Cougars accept Vegas Bowl invitation
The Cougars will face a yet-to-be-determined Pac-10 opponent on Dec. 21 (6 p.m.) at Sam Boyd Stadium.
BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall is thrilled to be returning to Vegas. Last year, the Cougars fell to California, 35-28.
"We're really excited about going back as the conference champion, not the second-place team," he said. "We have another opponent before we play the Las Vegas Bowl, but it's great to go in as the conference champion and be acknowledged as such."
Said quarterback John Beck: "I don't know how it's going to feel going in as champions, but it feels good to be champions right now."
SENIORS HONORED: BYU's 25 seniors were introduced individually prior to the game, and they received the traditional "Y" blankets afterward.
The list of seniors who were honored: Dan Bates, Curtis Brown, Zac Collie, Jonny Harline, Jake Kuresa, Derek McLaughlin, Cole Miyahira, Justin Robinson, Aaron Wagner, Jason Beck, Jayson Clark, Brett Cooper, Cameron Jensen, Nick Longshore, Jared McLaughlin, Philip Niu, Matt Smith, John Beck, Dan Coats, Aaron Gordon, Eddie Keele, Gary Lovely, Nate Meikle, Hala Paongo and Andrew Stacey.
New Mexico senior offensive tackle Bo Greer has his reasons. "I think it's pretty obvious. They have it all," he told the Albuquerque Tribune. "They have the best facilities, the most resources, the best tradition and the most success. It's like they're the kings of our conference and we're just the little dogs fighting for scraps at our table."
The story also quoted junior linebacker Brett Madsen, who grew up in Mount Pleasant and was a big BYU fan. Madsen played for two seasons at Snow College and planned to play for the Cougars after serving a mission. But Madsen fell ill during his mission and came home a year early. The Cougars didn't have a scholarship for him, according to the Tribune, so he landed at New Mexico.
The Tribune described Madsen as "proud to say he is a resident of the anti-BYU nation."
"It's almost too easy for them to be good," Madsen said. "They have so much support, it naturally fires up that whole underdog mentality in everyone who plays them."
EXPANDED TV: Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson, who was lustily booed by BYU's crowd after the game when introduced for a trophy ceremony, said Cox Cable, the biggest cable provider to the league's biggest markets in San Diego and Las Vegas, had come to an agreement to carry The mtn. network, and he expected an announcement would have already come by the cable giant. Once Cox Cable is onboard, most experts predict satellite companies DishNetwork and DirecTV will follow.
INJURY REPORT: BYU freshman quarterback James Lark broke his leg Thursday in practice. He is redshirting this season and plans to serve a mission in the winter. Offensive lineman Jake Kuresa sat out part of the New Mexico game due to a groin strain.
E-mail: jeffc@desnews.com
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