Primetime College Football: MAACO Las Vegas Bowl
TALENT
The 18th annual Las Vegas Bowl pits the Oregon State Beavers against the BYU Cougars, who are making their fifth straight trip at Sam Boyd Stadium.
BYU lost to Arizona in this bowl a year ago 31-21 but this year arrive after putting together a 10-2 record and a 7-1 record within the Mountain West Conference. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s Cougars only two losses fcame against Florida State 54-28 at home in the third game of the season and demolishing 38-7 defeat at home against TCU.
Oregon State is playing in a bowl game for the ninth time in the last 11 years, its the Beavers second time appearing in the Las Vegas Bowl, their first being a 55-14 triumph over New Mexico back in 2003. Mike Riley’s Beavers had four losses on the season, three of which were against nationally-ranked programs. Their last lost came against in-state rival Oregon who won the 113th Civil War 37-33, snapping a four game win streak.
In terms of postseason experience Oregon State has won eight of 12 match-ups, last year wining their fifth straight bowl with a 3-0 defensive struggle versus Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl. BYU, has a mark of 9-17-1 in the postseason with its last win coming in 2007 against UCLA 17-16 at the Las Vegas Bowl. As far as the all-time series between these two teams goes, OSU holds a 5-3 edge over the Cougars and the last meeting being in Provo back in 1986.
The Beavers operate behind the one-two punch provided by brothers Jacquizz and James Rodgers. Jacquizz a devastating runner who gained 1,377 yards and registered 20 touchdowns on the ground this year. James set the OSU single-season record for all-purpose yards with 2,213 yards. This season, James has caught 87 passes for 1,004 yards and nine touchdowns from Sean Canfield who connected on 70 percent of his passes for 3,103 yards and 21 touchdowns and only throwing six interceptions in 406 attempts.
On defensive the Beavers are allowing opponents 23 points and 352.9 total yards per tilt. Keaton Kristick leads the team with 87 tackles and was 7.5 tackles for loss.
The Cougars have an offense that was ranked 12th in the nation this season with 34 ppg and backed by Max Hall who has thrown for 3,000 yards three times in his career and is second only to Ty Detmer on the school’s all- time passing list. Hall threw for 300 yards a league-record eight times this season, connected on 67.5 percent of his attempts for 3,368 yards and 30 touchdowns but threw 14 interceptions. Then there’s Hall’s favorite target Dennis Pitta, a 2009 ALL-SGE-NCAA FOOTBALL Team member, who led the nation in receptions at his position with 57 for 784 yards and seven touchdowns. Harvey Unga led BYU in rushing with 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns this year. The Cougars’ all-time leading rusher with 3,384 yards, he is the cousin of Oregon State freshman players Devin and Kevin Unga.
The Cougars defense is lead by senior defensive end Jan Jorgensen who has 10.5 tackles for loss this season bringing his total to 44 such stops in his career, establishing a new Mountain West record.
Mendenhall is looking for the opportunity of defeating the program he played for more than 20 years ago who was a starting safety for the Beavers the last time these programs meet in 1986.
PICK: Brigham Young University Cougars
