but when the writer suggested the word "vicious," Mendenhall said that wasn't correct and called it "competitive."

He acknowledged that religion "does play into it" but that he couldn't put a percentage on it.

Asked whether the Cougars have a pyschological edge because they have defeated Utah in two close games the past two years, Mendenhall said no and that "each year is a different year."

----------------------

Mendenhall took a lot of questions about Rocky Long's resignation at New Mexico and said "What Coach Long has accomplished in 11 years at New Mexico will not be replicated or duplicated."

Asked whether UNM can ever win a MWC title, Mendenhall (who coached under long at UNM) said it could, but "I think they just lost their best chance, too."

The BYU coach said that for New Mexico to win on a consistent basis, the community "has to make football an emphasis" and said that he has noticed that in "championship cities" that community support is a must.

He concluded, "Coach Long has shaped my coaching philosophy more than any other coach I have worked with or worked for.....I rely more on what coach Long has taught me when it comes to football than anyone else."

-----------------

It is not secret that when Utah has the ball Saturday, the Utes are going to go early and often to their five-receiver sets and try to exploit a BYU secondary that is perceived as a weakness.

Mendenhall acknowledged that is something Utah will do because other teams such as UNLV were successful with it.

He also said that he expects Utah's secondary to play pressure, man-to-man coverage on BYU's receivers. He said figuring out how to play against that type of defense was something BYU coaches worked on in the offseason, because that was also something they knew they would see from UCLA.

"It should be very entertaining" to see how it all works out, he said.

------------------

Every MWC coach was asked today about the BYU-Utah game except for Long, who did not participate in the conference call.

No coach flat-out predicted a winner, although it is obvious that it would be better for the conference if the Utes won, because they would go to a lucrative BCS game and every school in the conference would get a piece of that pie.

Also, Utah going to the BCS would free up that fourth bowl spot, and CSU and UNLV can both get to six wins and become bowl eligible with a win Saturday. It appears that the New Mexico Bowl will have to chose between the two.

Obviously, BYU can still make a BCS bowl if it wins and Boise State loses, but the odds of that happening aren't great. The Cougars are now a 6-point underdog at Utah, and Boise is a six-point favorite at Nevada.

UNLV coach Mike Sanford did say some things that might motivate BYU's Max Hall. He called Utah's Brian Johnson "the class quarterback of the conference."

Good morning, everyone.

Well, it looks like we made it through the Monday before the rivalry game without anyone saying something totally outrageous or stupid that will get the other side frothing at the mouth.

I talked to eight BYU players yesterday, and not one said anything remotely controversial or inflammatory. A television reporter tried to get Jan Jorgensen to respond to something a former Utah player who won't have to face him in the game said about the BYU defensive end, but Jorgensen just noted he will do his talking on the field.

Before last year's game, you may recall, Utah running back Darrell Mack, speaking about BYU's Harvey Unga, said, "I have more moves than he'll ever have."

I asked Unga if he has proven that to be wishful thinking on Mack's part this year, and he said: "Not really. Who knows?"

Unga, who actually committed to Utah before changing his mind and signing with BYU, said he has never gotten caught up in the whole trash-talking thing.

"It is a championship game, "he said. "And it has to do with the conference and what not. The whole rivalry thing is whatever it is to everybody else. But as far as I am concerned, it is just a time for me to get better and keep working hard and to help my team out in whatever way I can. So it is just another game."

Of course, Unga scored the winning touchdown last year (Mack had scored a TD to put Utah ahead earlier in the game), bowling over Utah safety Steve Tate near the goal line as photographers captured the moment forever etched in Unga's memory.

By comparison this year, Unga has carried the ball 208 times for 996 yards and eight touchdowns and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry.

Mack has carried the ball 110 times for 493 yards and three TDs and also has a 4.5 yards per carry average. Of course, Mack has shared the load with Matt Asiata, who has 633 yards on 122 carries for a 5.2 average. He has 10 TD runs.

Unga said Monday that he is friends with Asiata, but is not acquainted with Mack.

--------------

For today's paper, I wrote a notebook about how the Cougars are trying to keep their emotions from getting the best of them this week. Another story that I wrote about how the big game effects instate recruiting was pushed back a day and should be in tomorrow's newspaper.

