PROVO -- Following a 17-16 victory over UCLA in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl that capped BYU's second straight 11-win season, the Cougars finished ranked 14th in both the Associated Press Top-25 and USA Today Coaches Poll. The 2007 season marks the highest finish for the Cougars in the national polls since beating Kansas State, 19-15, in the Cotton Bowl to finish the 1996 season ranked No. 5 in both polls.
"Our national ranking is the next piece of evidence that links this program to the glory and prominence it once knew," BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "This recognition gives us a tremendous amount of momentum for being able to accomplish our future goals. Over the past two years we have demonstrated, and we will continue to demonstrate, that BYU is and should be considered one of the top programs in the country."
After finishing the 2006 season with an 11-2 record, including a 38-8 victory over Oregon in the Las Vegas Bowl, the Cougars finished the 2006 season ranked 16th in the Associated Press Top-25 and 15th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. BYU is just one of nine teams in the country to post at least 22 wins over the past two seasons. Only LSU (23), Ohio State (23) and Boise State (23) have more wins over the past two seasons. The Cougars are tied with USC, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Florida and Hawaii with 22 wins. BYU is also one of seven teams with four or fewer losses over the past two seasons. Only Boise State (3) and Ohio State (3) have lost fewer games. The Cougars have posted back-to-back 11-win seasons, marking the first time since 1983-84 BYU has won 11 (or more) games in consecutive seasons.
"I couldn't be more pleased with the performance of our football team over the past three years," BYU athletics director Tom Holmoe said. "Coach Mendenhall, his staff, and the student-athletes have generated a great deal of excitement. I'm convinced there are very few, if any, barriers that this program can't overcome. Finishing 14th in the polls this season sets the stage for the future."
Not only will the Cougars enter next season coming off its highest national ranking in 11 years, but also the team will begin the season riding the nation's longest winning streak, A victory in the Las Vegas Bowl over UCLA avenged an early-season loss to the Bruins and marked the Cougars' 10th straight win. Interestingly, the Cougars have also put together a 12-game home win streak. Over the past two seasons, the Cougars have not lost a single home game or a Mountain West Conference game. In fact, BYU has not lost a conference road game since October 1, 2005, marking a streak of 11 straight games.
BYU, which returns 10 of 11 offensive starters in 2008, finished the 2007 season ranked 25th in total offense, averaging 307.9 yards per game. First-team All-Mountain West quarterback Max Hall averaged 296 yards passing per game, finishing the season as the nation's top-ranked sophomore quarterback. Running back Harvey Unga picked up Freshman All-America and MWC Freshman-of-the-Year honors after leading the Cougars with an average 94.4 yards per game. Sophomore receiver Austin Collie ranked among the nation's top receivers, averaging over 73 yards receiving per game and sophomore tight end Dennis Pitta averaged nearly five receptions and 63 yards per game. Overall, the Cougars averaged 30.1 points per game and held opponents to just 18.5 points per contest to rank ninth nationally. Defensively, BYU ranked 10th, holding opponents to just over 307 yards per game. The Cougars ranked 9th in rushing defense, holding opponents to an average 97.5 yards per game and allowed just one 100-yard rusher all season.