Finally back on the field after a long break, BYU had a hard time kicking off the rust in its 31-21 loss to Arizona in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl.
"It wasn't the way we wanted to end this season, but we've got to pick our heads up," senior wide receiver Michael Reed said. "We had a good year. A lot of teams around the country would like to have a record of 10-3. We lost as a team. No individual lost this game for us. Our opportunities were there, but we didn't capitalize on certain ones. When you don't capitalize, you don't win the game."
The key to Wildcats’ victory was something BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall preaches at every practice, game and press conference: execution.
The Cougars missed their chance to win 11 games for the third consecutive season, ending a sloppy night with three missed field goals and 10 penalties for 76 yards. BYU was able to move the ball on offense, but, as was the case in its previous two losses, could not capitalize on the chances it had.
"It basically came down to execution," senior linebacker David Nixon said. "We slipped up. It's something that's plagued us in our three losses.”
No series of plays epitomized the game for BYU like its failure to score near the end of the first half. Down 10-7 and facing second and one from the Arizona 18 yard line, Michael Reed dropped a sure touchdown pass from quarterback Max Hall. After three straight third-down penalties backed the offense up 15 yards, Mitch Payne missed a 39-yard field goal attempt.
"Championship coaches don't coach a team to do that. I could have done a better job," Mendenhall said. "We were pressing."
Despite the miscues, BYU was able to take the lead early in the third quarter. On the first play of the second half, Arizona quarterback Willie Tuitama mishandled the snap and the Cougars pounced on the ball inside Arizona’s 30 yard-line. BYU took it down to the half-yard line before Hall found tight end Andrew George in the back of the end zone to give the Cougars a 14-10 lead.
After punts by both teams, however, a blown-coverage by the BYU secondary led to a 37-yard touchdown pass from Tuitama to receiver Deaishaun Dean, putting Arizona on top again 17-14.
A missed 53-yard field goal by Justin Sorenson and a Max Hall fumble sandwiched another Arizona touchdown, as BYU fell behind 24-14 early in the fourth quarter.
Hall completed 30 of 46 passes for 328 yards and a touchdown on the day, but was off on several easy passes, under-throwing a wide-open Austin Collie twice on potential touchdown throws -- one of which was intercepted in the end zone. Hall also fumbled twice. Collie, a second team All-American, finished with 11 catches for 119 yards, extending his streak of 100-yard receiving games to 11.
His statistics, however, gave him no comfort in the wake of the team’s second straight loss.
"We had high hopes in the beginning of the year — we had a lot of goals set, and goals that were achievable," Collie said. "As the season went on I think we kind of dropped off a little bit. I don't think that's because of the teams we played — I think we're equally if not more talented than the teams we've played — it's just that we beat ourselves.”
BYU failed to put consistent pressure on Tuitama — the lone sack was recorded by David Nixon late in the game — and the secondary was once again susceptible to big plays. Arizona’s signal-caller competed 24 of 35 passes for 325 yards, including completions of 71, 37 and 24 yards. He also threw two touchdowns and ran for another in a fantastic end to his college career.
"We had a goal before the season started and tonight we finally reached it," Tuitama said. "I'll never forget to finally be in a bowl game with this group of seniors, on this team."
Tuitama wasn’t the only Wildcat to go out in style, as senior receiver Mike Thomas caught his fourth pass of the day on the game’s final play, giving him a new Pac-10 Conference record 259 career receptions.
BYU prolonged its losing effort and gave its fans a false sense of hope when O’Neill Chambers recovered an onside kick after Max Hall scored on a 1-yard sneak with 3:38 left in the game.
Any hope of a miraculous comeback, however, ended when Payne missed another field goal attempt, bouncing his kick off the left upright from 37 yards out.
Copyright Brigham Young University 24 Dec 2008