Also today, Tribune columnist Kurt Kragthorpe has a couple good reads, including one looking back at the famous fourth-and-18 play last year and this one about how BYU is OK with the underdog role.

BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall got the news that New Mexico coach Rocky Long had resigned unexpectedly about 20 minutes before the Cougars' practice tonight.
As he was leaving the indoor practice facility, Mendenhall said he intended to call Long right away and did not want to speculate on what Long's reason might have been.
"He has done a fantastic job. I think possibly he had had enough of being the head football coach. If that is the case, and again I am speculating, I am sure his players will miss him and the conference will miss him. He's done an absolutely phenomenal job there."
Coincidentally, Mendenhall said he called fired Utah State coach Brent Guy earlier today to express his support.
As for Long, school officials said in a release that his decision was not expected. The coach signed a contract extension earlier this season.
Long was the longest-tenured MWC coach. The dean is now TCU's Gary Patterson (eight years), followed by perhaps the next coach who will be replaced, Wyoming's Joe Glenn (six).

-----------------

The Cougars conducted a crisp, hour long practice in the IPF tonight.
The injured guys -- Andrew Rich, Ray Feinga, Dennis Pitta -- did not practice, but were present.
Running back Harvey Unga also didn't practice, but said after the session that he is "totally fine" and that trainers and doctors just want him to rest.
I asked him if he had any aches and pains, and he said no.
Hoping to duplicate Utah's offense, the scout team ran a lot of five-receiver sets against the first-team defense tonight. Matt Ah You and David Nixon had interceptions, but, obviously, the scout team is nothing like what the Cougs will face Saturday.

------------------

Since tonight's practice was the only one this week open to the media, and because it is rivalry week, there was a throng of reporters waiting to talk to the players and coaches after practice.
Receiver Austin Collie tried to pull a little prank on reporters, trading jerseys with Tyler Kozlowski, a seldom-used fellow receiver. Collie almost made it out of the IPF wearing No. 7, but a BYU sports information official caught him and directed back into the building.
I am pretty sure Collie would have turned around and came back anyway; he just wanted to see if he could get away with it.
Once corralled, he patiently gave interviews.
Funny thing was, a couple of reporters approached Kozlowski and were just about to ask for an interview until he took his helmet off.

---------------

This, quite possibly, is the last practice report I will file for a few weeks (until bowl prep begins), with the remainder of BYU's practices closed. I think I have done one for every practice we were allowed to watch since fall camp began on Aug. 1. Hope you've enjoyed ‘em.

Some absolutely heartbreaking news to report on the BYU basketball front: Haley Hall, a point guard on the women's basketball team, suffered an ACL tear in her right knee in the waning moments of the Cougars' loss to Portland State on Friday night and is lost for the season.

The shame is that the injury came in the final minute, and that it was the third time Hall, a Clearfield High product, has suffered an ACL injury.

She suffered one in her left knee at the beginning of her BYU career and went through a year of rehab, only to tear it again just before the 2007-08 season.

It is not certain whether the latest blow will end the sophomore's college career or not.

--------------------------

Both the BYU men's team and women's team will be in action on Tuesday night.

The Cougar men will play at Pepperdine, which is 1-1. The Wave lost a one-point game to Arkansas-Little Rock at home last week.

The Cougar women will travel to Nevada to take on the Wolf Pack.

Both games will begin at 7 p.m. and neither will be televised.

Who has the best defense in the Mountain West Conference?

If BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall knows, he isn't telling.

Mendenhall said in his Monday news conference that Utah and TCU have similar athletes on defense in terms of speed and athleticism, but said that's where the similarities end.

"TCU is very conventional in how they align, and you know where they are going to be the majority of the time. Utah is multiple [formations] up front," he said. "I can't make a comment as to who is better or who is more effective of any of the defenses we've played. But in terms of style, I think [TCU and Utah] are playing with similar types of players, but how they are going about it [is different]. [Utah] is not afraid to pressure. They are not afraid to play man coverage. But [they are] more multiple in the looks they give up front...if I am comparing them against TCU."

Tight end Dennis Pitta received a piece of good news Monday, after a trying weekend that saw him get injured in BYU's win over Air Force.

