HALL TIES DETMER’S WIN RECORD
With the Cougars’ 24-19 win over New Mexico, senior quarterback Max Hall now has 29 career wins as the starting play-caller for BYU, tying Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer on BYU’s all-time list, who racked up 29 wins during his career from 1988-91.
PERFECT ON THE ROAD
With the win at University Stadium on Saturday, BYU secured a complete undefeated road record for the first time since 1984.
UNDEFEATED IN MWC ROAD GAMES
Defeating New Mexico gives the Cougars a perfect 4-0 road record against MWC opponents for the fifth time since the inception of the league. BYU also went undefeated in MWC road games in 2001, 2006 and 2007.
8-2 THROUGH 10 GAMES
With the win today, the Cougars have an 8-2 or better record through their first 10 games for the 21st time in program history. BYU has now achieved 8-2 records in a program-best four consecutive seasons (2006-09). The team reached three straight 8-2 or better records three times previously—1979-81, 1983-95 and 1988-90.
COMPETING AS A RANKED TEAM
With today’s win the Cougars improve to 156-46 when nationally ranked in the Top 25. A ranked BYU team has won 25 of its last 50 games dating back to 2006.
GEORGE SCORES ONE FOR JACK
Senior tight end Andrew George scored a 27-yard touchdown with 1:56 to play in the first half, extending BYU’s lead to 17-7. George’s score comes less than 24-hours after the birth of his son, Jack Andrew George. Andrew was present with his wife Tawny for Jack’s birth at 10:15 p.m. Friday night in Provo, Utah, before catching an early-morning flight to Albuquerque Saturday morning.
THROWING TO ASHWORTH ON THIRD-DOWN
Junior wide receiver Luke Ashworth led all BYU receivers today with four catches for 64 yards. Two of those receptions came on third-down. Hall found Ashworth on third-and-12 and third-and-13 for 12 and 21 yards, respectively.
FLAG BEARER
BYU has a tradition of selecting a player before each game to run the team flag onto the field, as well as a former Cougar to carry out the alumni flag. Each member of the team has signed the team flag, while former BYU players have signed the alumni flag. Their signatures reflect their commitment to uphold the tradition, spirit and honor of the BYU football program and to be a flag bearer of the University.
As part of the 25-year anniversary celebration of BYU’s national championship, each alumni chosen to carry out the flag this year will be a member of the 1984 team. Carrying the team flag today was senior wide receiver Parker Mangum with former BYU linebacker David Neff carrying the alumni flag. Neff played for the Cougars from 1981-84.
COIN TOSS
New Mexico won the coin toss today and elected to receive, marking only the fourth time this season the Cougars have not won the toss. BYU is now 4-0 when losing the toss.
CONSECUTIVE CATCHES
All-American tight end Dennis Pitta caught his first pass of the game with 9:36 remaining in the second quarter for an 18-yard gain. The senior has caught a pass in 40 consecutive games dating back to Oct. 23, 2004 (at Air Force), prior to his mission. Those 40 games extends a BYU program record previously held by Glen Kozlowski with 38.
EXTENDING TIGHT END RECORDS
Since becoming BYU’s all-time leading tight end in yards and receptions earlier this season, senior Dennis Pitta continues to extend those records. As a Cougar, Pitta has racked up 2,696 receiving yards and 204 career catches.
Those receptions have him tied in second place in the BYU record books for receivers overall with Matt Bellini. He trails only Austin Collie (215).
HE WHO SCORES FIRST...
New Mexico was the first to score today on a Donovan Porterie 3-yard run with 8:43 remaining in the first quarter. BYU opponents have been the first to score in five games this season, the others being Oklahoma, Florida State, Utah State and TCU. The Cougars are 3-2 in those five games.
CONSECUTIVE STARTS
Today marked senior defensive lineman Jan Jorgensen’s 49th straight career start. During that streak, Jorgensen has started every game of his collegiate career and set a new MWC all-time career sack record in 2008 with 22.5. Jorgensen’s first career start came against Arizona on Sept. 2, 2006.
SCORING HALL PASSES
Quarterback Max Hall recorded two touchdown passes against New Mexico today, giving him 23 on the year. Those 23 touchdown passes have been to nine different members of the BYU receiving corp. Hall has now thrown a touchdown pass in 33-of-36 career games.
PAPER OR PLASTIC?
The Cougar defense recorded a season-high four sacks against New Mexico, the team’s most sacks since five in a 34-14 win at Utah State in 2008. Linebacker Jordan Pendleton recorded the first two sacks of his career today, for losses of seven and 10 yards, respectively. Andrew Rich picked up a sack with 7:00 remaining in the third quarter for a loss of one yard. Defensive lineman Jan Jorgensen and linebacker Coleby Clawson recorded back-to-back sacks as the Lobos attempted a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter.
Collectively the Cougars have recorded 22 sacks in their 10 games this season.
DON’T LOOK BACK
In the Bronco Mendenhall era, BYU is 40-4 when leading at halftime and 38-1 when taking a lead into the fourth quarter.
CAREER FIRST
Offensive lineman Braden Brown earned the first start of his career today at right tackle. He started in place of the injured Nick Alletto.
BLOCK PARTY
Defensive back Andrew Rich kept the Lobos from scoring a late field goal to end the first half after blocking a 46-yard attempt by James Aho. It marks the junior’s first career block.
As a team, BYU has blocked two kicks this season. The first was a blocked punt by sophomore Matt Marshall in the Utah State game.