Cougars Try Their Luck in Las Vegas

Saturday's game will mark just the seventh meeting between the two schools. BYU has posted a 5-1 record over the Rebels since the two teams first met in 1978. Over the past six meetings, the Cougars have averaged 35.0 points per game, while limiting UNLV to just 20.8 points per contest. BYU has posted 35 or more points in four of the six meetings, including a 63-point effort in 1996. The Cougar defense has held UNLV to 14 or less points in three of the previous six meetings, including a 27-0 shuout in 1982. This will be BYU's first game against UNLV in Las Vegas since the 1982 season. The Cougars enter Saturday's game ranked 19th, marking the first time since the end of the 1994 season UNLV has battled a ranked opponent at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Scouting the Rebels

UNLV enters Saturday's with a 3-3 record, includinn a 1-1 mark in in Conference play. UNLV defeated Wyoming on Oct.9 in Laramie to improve its road record to 3-1 on the season. The Rebels were off last weekend, marking the second opponent this season who has had the benefit of a bye week prior to playing the Cougars. Under the direction of quarterback Jason Vaughan, UNLV has produced an average 19.0 points per game. Vaughan has completed 83 of 152 passing attempts with five interceptions. Vaugh has connected on eight touchdown receptions, including four to receiver Nate Turner. Jeremi Rudolph leads the Rebel rushing attack with a team-leading 511 yards on 112 attempts, averaging 85.2 yards per game.

The UNLV defense is led by linebacker James Sunia who has produced 60 tackles on the season, including 41 solo takedowns. The Rebels have forced eight fumbles and seven interceptions. UNLV is under the direction of veteran coach John Robinson, who is in his first year with the Rebels. UNLV is 0-2 at home this season, allowing 38 points per game, while scoring an average seven points per contest. Standout receiver Len Ware missed the Wyoming game with a sprained right knee and is listed as questionable for Saturday's game. Ware is tied for first on the UNLV career 100-yard games list with eight. (None of those eight games are against BYU.)

Television Information

Saturday's game will be broadcast live, beginning at 8:37 p.m. (MDT) on Salt Lake City's KSL, Ch. 5 by SportsWest Productions. Las Vegas' top-rated sports caster and BYU alumn Dave McCann will call the action, with former BYU quarterback Blaine Fowler offering expert analysis. Satellite coordinates for Saturday's game are: Telstar 5, Transponder 16 (C-band). The game will also be broadcast live in Las Vegas on KLAS (CBS), channel 8.

Travel Plans

The Cougars will depart Provo via charter at 4:15 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 22 and arrive in Las Vegas at 5 p.m. (PDT). The team will stay at the Double Tree located on Pollack Blvd. BYU is scheduled to practice Friday evening at Sam Boyd Stadium, beginning at 7:15 p.m. Media access to players and coaches on Friday and Saturday (prior to and up until 10 minutes after the game) will be restricted. The Cougars' Friday evening practice, as well as the BYU lockeroom will be closed to all media.

Statistical Comparison

Team Statistics BYU UNLV

Scoring 212 114

Points per Game 35.3 19.0

First Downs 158 92

Rushing Yardage 799 754

Average per Rush 3.7 3.4

Average per Game 133.2 125.7

Rushing TDs 10 4

Passing Yardage 2042 873

Att-Comp-Int 250-159-8 153-84-5

Average per Game 340.3 145.5

Passing TDs 17 8

Total Offense 2841 1627

Kick Returns/No. Yards 9/229 15/441

Punt Returns/No. Yards 18/84 8/84

Interception Returns/No. Yards 8/190 7/98

Fumbles/Lost 13/7 9/3

Penalties/Yards 43/385 32/296

Punts/Yards 24/1000 39/1624

Time of Possession p/game 34:05 29:33

3rd Down Conversions 35/84 27/85

4th Down Conversions 3/5 4/11

Sacks by/Yards 15/99 8/33

Touchdowns Scored 28 17

Field Goals/Attempted 6/11 0/3

PAT Attempts 24/26 12/15

Score by Quarters 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Total

Brigham Young 49 66 55 39 3 212

UNLV 14 27 27 46 -- 114

Pound for Pound

The BYU offensive line totals a whopping 1,490 pounds, averaging 298 pounds per man. The Rebels' defensive line averages 251.25 pounds. Defensively, the Cougars' front four averages nearly 274 pounds, while the UNLV offensive line weighs in at 290 pounds per man.