Pitta is a semifinalist for the 2008 John Mackey Award, the Nassau County (N.Y.) Sports Commission (NCSC) announced today.

The Mackey Award is given to the collegiate tight end that best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics, and community values of NFL Hall of Fame Tight End John Mackey.

Pitta is currently among the nation's top tight ends in every statistical category. The 6-5, 250-pound junior is second in the nation in yards receiving (992), third in receptions (76) and yards per game (90.18), and fourth in receptions per game (6.91).

Against Air Force on Nov. 15, 2008, Pitta broke the BYU single-season tight end reception record of 68 set by Consensus All-American Chris Smith in 1990. His 152 career receptions are second all-time at BYU for a tight end, trailing only All-American Clay Brown who had 178 from 1978-80.

To no one's surprise, BYU's Lee Cummard is the MWC Men's Basketball Player of the Week.

It is the third time the senior has won the award.

Cummard, a 6-foot-7 guard from Mesa, Ariz., scored a career-high 36 points to go with 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a career-best tying four blocks in BYU's 75-65 victory over Long Beach State Friday in Provo.

He shot 13-for-16 (81.3 percent) from the floor, including 3-of-4 from three-point range and 7-for-7 from the charity stripe.

Cummard netted 22 of his team's 31 points in the first half on 9-of-11 shooting and kept BYU in the game by scoring 11 of 12 points during one stretch. With BYU trailing 40-33 early in the second half, he scored six straight points and assisted on another bucket to give the Cougars the lead, then went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the final six minutes of the contest to put the game away.

His 36 points marks the most points scored by a BYU player since 1993 and ties for the eighth highest individual performance in BYU men's basketball history.

Whether injured BYU tight end Dennis Pitta will be able to play or not against the University of Utah on Saturday probably won't be known until game time, coach Bronco Mendenhall said in his weekly news conference today.

Mendenhall acknowledged that Pitta suffered an MCL sprain and will need "extensive rehabilitation" in order to play. He said Pitta won't practice until at least Thursday, but will need to practice Thursday to be eligible to play, a BYU rule.

"We will have [backup tight end] Andrew George ready," Mendenhall said.

Pitta appeared at the news conference later and said the knee is sore. Asked if he could play on it today if he had to, the junior said, "the good thing is the game is not today."

So, I took that as a no.

During his time at the podium, quarterback Max Hall, who happens to be Pitta's brother-in-law, said Pitta is tough and will play.

As for the other injuries, Mendenhall said he expects Ray Feinga (back strain), Andrew Rich (bell ringer) and Shawn Doman (appendicitis) to be able to play. Because of protocol whenever head injuries occur, Rich might not be cleared to practice until Tuesday or Wednesday, he said. Reserve linebacker Daniel Sorensen (ankle sprain) is also expected back to practice today.

----------------------

As can be expected prior to the rivalry game, Mendenhall didn't say anything earth-shattering or out of the ordinary. He praised Utah and the season that it has had, and said that it will take a phenomenal effort and outstanding execution for BYU to beat the Utes.

A few other odds and ends:

* Mendenhall has noticed that Utah quarterback Brian Johnson doesn't run with the ball as much as he once did, but said that is probably because the Utes have other weapons (such as Corbin Louks and Matt Asiata) who can take direct snaps and take off with the ball.

* He said BYU and Utah still battle for in-state recruits, but don't battle much for out-of-state recruits. He said that the outcome of the game generally has little impact on a recruit's decision.

* Asked why both teams have been able to pull out come-from-behind wins this year, Mendenhall pointed to the fine quarterbacks on each side, and said it starts there.

* Asked if BYU has an indentity now through 11 games, what it would be, Mendenhall stated succinctly: "Championship football -- as it has been."

* He said he doesn't believe all the pressure is on Utah this week, and took minor offense to a reporter's question about the Cougars being solid this year. "More than solid," he said, noting the team's 10-1 record.

* Because so many teams have tried gadget plays against the Cougars, Mendenhall said the team has tripled the number of gadget plays that it practices against each week.

* Asked what he will do this week that could be different than most weeks, Mendenhall said he will "stay behind closed doors" more than usual "and try to avoid" fans and their questions.

