BYU football: At home, Cougs are dominant

PROVO — BYU is on the cusp of accomplishing something that's never been done before in its glory-filled football history.

With a victory today over San Diego State, the Cougars would cap three consecutive undefeated seasons at home for the first time.

BYU has won 17 straight games at LaVell Edwards Stadium in a streak that stretches back to November 2005, when it lost in overtime to Utah, 41-34. During that span, the Cougars have defeated their opponents by an average of 27 1/2 points per game in Provo.

With a win today, BYU would also set a new school record for most consecutive home wins (18). The Cougars won 17 in a row from Oct. 7, 1989, to Nov. 23, 1991.

When Bronco Mendenhall became the Cougars' head coach nearly four years ago,

one of the goals he established for the program was dominance at home. Could he have ever imagined this?

"It's gratifying because I thought that was one of the first things that had to happen to get this program back on track," Mendenhall said. "And it has."

Mendenhall is also happy for the seniors, who are playing in their final game at LaVell Edwards Stadium today.

"There's no better way to send these seniors out than to play well again at home," Mendenhall said. "They haven't lost a game at home in three years. That's a great thing for them. They've won a lot of other football games as well.

"But that one, through the emphasis, would be something I'm really dedicated to make sure it happens on Saturday. It wouldn't matter the opponent, but we'd really like to play well there."

In the three seasons before Mendenhall took the reins of the program, BYU posted a woeful 8-10 record at home, including an embarrassing 1-5 mark in 2003.

In August 2005, on the eve of his first fall camp as a head coach, Mendenhall took the team to LaVell Edwards Stadium and told his players to spread out on the field, lay down and close their eyes. With the audio of great games from the past playing on the public address system, he asked the players to visualize themselves being part of those moments.

Mendenhall also invited the man for whom the stadium is named, LaVell Edwards, to address the team about the importance of winning at home.

Still, the Cougars lost in Mendenhall's debut at home to Boston College, 20-3, and they went just 3-3 at Edwards Stadium that first season. But now BYU is 17-1 in its last 18 home games and 20-4 in its last 24.