BYU football: Defense now the 'focal point' in Cougar football

"I wanted to win. We had momentum for the first time in the game," Mendenhall explained. "Moving the ball offensively, we wanted to capitalize on it. I'd do it again."

His players said they supported the choice to go for two.

"I loved the coach's decision to go for it," Ogletree said. "We were right there, man. We were one catch away from winning the game, I think. So I'm not going to question that. I liked the call. We had the momentum at that point. It was a gutsy call. That's probably what I would have done if I was the coach."

Boise State's defense also came up big against BYU, scoring the Broncos' only touchdown and stopping that two-point conversion attempt.

"Both defenses were spectacular. All the kids that played on those sides battled their heart out," Mendenhall said. "The offenses did what they needed to do and it was a one-point difference. That was really how close the game was. Punters on both sides — that was a critical part of the game. They pinned us down a number of times with the kicking game as well."

BYU punter Riley Stephenson averaged 47 yards per punt on six attempts, including a 57-yarder and four punts that trapped the Broncos inside their own 20-yard line.

"Riley Stephenson punted the ball fantastic and helped us a ton with field position," Mendenhall said.

And the Cougar defense did its part — and deserved a better fate than a one-point loss on the blue turf.

email: jeffc@desnews.com