----------------------

In his news conference, Max Hall acknowledged that "emotion got the the best of me" in last year's rivalry game and he did some things that were out of character for him.

Seconding Mendenhall, Max said he doesn't feel that there is more pressure on Utah than on BYU.

"Both teams have a lot to play for," he said.

Hall said the possibility of making it to a BCS game is still in the back of the Cougars' minds, "but all we can do is try to win and see what happens."

For the fifth time in his career, BYU quarterback Max Hall is the Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

Hall completed 28-of-37 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cougars past Air Force, 38-24.

Utah's Deshawn Richard is the defensive player of the week and UNLV's Kyle Watson is the special teams player of the week.

Trailing 14-10 at intermission, Hall was nearly perfect in the second half for the Cougars, completing 13-of-17 passes for 168 yards and the two touchdowns. Twelve of Hall's 13 second-half completions resulted in first downs to keep drives alive. The junior from Mesa, Ariz., accounted for 354 of the Cougars' 480 yards of total offense in the contest.

If I have heard him say it once, I have heard him say it 100 times.
BYU quarterback Max Hall loves college football. He loves playing it, talking about it, watching it (unless The Office is on) and analyzing it.
Perhaps that is why Hall spoke almost nostalgically about playing at the Air Force Academy on Saturday. The junior knows there are certain places on the MWC trail where he will play just once (Air Force, CSU, TCU and Utah), and he's determined to get as much out of the experiences as he can.
Hall will talk about his upcoming first and only visit to Rice-Eccles Stadium on Monday, but my guess is he's dying to play there, having sat in the stands and watched when John Beck led the Cougars to that 33-31 win two years ago.
Anyway, here are some of Hall's comments about playing at AFA last night:

** "Air Force is a good football team. I love how they play, I love everything about them."

** "To be honest, I am going to enjoy this [win at Air Force] right now. I am going to enjoy every single moment of this. Playing here at Air Force was awesome."

** "Coming here to play in this place, I [realized] I am never coming back here. So I really enjoyed this, and playing in front of all the cadets, and the atmosphere was unbelievable. And to win the game is a great feeling. I am going to soak it in."

----------------------

The new BCS rankings have been out for a few hours now, and several readers have emailed me wondering if I am ready to back off that supposition I made last week that BYU may not be able to leapfrog the Utes in the BCS standings even if it beats them.
Well, I think the Cougars' chances of doing that now are better than they were last week. I am not ready quite yet to say I am 100 percent sure the Cougs will jump past the Utes, but them moving from 17 to 14 in the BCS rankings today has to be seen as a sign that they will.
Frankly, though, I was surprised that Utah did not lose any ground in the computer rankings (they remained at No. 4) by playing an awful San Diego State team. Remember, BYU dropped a few spots after playing SDSU.
The question now becomes: If BYU beats Utah, will the Cougars be able to leapfrog No. 9 Boise State and get the automatic bid if the Broncos stay undefeated? Certainly, the Cougs will get a huge bump in both the human polls and computer rankings if they can knock off the No. 7 team in the BCS on its home field, while Boise State (with Nevada and Fresno State still on its schedule) isn't likely to move up much in the computer rankings with wins over those mediocre opponents.
Then again, Boise State's heroics in the Fiesta Bowl two years ago still invokes some good will from human voters, I think, and it could be tough for many voters to push a MWC team with one loss past an unbeaten Boise State.
At any rate, the last half of November should be interesting, indeed.

BYU's 38-24 win over Air Force (8-3) helped the Cougars jump from No. 17 to No. 14 in the BCS rankings, which were released earlier this afternoon.
While BYU remained No. 14 in the AP poll and the Harris Poll, the computers (one third of the BCS formula) bumped them to No. 15, thanks to the win over a strong Air Force team.
Utah remained at No. 7 in the BCS rankings and Boise State remained at No. 9.
TCU jumped from 18 to 16, while Ball State fell from No. 14 to No. 17.

It's almost time to get on the plane, head back to Utah and begin rivalry week in earnest. The Tribune has a lot planned for your reading pleasure this week, so stay tuned.

Just noticed that the USA Today coaches' poll is out, and the Cougars remained at No. 14.

Utah remained at No. 7 and Boise State remained at No. 9. TCU jumped from 18 to 17 without playing.