Coach Edwards - (248-92-3; 28th season -- Career Game No. 344)

BYU head coach LaVell Edwards is in his 28th season at the helm of the Cougar program. Edwards has produced all but one winning season since taking over the program in 1972, posting a 248-92-3 record during his tenure. Edwards' teams have passed for over 56 miles during his 27-year career, chalked up a National Championship in 1984 and was named college football's Coach of the Year in 1979 and 1984. He has coached two Outland Trophy winners, four Davey O'Brien Trophy winners, 31 All-Americans, 11 conference Player of the Year recipients, 21 Academic All-Americans and has led the Cougars to seven NCAA single-season passing titles. Since 1972, Edwards has guided BYU to 21 postseason bowl appearances, including a string of 17 straight. Only Michigan, Alabama and Nebraska have laced together a string of more consecutive appearances. The Oct. 9 game (vs. Cal) marked the 157th home game for Edwards since becoming head coach in 1972. In 27 seasons, Edwards is 128-30 (.810) in Cougar Stadium. Entering the 1999 season, the former Utah State lineman ranked seventh in total victories on the NCAA's all-time list. Edwards needs eight more wins to tie Nebraska's Tom Osborne for sixth. Among active coaches, Edwards ranks eighth with a 72.7 career winning percentage.

Last Week

For the second straight week BYU jumped out an earl 21-0 lead for the second straigh week and the third time this season, enroute to a 31-7 victory Saturday over Mountain West foe New Mexico. A 43-minute lightning delay after halftime dissipated the crowd of 25,301 as the Cougars improved to 5-1 on the season. All of BYU's four touchdowns came from three different freshmen, including two TDs for Fahu Tahi, a TD reception from Bristol Olomua and a season-long 61-yard TD scamper from Luke Staley. After New Mexico stopped the Cougars on their first three plays from scrimmage, UNM picked up a personal foul to give BYU 1st and 10 then proceeded to march 80 yards for Tahi's first TD of the night, aided by a 36-yard pass from Kevin Feterik to Margin Hooks and a key fumble recovery from lineman Matt Johnson. From then on, it was all BYU. The Cougars scored on their first three possesions and chipped in a field goal with 4:25 left in the half. The 28-yard field goal marked Owen Pochman's 35th of his career, giving him the all-time BYU record. Luke Staley took the Cougars' first play from scrimmage in the second half for a 61-yard touchdown run, marking BYU's longest play from scrimmage of the season. BYU defensive end Setema Gali recorded back-to-back quarterback sacks on one series in the first half. Gali ended the game with four sacks, followed by teammate Isaac Kelley with two and Ryan Denney with one. The BYU defense came up big in the first half, allowing just one UNM first down over two quarters. On New Mexico's final series, with all of BYU's substitutes playing, UNM got on the scoreboard when Sean Stein threw a five-yard fade pass to Germany Thompson to cap a 12-play 79 yard drive. Feterik finished the night with 211 yards on 15-of-27 completions in just three quarters of play.

Home Sweet Home

Prior to the loss against Virginia, BYU had won eight straight home games in Cougar Stadium, dating back through the 1998 season. Last year, the Cougars went 6-0 within the friendly confines of Cougar Stadium. In 1999, BYU has posted a 3-1 mark, including wins over Washington, Colorado State and California. The Oct. 9th game against Cal marked the fifth straight game of the season without leaving the state. BYU's first "true road game" wasn't until Oct. 16, when the Cougars traveled to New Mexico. The Cougars have posted a 151-45-0 (.771) record through 36 season, averaging just over four home wins per season. During the 90s, BYU has posted a 47-12-0 record at Cougar Stadium. The Cougars outscored their opponents by a combined score of 212-93 at home last season, including a 13-0 shutout against San Diego State. Since becoming head coach in 1972, LaVell Edwards' teams have posted 128 wins over 158 games (.810) in Provo. Since 1964, the year Cougar Stadium opened, BYU has had just two losing home seasons (0-5, 1968; 1-3, 1971). Next season, BYU will host Mississippi State for its home opener. That game will mark the 200th game played by BYU in Cougar Stadium.

