BYU names former Cougars RB Sitake coach

But BYU never got the ball back.

“We got complacent”, Whittingham said.

BYU and Utah did not have a rivalry game scheduled this year, as was the case for last season, but their bowl pairing allowed for Mendenhall to get one last shot at Utah as the head coach at BYU.

The turnover avalanche came early for BYU (9-4) after quarterback Tanner Mangum fumbled on the third play from scrimmage and Utah (10-3) cashed in with a six-play, 25-yard drive.

Mendenhall coached in his last game for BYU on Saturday – a 35-28 loss to No. 22 Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. So numerous tenets of football analytics were on display as Utah jumped to an early 35-0 lead (almost entirely because of its defense) and held on for a seven-point win over rival BYU.

In a statistical quirk, BYU actually outgained Utah offensively (89-69) in the first quarter.

The Cougars’ first five possessions resulted in five turnovers. “To go up 35-0 and have it end like this”.

Mangum’s shaky start didn’t stop him from throwing for 315 yards in rallying his team. We’ve got all the TV schedule and live stream info you need to catch the game – plus live score updates in the box score above.

Utah (10-3) came in as a two-point favorite in the first meeting since 2013 of schools that have campuses 46 miles apart.

Utah’s offense, with no points since that first quarter deluge, ran out the final 203 seconds, securing a win that, kiss-your-sister as it may have felt after that 35-0 lead, is a win nonetheless.

He was named BYU’s Football Scholar Athlete of the Year in 1998, Impact Player of the Year in 1999, along with team captain and the most valuable running back in 2000.

The former Oregon State defensive coordinator replaces Bronco Mendenhall, who is leaving to fill the head coaching position at the University of Virginia.

Mendenhall said other teams might have simply folded rather than try for a comeback that seemed impossible.

With the game always filled with emotions between the two teams, the Utes have done a great job of frustrating the Cougars on both ends of the football.

Grade: This game was a lot more exciting than anybody thought it would be after the first couple minutes of action, but even so, I just can’t give it an “A”.

The Cougar defense shined after the barrage of turnovers, forcing four consecutive punts for Utah, including three 3-and-outs. Five plays later, Utah QB Travis Wilson ran 20 yards for a touchdown.

Utah, which at one point in the season was 6-0 and ranked No. 3, had 19 interceptions on defense during the regular season, seventh best in the country. Senior Tevin Carter went out with a bang with two interceptions that lead to two Utah touchdowns and to be named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

Following the conclusion of the Las Vegas Bowl, BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe officially announced Sitake’s hire. The Utes have a tough Pac-12 schedule and the BYU game presents a hard nonconference game that doesn’t necessarily carry the weight nationally that a matchup with a Power 5 school would.

Anu Solomon threw for two touchdowns and ran for another score, and Arizona held off a determined New Mexico to lift the New Mexico Bowl, 45-37 on Saturday. Utah had more opportunities for take aways, but couldn’t capitalize, and boy, they would have been helpful the last half of the game.

Jared Baker ran for 107 yards and three TDs, and Cayleb Jones had 182 yards receiving and a TD.