No surprises there. The only change in the top 15 was that Texas and Oklahoma swapped places, with the Long Horns moving to No. 4.

As you have probably read or heard by now, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall asked his players after the 38-24 win over Air Force to decline to answer questions about next week's game against Utah until Monday.
Basically, the coach didn't want a player to say something in the heat of the moment after a huge win over a conference rival that could find itself on a bulletin board somewhere, or being played over and over again on the radio.
Plus, the coach has really made it a point of emphasis to enjoy each win this year, rather than start focusing on the next game minutes after games are over.
Here are most of Mendenhall's postgame comments:

Opening statement: "We knew it would be a difficult football game, as it turned out to be. I was also proud of our own team, overcoming our own miscues, overcoming some of the things we didn't play quite as well in, winning on the road, to win our 10th game, and have a chance for a conference championship again, it is one of the goals, I think that any team has. I was proud of our team in that regard."

It was not the prettiest win, right?
"This particular team isn't as clean as the previous two teams. And it wouldn't do a head coach any good to jump up and down and make all kinds of emotional comments or actions, because this team is still growing. Amazingly, there are 10 wins to show for it. And that's a credit to their heart, their grit and their competitive will, because it is not the cleanest-playing football team right now."

Was the early third quarter the key to your win?
"It was one of the keys. I think that any of the turnovers, any of the swings in field position certainly had a role, but that allowed us some breathing room, and I think it was difficult for them to respond and then catch back up, after that swing in momentum."

How did Harvey Unga do?
"Harvey did a great job, and considering again, he has had two stingers, and didn't practice until Thursday, and he wasn't soft. He played physical, and I was proud of him."

Were you surprised by AFA's pace offensively?
"We actually were. In fact, I believe our pace in practice had exceeded it, but it is difficult, if they are having any kind of success, to then regroup and settle, and so, again, much like any time you are playing Air Force, to get the scheme and the execution right, if you are playing well, the pace doesn't seem like such an issue. When you are not playing well, [and] there is a series or two where you are struggling, then the pace does seem to be a factor."

What was said at halftime, coach?
"I really didn't say a word. Austin Collie rallied the team, and I think they responded well to him."

What did he say?
"I would rather not say."

What do last two wins mean going into the Utah game?
"You know, I am not sure the last two wins mean any more than the previous two. This football team has won 10 of 11 football games, and has a chance to win every game they play. That's what they have done all year. So this is just a continuation of who they are and a demonstration of what they are capable of. And I think they will try their hardest and prepare their best next week, and I am [eager] to watch them play."

The defense gave up plays, but made plays?
"Ultimately, we were hopeful to keep Air Force to 24 points or under, and that's exactly where they ended up. So we did make some plays, and we gave up some big plays. But at the end of the day they reached their goal. And that's why we felt if we could hold them to 24 or under, we would win the game."

Talk about Matt Ah You's play?
"Matt Ah You, with Shawn Doman and appendicitis, was forced into that role. I believed he responded well. Again, without seeing the film, that's what I can say. But I was glad to see him get the opportunity."

Talk about Brandon Howard's interception?
"We were playing obviously very conservative, and soft and hoping at some point they would take a shot over the top, so that we would have a chance to intercept it, and Brandon Howard did that."

Was it good to see him get a pick?
"It was good. He has been in position a lot this year, and hasn't made many plays, and that was great for his confidence to be able to make a play."

Talk about having a chance to play for championship?
"It is what I think any team starts the season with in mind. And this is our chance for this team, and this group of seniors to be one that has a chance to get a third in a row, which is phenomenal.

"And I have told our players, just to prepare you, they are not to speak about next week's game. They will answer questions about this game, then they will be open Monday for that. But hopefully you will acknowledge that and give them a chance to enjoy this one, make comments about this one, and we have all kinds of time next week to visit about this one."

Is that your philosophy, to enjoy wins more?
"After our loss to TCU, I made that very clear and every win is a great win, and I am proud of our team."

What did you think of Max Hall's performance?
"Max made some great plays and he helped our football team score 38 points. There are also some things in terms of ball security. As we all know, he is very competitive, and he pushes the envelope right to the edge. I am sure there are some things he would like to take back. Maybe just judgment, in a few of those cases."