First & Ten Topics

Entering Saturday's game, BYU will look to extend its NCAA-record 306 games without being shutout. BYU was last shutout during the 1975 season (Sept. 27, 1975 vs. Arizona State). To put this streak in perspective, the Cougars have never been shutout during the entire lifetime of current BYU quarterback Kevin Feterik. (Feterik was born Sept. 14, 1977).

BYU has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 11 straight games, dating back last season. Despite winning the game 13-0, the Cougar offense did not score a touchdown against San Diego State last season. During that streak, when BYU connects on at least one TD pass, the Cougars are 8-3.

Senior quarterback Kevin Feterik has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 24 of his 29 games. Feterik has thrown 45 TD receptions (Conference championships and bowl games do not count) throughout his career and is tied for 10th with Gary Sheide on BYU's all-time TD completion list.

Cougar Stadium Records Fall

Three Cougar Stadium records fell by the wayside on Thursday, Sept. 9 (vs. Washington). Senior QB Kevin Feterik made 59 pass attempts, breaking both the individual and team records. The old individual record of 57 attempts was held by John Walsh (BYU, 1993), Anthony Calvillo (Utah State, 1992) and Sam King (UNLV, 1981). The team, stadium record was held by Utah State, which attempted 58 passes against the Cougars in 1976. Feterik also led BYU to 37 first downs, setting a new stadium record that had been established at 36 both in 1980 and 1990.

Some Things Never Change

According to a recent survey of each Division-I program, BYU has one of the most experienced and stable coaching staffs in the nation. 1999 is the fifth year without a staff change for BYU, making it the most cohesive unit in the nation. Entering its fourth year as a unit, Penn State ranks second to the Cougars. BYU coaches have an average tenure of 15.5 years at BYU, the third-highest average in the nation behind Penn State (19.9) and Florida State (15.7).

For Whom the Whistle Blows

During the summer, BYU athletic media relations' personnel distributed some 300 wooden train whistles to various media throughout the country, touting Rob "Freight Train" Morris for the prestigious Butkus Award - an honor given annually to college football's top linebacker. The whistles, which state, "It's Time to Toot His Horn", are a play off an interview between Morris and ABC's Dan Fouts. During the interview Morris told Fouts when he sacked a quarterback, it could be compared to "a freight train hitting a Yugo." The BYU season ticket campaign, "Get on Board", and several other promotions have centered around Morris' candidacy for the Butkus Award. During each home game, some 33,000 wooden train whistles will be blown every time BYU makes a good play or when Morris makes a tackle. The Butkus watch list will be trimmed to 10 candidates (down from 65) on Oct. 21. Despite a third-quarter injury, Morris led the Cougars with five tackles against Colorado State, including three unassisted and two assisted takedowns. Morris tallied two quarterback hurries and a tackle for a six-yard loss.

Year UT AT TFL FR FC PI D BK HUR SCK

1993 3 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

1997 61 49 8.5 0 0 0 1 0 6 1

1998 114 33 16 1 1 1 4 1 11 6

1999 8 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0

TOTALS 186 94 25.5 1 1 1 6 1 19 7

Cougars on National TV

Since its first national television appearance in 1974, BYU has posted a 40-23-2 record while playing in front of a national audience. BYU has been a regular on ESPN's Thursday Night Game of the Week in recent history, compiling an 9-2 overall record and a current five-game winning streak. Current assistant coach, Robbie Bosco, led the Cougars to a 20-14 win over Pitt in the first live ESPN College Football broadcast in 1984. Over 11 years ago the Cougars recorded their largest margin of victory while playing on national television, defeating Texas, 72-6, on Sept. 8, 1988. Saturday's game at UNLV will be televised regionally by SportsWest Productions. The Cougars are 2-0 in SWP games.

