TEAM NOTES
BYU fell 42-35 to Nevada at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The Cougars are 4-3 on the season and 542-396-26 all time.
De’Ondre Wesley and Algernon Brown carried the team and special teams flags, respectively. Former running back Kalin Hall (1992-93) carried the alumni flag.
Official attendance for the game was 56,355.
This is the first time BYU scored 28 points in the first half since the first game of the season against UConn.
The 601 total yards were the most since the 47-46 win over Houston in 2013 when the offense accumulated 681.
Prior to the game, the Cougars’ longest scoring drive in 2014 was 90 yards on six plays against UConn. Against Nevada, they strung together drives of 90 yards on 16 plays and a season-long 97 yards on 12 plays.
BYU notched a season-high 63 pass attempts. Ten receivers caught passes, while eight players had at least 10 yards receiving.
The defense came up with a season-high nine pass breakups, passing the previous high of eight set in the win over Virginia.
The offense was 4 for 4 on 4th-down conversions, improving to 7 for 11 on the season.
Since 2008, BYU is 9-12 when time of possession is between 26 and 29 minutes. The Cougars had the ball for 26:49.
PLAYER NOTES
Senior running back Paul Lasike scored his first touchdown of the season on a 1-yard rush to put BYU up 7-3. He also had his first receiving touchdown of his career on a 20-yard reception at the beginning of the second quarter to put the Cougars up 14-3.
He ended the game with 12 carries with 46 yards rushing and career highs of 69 yards receiving on five catches.
Senior quarterback Christian Stewart had career highs in completions (39), attempts (63), passing yards (408) and touchdown passes (4). It is the first time BYU has thrown for more than 400 yards since the win against Houston in 2013 when Taysom Hill threw for 417.
Junior running back Nate Carter had career highs in rush yards with 87, carries with seven and yards per carry with 12.4.
Junior receiver Mitch Mathews hauled in his fourth and fifth touchdowns on the season, passing his season high set in 2013 of four. He secured a career-high 16 receptions for 182 yards. He is the first BYU receiver with at least 15 catches since Honorable Mention All-American Jay Miller caught 22 in a 56-21 win against New Mexico in 1973. Behind Miller, Mathews' ranks No. 2 all-time for receptions in a single game and just ahead of Reno Mahe's 14 catches against Hawaii in 2001.
Sophomore Mitchell Juergens hauled in career highs of four receptions and 41 receiving yards.
Sophomore defensive back Michael Davis registered a career-high nine tackles and eight solo tackles. Davis also had two pass breakups.
Junior linebacker Bronson Kaufusi notched two pass breakups, two tackles for loss and five solo tackles.
Senior defensive back Robertson Daniel tallied six solo tackles and three pass breakups.
Senior receiver Keanu Nelson caught his first touchdown as a Cougar on an 8-yard reception, cutting the lead to 42-35 with 2:34 left in the game. He ended the game with two receptions and 13 yards receiving.
BYU QUOTES
Head Coach Bronco Mendenhall
On the game
It was a hard-fought game tonight. Nevada did a really nice job in the second half capitalizing on our mistakes. Ultimately we didn’t execute.
Key issues in the game
Assignment-sound football in critical moments and ball security had something to do with it.
I thought he did a nice job; the balance of the game was right on the money. I don’t have any issue with that.
What defined the second half
I think turnovers ultimately. If you have to say what defines the second half, turnovers are certainly part of it, and field position.
On Nevada
We knew coming in that Nevada was the best offensive team we’ve played so far. Some inexperience, some youth, some lack of concentration, some injury. Ultimately, the execution should be strong enough.
On troubles with fumbles
The execution is lacking. Each game is usually decided by about three to five plays. That just happened.
How they bounce back
First of all, this particular time period is challenging. It’s time for cleaner execution; it’s time to rise to their performance, each player accountable for themselves.
On personal performance
The numbers might be what they are, but it doesn’t affect the outcome enough. We have to keep working.
We need to keep our foot on the gas and keep the momentum going. It comes to smarter play and not playing passive.
On second half
I felt like we just made too many mistakes, and because of that, they were able to execute better than we did.
I feel like they had a really good scheme. Props to them, he’s a great quarterback, he’s very mobile and throws the ball well. I’d definitely say that they’re one of the better offenses.
