BYU can't afford letdown vs. Rebels

LAS VEGAS — Isn't this the month and the game that trip up the Cougars?

Coach Bronco Mendenhall hopes not. The Cougars (4-4, 3-2) play UNLV (2-6, 1-4) today at 1 p.m. in Sam Boyd Stadium in a game that could lift the Cougars to a 5-4 mark heading into games against Wyoming and Utah.

A year ago in LaVell Edwards Stadium, the Cougars stumbled against the opportunistic Rebels, killing chances for then-coach Gary Crowton to take his team to a bowl game and post a winning record. In recent years, the BYU-UNLV games have been hard-fought battles and, although this season the Cougars have notched three straight MWC wins, nobody on BYU's sideline is taking anything for granted.

Four of the last BYU-UNLV games have been decided by a touchdown or less.

In 2001, Brandon Doman had to trigger late-game big plays to etch out a win. The Cougars have never lost to the Rebels in Sam Boyd Stadium but did lose to Air Force here in the 1998 WAC championship game.

Mendenhall expects the Cougars to stop the ups and downs they've experienced the past three seasons, and finishing strong in November is key.

"Consistency and expectations are the things I know and what I believe in," Mendenhall said. "If the players show up in November or show up in a conference race or show up regardless of our record and the expectations are different, then I think that's not giving them the best opportunity to succeed."

The BYU coach told reporters this week he's worked hard at communicating his vision of how BYU players should work during the week and perform on game days.

"It's been made very clear to our players from the beginning what is expected on a daily basis and that at some point they would see the results and fruits of their labors, and to this point I think they're seeing that with winning three of the last four and gaining momentum and playing better and looking forward with more optimism to the next week."

Two head coaches ago, winning in November was a staple of Cougar football. Throughout his 29 seasons, LaVell Edwards won more than 81 percent of his games in November, including a record of 84-19-1 from 1972 until his final season in 2000. During that span, the Cougars had only three losing records during November.

Said Mendenhall: "Ultimately, how we play the next three weeks and this upcoming Saturday will add validity to what I'm mentioning now. I think the expectation itself is what will help us most."