On This Day (October 23)

Since the Cougars' first season in 1922, BYU has played a total of 10 times on this date, posting a 5-5 record on Oct. 23. The Cougars are 3-1 in games played on Oct. 23 in Provo and 2-4 on the road. Following is a look at each Oct. 23rd game in BYU football history:

Year Outcome Score Opponent

1926 W 30-0 at Western State

1937 L 13-10 at Portland

1948 L 20-7 at Utah State

1953 L 27-19 at Denver

1954 W 19-7 Montana

1965 L 34-6 at Wyoming

1971 W 25-7 at Tulsa

1976 W 45-14 Utah State

1982 W 34-18 Colorado State

1993 L 48-45 Fresno State

The Streak Continues

BYU will look to extend its NCAA record 306 straight games without being shutout on Friday. The Cougars were last blanked in 1977 when Arizona State defeated BYU, 20-0. That loss still marks BYU head coach LaVell Edwards' only shutout in 27 seasons (343 games). Since being shutout in the first quarter of the Washington game, BYU scored in seven straight quarters before being blanked in the first quarter of the Virginia game. Since then, the Cougars had racked up a streak of 15 straight point-producing periods, including the overtime period at Utah State, before being blanked in the fourth quarter at New Mexico. BYU scored a season-high 21 points in the first quarter at New Mexico and have six times scored 14 or more points in a single quarter. Throughout the season, the Cougars have enjoyed the most scoring production in the second quarter, outscoring their opponents, 66-27.

BYU Football - A Winning Tradition

BYU posted its 24th straight winning season, following a 9-5 record in 1998. The Cougars have not had a losing season since posting a 5-6 mark in 1973 - LaVell Edwards' second season as head coach. The Cougars' streak of 24 straight winning seasons ranks 11th all-time at the NCAA Division I-A level and is currently the second longest streak in the nation. Nebraska leads with an impressive 37 straight winning seasons. BYU needs to win just one more game to guarantee the program's 25th straight winning season.

Another Addition From BYU's Quarterback Factory

After six games into the season, ranks seventh nationally in passing efficiency (149.2), fifth in total offense (328.33) and has lead the Cougars to a third-place ranking in passing offense, averaging 340.3 yards per game and also a seventh-place ranking in total offense (473.5 yards per game) - Has led BYU to its best start (after six games) since the 1996 season at 5-1 - Named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week and the USA Today.com National Player of the Week after completing 39-of-59 attempts in a 35-28 win over Washington in the Cougars' season-opener, including three touchdown passes - Used 12 different receivers against the Huskies to total 501 yards - the most passing yards by a BYU quarterback since the first game of the 1996 season - Set a Cougar Stadium record with 59 pass attempts and paced BYU to 37 first downs, another stadium record against the Huskies - Followed the season-opener with a 310-yard passing performance against Colorado State, leading BYU to a 34-13 victory - Was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week for a second straight week with two TD passes on 28-of-37 attempts against the Rams - Completed 28-of-47 attempts against Virginia for 303 yards - his third straight 300-yard performance of the season - Led a BYU comeback that included three touchdown passes, as the Cougars fell just five points shy of overcoming a 22-point deficit against the Cavaliers - Equaled a career-high four touchdown completions on 23-of-36 attempts for 289 yards in a 34-31 overtime win at Utah State - Tallied four TD completions for a second straight week in a 38-28 win over Cal, completing 25-of-41 attempts for 414 yards - his fourth 300-yard performance of the season - Improved to 7-1 as a starter when passing for over 300 yards - In just three quarters of play, tallied 211 yards passing on 15-of-27 attempts in a 31-7 win at New Mexico - Connected with freshman Bristol Olomua in the first quarter (at UNM) to collect his 45th career touchdown completion - Tied with Gary Sheide for 10th place on BYU's all-time touchdown completions list - With his 200-yard performance at New Mexico, improved to 14-4 as a starter when passing for over 200 yards - Including the New Mexico game, has completed at least one touchdown pass in 11 straight games, including 14 of his last 15 games - Over 247 attempts, has thrown just eight interceptions, averaging only one miscue every 30.9 attempts - Has thrown a career-high 17 touchdown completions on the season.