When did you decide to put Austin in the backfield?
"It was made in fall camp. We just haven't needed it. We have been practicing it each week and [were] hopeful we would have a chance down the stretch to be in a championship game, and it was very helpful, as you saw, in a few key situations today. And to our staff's credit, we held it as long as we could."

Did you know you were going to use it today?
"I did not. Coach [Robert] Anae might have. All I have asked is that it is ready every week."

Why don't you want your players talking about next week?
"Because basically our community does not treat next week's game like it is another game. And they usually try to stir up and capture content that really is divisive early on in the week. So, I would just as soon have them enjoy this one. Again, we will work on Utah next week, and so that' s the best way that I could shape it to you."

Injury update?
"Dennis Pitta, MCL sprain. Ray Feinga, low back strain. And Andrew Rich, what is considered a bell-ringer. Not a concussion. Just a little wooziness. And those are the three that came up in this week's game."

Well, we turn our thoughts to the showdown, perhaps the most meaningful BYU-Utah football game in the long history of their historic rivalry.
The Cougars ensured they will enter Saturday's game at Rice-Eccles Stadium with 10 wins and some momentum, having rolled past Air Force 38-24 here at Falcon Stadium today.
I was critical of BYU's first-half play -- and heard from some of you about that -- so I have to give the Cougars credit for the second half, when they looked like a top-20 team with a dominating performance when they could have fared much worse.
"This football team has won 10 of 11 football games, and has a chance to win every game they play," coach Bronco Mendenhall said after emerging from a joyful locker room. "That's what they have done all year. This is just a continuation of who they are and a demonstration of what they are capable of."
I am guessing Utah is going to be a three-point favorite over BYU next week, strictly because the Utes are playing at home.
Are they better than the Cougars? We will see at 4 p.m. on Nov. 22, but if BYU plays like it did in the second half tonight, I like its chances.
As I outlined in one of my stories for the newspaper, the Cougars say that a halftime speech by Austin Collie fired them up and got them going.
They came out and scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter, then put it away in the fourth quarter when Max Hall threw a 45-yard strike to Collie.
Hall and Collie said offensive coordinator Robert Anae called the play. The Cougs noticed that AFA defensive backs had been biting on the 10-yard curl patterns all night.
Collie pulled up, Hall double-pumped, and the rest is history.
"Just a double-move, stutter and go," Collie said. "They had been biting on that little 10-yard stop all night, and we thought we could get them."
Aside from that pick he threw right before halftime (the ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage) and a fumble in the second half when he should have gone down to avoid a hit, Hall was sensational once again.
He completed 28 of 37 passes for 354 yards and two TDs.
Collie finished with 130 receiving yards, while Dennis Pitta had nine catches for 113 yards.
However, there is concern regarding Pitta's health. He took a nasty end-over-end hit in the fourth quarter and left the game with a strained MCL.
He was visibly limping as he left the field after the game. Asked his condition, he said afterwards, "I don't know. I am not a doctor."
Mendenhall said Pitta and Andrew Rich, who left the game with a bell-ringer, will be examined on Monday and their status will be revealed at that time.

--------------

Remember how a Colorado Springs columnist called the Cougs the most overrated team in the history of American football? Well, AFA coach Troy Calhoun doesn't think so. After the game, the coach had nothing but praise for BYU.
"That's a heck of a team," he said. "That's absolutely a top 15 team."

More comments from Calhoun:

* "When you play these guys, you're never going to be flawless, but there are certain games you have to be pretty darn close to it. We didn't come up with too many stops, had the short punt and the fumble on the kickoff return....You're never going to be mistake-free, but you've got to be inching right up against it. When we play teams like BYU and Utah, that's just the way we have to play."

* We had opportunities to make first downs and we didn't make it there. We had some chances to maybe come up with some interceptions. You've got to make every single one of those plays. Just from a program standpoint, we've got a ways to go."

It can be frustrating watching these BYU Cougars play on the road, can't it?

The Cougars are self-destructing at Falcon Stadium in a game they should be leading by at least a touchdown, maybe more.

At the half, Air Force leads, 14-10.

