Licensed to bowl: Cougars down Cowboys, become bowl eligible with sixth win

LARAMIE, Wyo. — The past, the present and the future of BYU football all came together Saturday night in the streaking Cougars' 35-21 victory over the slumping Wyoming Cowboys at Laramie's War Memorial Stadium.

The past — as in guaranteeing a winning season and bowl eligibility, something the Cougars haven't enjoyed for three years.

The present — as in first-year head coach Bronco Mendenhall's team riding a five-victory hot streak in Mountain West Conference play into next weekend's regular-season finale against rival Utah.

And the future — as coaches and players all spoke not of reaching an achievement but rather sustaining a progression for seasons to come.

Good things came in multiples for the Cougars against the Cowboys — Curtis Brown rushed for 153 yards and a pair of touchdown runs, John Beck completed 20-of-29 passes for a complementary 179 yards and a pair of TD throws to tight end Jonny Harline, 11 different receivers hauled in a Beck pass, and linebacker Justin Luettgerodt pounced on three Wyoming fumbles and picked off one of the two interceptions thrown by Cowboy QB Corey Bramlet.

With the victory, BYU improves to 6-4 overall and 5-2 in the Mountain West standings, good for sole possession of second place. Wyoming, tormented by continued turnover troubles, dropped its fifth straight and fell to inverse marks of 4-6 and 2-5.

More opposites for the two squads — BYU guaranteed itself a winning regular-season record and assured itself of bowl eligibility, something the Cougars haven't experienced since 2001. Meanwhile, Wyoming is assured a losing record, dashing the Cowboys' slim bowl hopes going into Saturday's game.

"It's good to have a winning season — even more than being bowl eligible," said Mendenhall, mindful his Cougars have won five of their last six outings, the loss at nationally ranked Notre Dame being the sole blemish. "We've not faded down the stretch, but we've gained momentum."

The Cougars, who have turned their early penchant for giving the ball away, have gone several games without a turnover and forced opponents into untimely fumbles and interceptions. And in Wyoming, they had a willing companion — the Cowboys had committed 17 turnovers in their last four losses.

Luettgerodt recovered three fumbles and joined defensive back Corby Hodgkiss with interceptions in stymieing Cowboy possessions, and the offense scored three TDs off the turnovers.

"When necessary, the defense came away with the football," Mendenhall said. "It wasn't always pretty, it was effective."