Year Games Cmp Att Int Pct Lng Yds TD YPG

1996 1 5 8 1 .625 15 26 1 4.3

1997 8 125 208 5 .601 70 1767 11 220.9

1998 14 202 336 6 .601 83 2718 16 209.1

1999 6 158 247 8 .640 46 2028 17 338.0

TOTALS 29 490 799 20 .613 83 6539 45 225.5

BYU Point Production

For the sixth straight game this season, BYU eclipsed the 30-point barrier (31 points vs. New Mexico). BYU is averaging 35.3 point per game, its highest average since recording an average 39.3 points per game in 1996. Through six games, BYU's current average is the highest since the 1990 season when the Cougars averaged 37.2 points.

Feterik Climbing All-Time Passing List

With his 289-yard passing performance at Utah State, Feterik moved into eighth place on the all-time passing list.Following is a look at the top-10 career passing marks at BYU and where current BYU quarterback Kevin Feterik ranks:

Career Passing Yards

1. 15,031 Ty Detmer (1988-91)

2. 9,536 Jim McMahon (1978-81)

3. 8,400 Robbie Bosco (1983-85)

4. 8,390 John Walsh (991-94)

5. 7,733 Steve Young (1981-83)

6. 7,637 Marc Wilson (1977-79)

7. 7,464 Steve Sarkisian (1995-96)

8. 6,539 Kevin Feterik (1996-present)

9. 5,833 Gifford Nielsen (1975-77)

10. 5,125 Virgil Carter (1964-66)

Career Touchdowns

7. 55 Gifford Nielsen (1975-77)

8. 54 Steve Sarkisian (1995-96)

9. 50 Virgil Carter (1964-66)

10. 45 Gary Sheide (1973-74)

45 Kevin Feterik (1996-present)

Hooks Leads BYU Receivers

Wide receiver Margin Hooks leads the Cougars with 30 catches for 508 yards over six games. The 5-11 speedster from Waco, Texas needs just 733 yards to set the single-season yardage record - that's an average of 146.6 yards per game. Currently, Hooks is on pace to eclipse the 931-yard mark. After six games, Hooks leads the Cougar roster with 84.7 yards receiving per game. Hooks finished his sophomore season with a career-high 732 yards and three touchdowns.

Spreading the Wealth

In the Cougars 38-25 win over Washington, BYU quarterback Kevin Feterik used 12 different receivers to compile a career-high 501 yards passing, including three touchdown passes. Junior Margin Hooks was the Cougars' leading receiver, racking up 140 yards on eight receptions. The Cougars tallied 39 receptions, averaging 12.8 yards per catch. One week later, Feterik used 10 different receivers to upend Colorado State with 310 yards passing. All totaled, BYU has used 16 different receivers over six games.

BYU Climbs Top-25 Polls

Following the Cougars' 34-31 overtime win at Utah State on Friday, the Cougars climbed back in to the AP and USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Top-25. With the Cougars' Oct. 9th win against Cal, the Cougars climbed even higher. BYU, ranked 20th in on poll and 21st in the other, had fallen from the top-25 after losing to Virginia in a 45-40 shootout in Provo. BYU improved to 19th in both polls with a 31-7 win over New Mexico on Saturday.

Injury Update

Running back Mike Nielsen will miss the next two weeks with a broken bone in the top of his right foot. Nielsen, a Utah State transfer, suffered the injury on a kickoff, when a Washington player ran across the top of his foot. Linebacker Rob Morris suffered a lower abdominal strain against Colorado State. Morris has missed the Virginia, Utah State, Cal and New Mexico games, and is listed as questionable against UNLV. Tight end Carlos Nuno tore the MCL in his left knee against Virginia and is expected to return within the next two weeks.

