BYU report card

GRADE A

Offense

Led by John Beck's accuracy and the receivers' big runs after catches, this clearly stands as the Cougars' best offensive execution of the season — proven at halftime with a 40-3 lead and nearly 300 yards total offense. Beck had four touchdowns on 16 completions.

GRADE B

Defense

The Dustin Gabriel interception return, good for a 38-yard second-quarter touchdown, was the second score off a pick this season for the Cougars. True, SDSU's offense is struggling, but when the game was in contention, the Cougar defense rose to the challenge. A failure at underneath coverage in the second half knocks down the grade.

GRADE B-

Special teams

Points for a heads-up fair-catch call on an Aztec onside kick attempt to open the game but minuses for a pair of missed PATs in the first half; a second PAT was blocked but traveled long enough to make the uprights. Coverage on kickoffs and punts was solid throughout, and Curtis Brown returned three kickoffs for 94 yards with a long of 47.

GRADE A-

Overall

Revenge and favored status aside, this third straight BYU win lifted Bronco Mendenhall's head coaching record to 9-5 since the loss at San Diego State a year ago — definitely a sign he is pushing the Cougars in the right direction.