2005 LAS VEGAS BOWL

12.22.05 Las Vegas, Nev. (40,053) 

Trailing 35-14 in the fourth quarter, BYU stormed back with two touchdowns and had the ball with 2:20 remaining but John Beck was intercepted after he was hit when releasing the ball, ending the Cougars’ comeback hopes. Beck had a record-setting performance, completing 35-of-53 attempts for 352 yards and three touchdowns. The 35 completions, 53 attempts and 352 yards were all Las Vegas Bowl records. Nathan Meikle caught a game-high 12 passes for 95 yards while Jonny Harline had seven receptions for 73 yards and one score and Todd Watkins added five catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. BYU fell behind 7-0 in the first quarter but scored early in the second when Beck found Curtis Brown for a 19-yard touchdown pass. California scored again but Fahu Tahi scored on a three-yard run to tie the game at 14 with 38 seconds left in the second quarter. The Golden Bears struck again before the half, going 58 yards in 27 seconds to take a 21-14 lead into the locker room. In the fourth, Beck engineered a 74-yard drive that ended with Harline scoring and then a 96-yard drive that ended with Watkins catching a nine-yard touchdown pass from Beck. California’s ensuing drive ended with a missed field goal and the Cougars had a chance to tie but the drive ended on Beck’s interception.