BYU's Righteous Rookies

Three true-freshmen have played vital rolls in the Cougars' first six games of the season. Just months removed from attending their high school proms, the dynamic duo of Fahu Tahi and Luke "Superman" Staley have combined for nearly 77 percent of the Cougars' total rushing offense (615 yards). Staley, the Oregon High School Player of the Year was credited with both rushing touchdowns against Washington and picked up three more against Colorado State. Superman Staley continued his dominance against Virginia, scoring two more touchdowns and picked up his seventh of the season against Cal and number eight against New Mexico on the Cougars' longest play from scrimmage -- a 61-yard touchdown run. Staley ranks tied for 9th in the nation in scoring, averaging 10.8 points per game. Tahi recorded BYU's first 100-yard rushing performance (vs. Utah State) since the Utah game during the 1998 season. Tahi scored his first collegiate touchdown against New Mexico and added another for good measure -- all in the first quarter. The third member of the terrific trio, Chris Hale, was elevated to hero status after grabbing a 38-yard touchdown reception to beat Washington in the season-opener, but also came up big by being in the right place at the right time against Colorado State. After picking up the first down, sure-handed receiver Ben Horton fumbled after picking up a 29-yard pass reception. Hale was there to pick up the goods and carry on for an additional two yards. Six plays later, BYU scored to take a 21-0 lead into the half. Tahi and Staley have scored each of BYU's 10 rushing touchdowns.

TAHI Carries Gain Loss Net TD Lg. Avg.

Washington 8 26 5 21 0 13 2.6

Colorado State 6 30 5 25 0 13 4.2

Virginia 5 42 0 42 0 28 8.4

Utah State 22 119 3 116 0 24 5.3

California 8 55 2 53 0 27 6.6

New Mexico 14 53 0 53 2 12 3.8

Total 63 325 15 310 2 28 4.9

STALEY Carries Gain Loss Net TD Lg. Avg.

Washington 8 39 0 39 2 11 4.9

Colorado State 14 68 3 65 2 27 4.6

Virginia 8 80 1 79 2 41 9.9

California 15 60 7 53 1 13 3.5

New Mexico 8 75 6 69 1 61 8.6

Total 53 322 17 305 8 61 5.8

Feterik Named to Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award "Watch List"

Sixteen senior quarterbacks have been selected as candidates for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented annually to the nation's top senior collegiate quarterback. The award is selected by the Frank Camp Chapter of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation. Included among the elite list of candidates for the award are BYU's Kevin Feterik, who has passed for at least one touchdown in 11 straight games. Other candidates include, Michigan's Tom Brady, Michigan State's Bill Burke and Jarious Jackson of Notre Dame, Joe Hamilton (Georgia Tech), Todd Husack (Stanford), Doug Johnson (Florida), Tee Martin (Tennessee), Chad Pennington (Marshall), Tim Rattay (Louisiana Tech), Chris Redman (Louisville), Clint Stoerner (Arkansas) and Billy Volek (Fresno State). The 1999 winner will be announced on Nov. 24 with the award presentation to be made in Louisville on December 10.

Brian Gray Named to Jim Thorpe Award "Watch List"

BYU senior Brian Gray has been named by the Jim Thorpe Association in Oklahoma City, Okla., as a candidate for the 1999 Jim Thorpe Award. The Jim Thorpe Award is presented annually to the best defensive back in college football. Gray, a 6-2, 215-pound defensive back, is one of 37 names to appear on the "watch list". Other key players that will appear on the BYU schedule this season include, Rico Curtis of San Diego State, Al Rich of Wyoming and Brian Urlacher of New Mexico. Gray, who was questionable prior to the Virginia game with a groin injury, picked off a Dan Ellis pass to rumble 28 yards for his second career touchdown. Against Utah State, Gray recorded his second interception of the season, good for an 18-yard return and lead to an Owen Pochman 19-yard field goal. Both Gray interceptions have led to a total of 10 points.

Men in Blue

The August 16th announcement of a uniform change at BYU means the first major change in Cougar football attire for nearly 30 years. Perhaps the most notable change in the BYU uniform is the re-introduction of the blue helmet, marking the first time since 1968 the Cougars have worn a blue helmet. Following is a year-by-year breakdown of the evolution of the BYU helmet:

1950-1954 -- Solid white helmet with a single blue stripe running down the center.

1955-1960 -- White helmet replaced with a plain, silver helmet.

1961-1963 -- Blue player numbers are added to the silver helmet.

1964-1965 - Silver helmet is replaced with solid blue helmet.

