Oregon arrived in yet another uniform combination, this time with yellow-green helmets that can be best described by Falfa's line in "American Graffiti": "Say, I like the color of your car there. What's that s'posed to be? Sort of a cross between (urine) yellow and puke green, ain't it?"

But bad helmets were the least of Oregon's problems. Game MVP Harline ended up with 181 yards on nine catches. Beck threw for a bowl-record 375 yards.

The contest was embarrassing for former coach Gary Crowton, who is now Oregon's offensive coordinator. He spoke fondly this week of his days in Provo. What did he get for his niceties? One more kick in the pants by the school that fired him in 2004.

Curiously, neither team showed much early offense. There wasn't a first down in the first seven minutes. Beck completed just five of his first 15 passes, thanks largely to several drops by his receivers. But soon he and his receivers got rolling. The clincher came in the third quarter when Curtis Brown scored standing up, to put the Cougars up 24-0.

"To be on top now feels great," said Beck. "That's the way it's supposed to be."

Thus, BYU's decade-long bowl drought was over. Not only was it a much-needed win, it was flat-out flamboyant.

After 151 years in Las Vegas, the Mormons must have learned something.

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E-mail: rock@desnews.com