Beck knows BYU bowl history

LAS VEGAS — BYU quarterback John Beck grew up a huge Cougar fan. In fact, he attended a number of BYU's bowl games as a kid, sitting in the stands.

Tonight, when the Cougars battle California in the Las Vegas Bowl, he'll be on the field. Not only will he be armed with a football, but with plenty of historical perspective as well.

"It's a special thing to go to a bowl game," Beck said, "and win."

Beck's parents took him to as many BYU bowl games as possible and he can recall many of those games — both the good ones and the bad ones.

"I remember seeing Ty (Detmer) play in his junior year against Texas A&M in the (1990) Holiday Bowl. They got killed (65-14)," he said. "It was a killing. I can remember as a little kid — I wasn't on the team, I didn't even live in Utah or anything. I was just a huge BYU fan. But I had a sick feeling. We stayed in the hotel with the team. When they did their walkthrough, I went and watched. I got a picture with Ty as he came walking back. We went to the pep rally. I can remember the feeling after the game. It was tough."

Beck also went to the 1991 Holiday Bowl when BYU tied Iowa, 13-13, and the 1993 Holiday Bowl when the Cougars fell to Ohio State, 28-21. Then there was the 1994 Copper Bowl, where BYU destroyed Oklahoma, 31-6.

Beck and the Cougars are hoping to make some positive memories of their own tonight against the Golden Bears. BYU is happy to be in this position, considering it started the season 1-3. Then, after a dismal loss at San Diego State, the Cougars found some magic, Beck said, and went on to win five of its last seven games.

"The magic of this season is not done yet," Beck said. "We can make this a magical game and win it."

A victory would lift BYU to its first winning season since 2001 and it would mark its first bowl victory since the Cotton Bowl nine years ago.

The Cougars have waited three long years to get back to a bowl game and this is the way they wanted to end the 2005 campaign, with a bowl. A number of seniors will be playing their final contest for the Cougars, including wide receiver Todd Watkins and offensive lineman Lance Reynolds, Jr.

Both Watkins and Reynolds said they aren't dwelling on that, however.

"I really haven't thought about it that much," Watkins said. "It's just one of those things you go through — the last game of high school, you always remember it. This last game at BYU, I'm definitely always going to remember it also."