CONFERENCE STANDINGS
With tonight's 24-14 win over Colorado State, the Rams fall to 2-1 in league play and trail TCU. The Horned Frogs lead the league with a 4-0 record against MWC opponents. Wyoming, New Mexico, BYU and San Diego State are tied for third with a 2-2 conference record. Air Force is in seventh place with a 2-3 league record, while Utah and UNLV are tied for last with a 1-3 MWC record.
LAST SEVEN YEARS
Since 1999, the victorious team in the BYU-Colorado State series has won by 10-points or more. Last season, BYU defeated the Rams 31-21 in Fort Collins. The largest margin of victory during that stretch was 45 when Colorado State defeated the Cougars 58-13 in 2003 in Provo. Since the 1999 season--the first year of the Mountain West Conference--the Cougars have posted a 4-3 record against the Rams.
MAKING HIS PLACE IN THE MWC
When John Beck completed a 19-yard pass to Jonny Harline on BYU's first drive of the night against Colorado State, he moved into fifth-place on the MWC career passing yards list with 5,180, passing Adam Hall of San Diego State who had 5,173. Later in the first quarter, Beck passed former Utah quarterback Alex Smith on a 13-yard pass to Joe Griffin. The completion gave Beck 5,210 yards. Smith had 5,203 yards during his career. Beck had 168 yards for the game and now has 5,329 career yards.
GOOD GRIEF CURTIS BROWN
Curtis Brown carried the ball 31 times for 147 yards and scored two touchdown, marking season-high numbers in each category. Brown had his eighth career 100-yard game--tied for second most in BYU history--by halftime as he ran for 103 yards on 18 carries in the opening half. Brown opened the scoring in the second quarter with a four-yard touchdown run--his fourth rushing touchdown of the year. For the season, he has 504 yards and five touchdowns on 106 carries. BYU is 7-1 when Brown rushes for over 100 yards. The only loss came in 2004 against UNLV when he had 102 yards on eight carries.
WEARING OUT THE TURF
The Cougars relied on the rushing game in Saturday's 24-14 win over Colorado State. Led by Curtis Brown and Fahu Tahi, BYU amassed 274 yards rushing on 52 attempts. Brown accumulated 147, Tahi had 86 and John Beck added 37. It was the most rushing yards by BYU since the Cougars had 410 yards on 45 carries against Colorado State on November 1, 2001. The Cougars defeated the Rams 56-34 in that contest.
SCORELESS QUARTERS AND FIRST-HALF SHUTOUTS
BYU led 14-0 at the half against Colorado State, marking the Cougars' second first-half shutout of the season. The Cougars also kept Eastern Illinois scoreless in the first half. BYU has shut out its opponents in seven quarters this season, including three consecutive quarters that date back to the fourth quarter of last week's game against New Mexico.
ONLY ONE PASS
BYU quarterback John Beck completed 13-of-18 attempts for 168 yards in the Cougars' 24-14 win over Colorado State. He had only one pass in the entire second quarter--a two-yard touchdown pass Daniel Coats that gave the Cougars' a 14-0 lead with 1:32 left in the second quarter. The pass concluded a 10-play, 74-yard drive.
PAPER OR PLASTIC?
Through the first five games of the year, BYU recorded just seven sacks. Against Colorado State, the Cougars had their most successful game getting to the quarterback, recording four sacks. Justin Luettgerodt led the way with 2.5 sacks for 15 yards. Colorado State quarterback Justin Holland had only been sacked three times entering the game.