The Cougars went up 10-0 at looked to be cruising when they got the ball back. But two false starts -- one of Matt Reynolds, the other on R.J. Willing -- put them in a hole and Max Hall was sacked on second-and-17.

AFA then had a 26-yard punt return, and got on the board in the second quarter on Asher Clark's 6-yard TD run.

BYU guard Ray Feinga is out of the game with back spasms, and Willing is playing in his place.

The Cougars moved the ball to the AFA 27 on their next possession, but a 15-yard personal foul on Reed White moved them out of field goal range, and they eventually had to punt.

The Falcons easily went 83 yards in five plays to take the lead.

The Cougars drove to the AFA 3 just before halftime, but Max Hall's pass was tipped and then intercepted by Aaron Kirchoff in the end zone.

Simply put, the Cougars are making too many mistakes to beat a good team on the road.

They been victimized by a few bad calls -- including an offensive pass interference penalty on Mike Reed -- but they also have themselves to blame for all the penalties and some poor tackling.

At halftime, Hall has completed 15 of 20 passes for 186 yards, but has been sacked three times.

Harvey Unga has rushed five times for 39 yards.

BYU has 218 total yards, while AFA has 197.

We are a half-hour away from kickoff here at Falcon Stadium, which is about half-full right now. It is 46 degrees, with winds out of the southeast at 10 miles-per-hour.

The cadets are marching into the stadium in formation in their dark blue uniforms, and it is quite a sight.

They are executing the entrance perfectly, which is what both these football teams will rely on so much here shortly.

I think everyone I have talked to in the pressbox is expecting a close, high-scoring game. As you have probably already read, BYU's defense will be without a key element today, starting inside linebacker Shawn Doman.

Matt Ah You is a more-than-capable replacement, and a lot of people believe he is as good as Doman. But he almost certainly doesn't have the preparation time against Air Force's offense that Doman has.

How much the Falcons can exploit that remains to be seen.

BYU will be even more shorthanded on defense against Air Force today.
Starting inside linebacker Shawn Doman, a junior, did not make the trip to Colorado Springs because he suffered an appendicitis attack on Friday.
Doman had surgery, which went well, according to BYU sports information director Duff Tittle. His status will be evaluated on Monday.
Matt Ah You will start in Doman's place today, and Terrance Hooks will be Ah You's backup.
Daniel Sorensen, a backup outside linebacker, sprained his ankle Thursday night at practice and also did not make the trip.
The two players who made the trip in the absence of Sorensen and Doman are Blake Morgan and Stephen Covey.

Just noticed that on College GameDay this morning on ESPN that Kirk Herbstreit had Air Force over BYU as his upset special. Then, Herbstreit weakened his credibility a bit when he said that Shea Dixon leads the Falcons at quarterback.
Uh, Kirk, Tim Jefferson has been the AFA signal-caller the last five games.
"Watch out, BYU," Herbstreit said.
As predicted by the weather people, it is a cold, sunny, crisp day here in Colorado Springs.
I'll be heading over to the stadium in a couple of hours. But before I do, here are some comments and notes from the notebook that I haven't worked into an article or blog yet:
* Coach Bronco Mendenhall on Jefferson:
"Give credit to their coaches. They are asking [Jefferson] to do what he is capable of doing, and it is enough to win a lot of football games currently. He's confident and he's poised and within what they are asking him to do, he seems sure of himself for a freshman."
* Mendenhall on the difference between BYU's play at home and on the road:
"I am not sure there is a difference. Statistically, it looks like there is a difference, at least in regards to us. I think it is natural for a team to empasize and play well at home. And I think the support of the crowd and and the emotion and even the routine of just not having to travel certainly could lend itself to possibly performing better.
"And then I think as we have had success as our program has had, and you do have a chance to travel, that the fans and community get into it, and it makes it more difficult to play and execute in."
* Quarterback Max Hall, on whether a Colorado Springs columnist's assertion that BYU is overrated bothers him:
"I dunno, man. We just have to play games and let everything work itself out. But we have a very good football team, and I think we have gained momentum in these last couple of weeks. Our defense played phenomenal on Saturday and their confidence has been boosted up a little bit. Our offense is being very consistent right now and so we just have to keep it rolling, keep it going, and finishe these last two games out right."