On turnaround for defense
It starts with the leaders on the defense, so us. The coaches can only do so much, so when it comes down to it, it’s the leaders and the guys who have experience. Going forward here, the leaders will need to step up.
On personal play
I definitely saw improvement. I think we started fast, which was one of my keys coming into this game, but during the fourth quarter, we didn’t do enough on our end of the ball to win this game.
On final fumble
I just tried to make too much out of nothing and lost the ball. I saw the play pretty well and I saw the defense develop. I wanted to make a play for my team and get a first down.
On offense rolling in the first half
I think we were just executing. Everyone was assignment sound. Second half, we moved the ball really well, but we didn’t get a first down when we were close to the blue zone, we missed a field goal, we had a turnover. We moved the ball well, we just didn’t finish drives in the second half. We just need to focus more.
Mitch played phenomenal. He was always open. I wasn’t always trying to go to him, but the situations we were in, he just happened to be the guy in those positions that I felt like would be open.
NEVADA QUOTES
Head Coach Brian Polian
Opening statement
At this point, just very proud of our team. It wasn't very pretty, but like the last two weeks - we found a way. We made big, big plays in the second half. While I wasn't thrilled with how the first half went, we challenged them (our team) at halftime to simply be more competitive. We didn't change the calls, I just felt like we weren't tackling in the first half - we were sitting there catching guys. We weren't attacking our gaps downhill and, frankly, in coverage we were letting balls be caught in front of us. We weren't challenging folks. I think we did a much better job in the second half.
On BYU offense
I was a little caught off guard with how fast BYU played. They had slowed down considerably after the injury to Hill. Then you look up tonight and they ran 102 plays. That's a lot of ball. Our guys suffered some injuries - we had some hits in the depth, and frankly we had some guys out there that were absolutely gassed and running on fumes at the end. Credit to our players because when we needed them to, they found a way to make a play. I'm very, very proud of our team. I'm very pleased that the heart and the fight and the battle and the character that they've shown for three weeks in a row now has been rewarded with a win. While it was not perfect, we deserved to win the game. We made the plays at the end that it took to win the game against what I think is a really, really good opponent.
On Christian Stewart, wide receivers and defensive front seven
The quarterback played better than I thought he would. The two wide-outs looked like two giraffes out there. They're gigantic targets. Their defensive front seven is big and strong. I think this is a good win for our guys. It's only one win, but to beat a really high quality opponent on the road and coming back from two scores down at the half to do it - our guys deserve a lot of credit.
QB Cody Fajardo
On how this win feels
It feels really good. BYU fought and gave us a scare there at the end. They are a good football team. But it's a good feeling to be on the other side.
What it was like in the locker room at halftime
Everyone was positive, defensive guys were picking up offensive guys, offensive guys were picking up defensive guys, and we just stuck together as a team. We've been down a couple scores before. The fact we were down two scores wasn't a big deal for us.
What the key was in the second half
We just continued to execute the run game–it was opening the passing lanes. Our offensive line did a tremendous job of protecting all night. They were bringing a lot of different blitzes, different pressures, they kind of threw the kitchen sink at us a few times but they did a tremendous job of keeping me clean tonight.
DE Brock Hekking
On how they turned things around in the second half
We just realized that we needed to come out the second half with some juice. We needed to fly around. We really needed this win to start the second half of the season off correctly. The first half of the season was a little rough. We came up short so many times. This one we rallied as a defense and rallied as a team. We flew around and made plays and guys stepped up.
What was talked about at halftime
We need to finish drives on offense, we need to get stops to get the ball back to the offense. Mainly it was just, we have to get this one.
On the turnovers
Those were huge. Guys flew around. The defense really came together at the end and the offense did what they needed to do and I couldn't be more proud of my team.
RB Don Jackson
What turned things around
We have been in positions to where we start games really bad but end well. We just looked to each other. Games like this aren't won by a scheme. We all gave heart.
How defense getting turnovers helped the offense
As a team, as a whole, it just brings life. Those guys never put their heads down, and that's what matters. When they make stops it just gets the whole sideline up, the coaches are excited, everyone gets excited. It's a great feeling.