1966-1968 -- A blue "Y", surrounded by a white oval is placed on the helmet

1969 -- Traditional white helmet with blue and white decals is used for the next 30 years.

1970 -- "Cage loops", a Floyd Johnson invention, are added to the helmet.

1978 -- The oval was dropped and a solid blue "Y" was used on the helmet.

1978 -- Little blue stickers (Cougar heads) are used by players to designated top plays.

1979 -- After losing four games in 1978, blue oval with white "Y" returned to the helmet.

1993 -- Black is added as a third color on the helmet.

1994 -- Players vote to discontinue the use of the cougar-head stickers.

1998 -- Two black stripes, separated by a blue stripe is added to the crown of the helmet.

1999 -- (August 16) BYU unveils its new logo and colors, complete with new football uniforms and helmets. A darker shade of blue and white become the official colors of the University, with tan serving as the primary accent color. The re-birth of the blue helmet in 1999 is the first time BYU has worn a different color, other than white, for over 30 years. The new logo on the side of the helmet, similar to the traditional side decal, is the first new design used on a BYU helmet since 1978. The new uniforms represent a new and flashy look, never before used on the collegiate playing field. The new-look uniforms and helmets represent the first major uniform change under the LaVell Edwards era.

34-31, Here We Go Again ...

On Friday, Oct. 1, BYU defeated Utah State, 34-31 in Logan. During the 90s, BYU has played in four games that ended in a 34-31 tilt, recording a 2-2 record. When BYU scores 34 points during the 90s, the Cougars are 5-2. When opponents score 34 points, the Cougars are 1-3. When the Cougars have scored 31 points during the 90s, BYU is 11-3. When an opponent scores 31 points, BYU is 1-0. Got it?

Quarterback U. Game-by-Game Comparison

Following is a breakdown of some of BYU's more notable quarterbacks of recent years and how current Cougar quarterback Kevin Feterik's numbers compare (Through 6 Games):

Name Season Att Comp Yds Int TDs

Kevin Feterik 1999 247 158 2,028 8 17

1998 136 75 1,055 3 5

Steve Sarkisian 1996 196 136 2,018 6 14

1995 219 130 1,875 9 10

Ty Detmer *** 1991 204 109 1,811 7 12

***/* 1990 283 188 2,513 13 18

1989 220 132 2,212 15 21

Robbie Bosco 1985 253 174 2,122 11 14

** 1984 217 138 1,896 3 16

Steve Young *** 1983 227 164 2,187 6 17

1982 192 124 1,808 12 9

Jim McMahon *** 1981 234 148 1,901 5 16

1980 186 113 1,923 8 22

* - Heisman Trophy Winner

** - National Championship Season

*** - Davey O'Brien Award Winner

Huddle Up!

The Cougars are 3-0 when they score first and have posted a 2-1 mark when their opponent scores first.

The Cougars are 1-1 when trailing the game at halftime. When BYU is outscoring its opponent at the half, BYU is a perfect 4-0.

After winning six straight coin flips entering the New Mexico game, including the overtime period at Utah State, the Cougars failed to win the toss in Albuquerque. The difference ... Rob Morris did not participate in the coin toss at UNM.

On Monday, Oct. 11, BYU head coach LaVell Edwards celebrated his 69th birthday. At age 68, Edwards coached a total of 13 games, posting a 10-3 record. Edwards began his career in 1972 at age 42. He has been the head coach at BYU for just over 39 percent of his life.

BYU has scored an average 32.5 points per game against Mountain West opponents, while allowing just 10 points per contest.

BYU will face five teams on the season that have or will have an off-week prior to playing the Cougars. This weekend's contest at UNLV will mark the third opponent to have a bye week prior a date with the Cougs. BYU is currently 2-0 when playing a team that had a week off prior to its game.

Freshmen Luke Staley and Fahu Tahi have accounted for each of BYU's rushing touchdowns on the season (10). Staley has eight, while Tahi has two.

Next Week

Next Saturday, Oct. 30, the Cougars return home to Cougar Stadium to host the Air Force Academy. The game will be televised as part of the ESPN Plus package (locally on KJZZ beginning at 1:00 p.m. (MDT).