ALBUQUERQUE -- With a 31-24 victory over New Mexico, the Cougars improved to 3-2 on the season and 2-0 in league play. With an unblemished league record, the Cougars take an early lead in the league standings. The win also marked the Cougars' league-leading 40th Mountain West Conference victory, dating back to the league's first season in 1999. BYU has won 10 straight league games, including an 8-0 league record last season and a 2-0 mark this year.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Cougars' victory at New Mexico marked the first road win of the season and extend the Cougars' conference road win streak to eight straight MWC road victories. The streak equals the most consecutive road wins in league play since the Cougars won eight straight league games from September 30, 2995 through September 27, 1997. The current streak started with a 27-24 win at New Mexico during the 2005 season.
RUSHING RECORD
The Cougars were credited with 112 yards rushing in the 31-24 victory at New Mexico. The victory improved the Cougars' record to 93-18 when rushing for 100 or more yards since the 1991 season. During the Bronco Mendenhall era, BYU is 17-3 when rushing for 100 or more yards.
FIRST BLOOD
With Bryan Kehl's 36-yard interception return for a touchdown with 13:06 remaining in the opening quarter, the Cougars have now scored first in 16 of the past 17 games. The Cougars are 14-2 in those 16 games.
DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWN
Bryan Kehl's 36-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter marked the first time the Cougars have returned an interception for a touchdown since Dustin Gabriel picked off a San Diego State pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown on October 7, 2006.
PICK SIX
Senior linebacker Bryan Kehl picked off a Donovan Porterie pass with 13:06 remaining in the first quarter to give BYU a 7-0 lead. The play marked Kehl?s first career interception. It was also the Cougars' first defensive touchdown of the season.
NIGHT OF INTERCEPTIONS
The Cougars were credited with two interceptions in the first half. Bryan Kehl picked of Donovan Porterie on the Lobos? first series and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown. With 11:42 left in the second quarter, safety Quinn Gooch picked off Portorie to give Gooch his second interception of the season and his second in as many games. The pick was Gooch's fifth career interception.
WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE
BYU was credited with three fumble recoveries and two interceptions against the Lobos while allowing just one fumble and one interception. All totaled, the Cougars scored 24 points against the Lobos as a result of the turnovers.
CAREER-LONG PASS COMPLETION
Max Hall's 59-yard pass to Austin Collie with 9:23 left in the third quarter marked Hall's career long completion.
SEASON-LONG PASS COMPLETION
Max Hall's 59-yard pass to Austin Collie marked the Cougars' longest pass play of the season. Previously, Hall had connected with Collie for 49 yards at Tulsa. The play also marked Collie's longest reception of the season.
SCORELESS FIRST QUARTER
BYU held a 7-0 lead after the first quarter of play marking the third time this season and the second straight game the Cougars had held its opponents scoreless in the opening quarter of play.
HALFTIME LEAD
The Cougars held a 14-6 lead at halftime marking the fourth time in five games this season BYU has held a lead at intermission. The eight-point lead marked the fourth largest halftime lead of the season. The Cougars have led at halftime in 17 of the last 18 games. During those 17 games, the Cougars are 14-3.
DRIVE STOPPERS
The BYU defense held New Mexico scoreless through the Lobos first seven drives of the game. New Mexico was forced to punt five times and the Cougars totaled two interceptions to account for UNM's first seven drives of the game. All totaled, the Coguars forced eight punts and had five turnovers.
LONG-DISTANCE PUNT
With 9:12 left in the first quarter, CJ Sanitago was credited with a career-long 75-yard punt. The play marked the longest punt since Matt Payne was credited with a 79-yard punt against top-ranked USC on September 11, 2004. The punt was five yards shy of Lee Johnson's 80-yard punt against Wyoming on October 8, 1983. Santiago finished the night with 10 punts for an average of 46.2 yards.
ACADEMIC MINDED
The trip to Albuquerque wasn't all about football. Senior defensive lineman Judd Anderton took the LSAT on the University of New Mexico campus early Saturday morning. Anderton said he had been preparing for nine months for the exam. Anderton was also selected by teammates to carry the team flag prior to the ballgame.
LONG-DISTANCE
New Mexico's 71-yard touchdown at the end of the third quarter marked the second time this season the Cougars have given up a touchdown on a 70-yard play.
COLLIE NOTES
After seeing action in just two plays against Air Force due to an ankle injury, sophomore receiver Austin Collie was credited with four receptions for a team-leading 98 yards and one touchdown. Collie has been credited with at least one reception in 15 of his last 16 games.
BALANCED ATTACK
The Cougars have scored 20 touchdowns on the season. Of the 20 TD's 12 have been scored via the passing game while seven have been scored on the ground. Running back Manase Tonga leads the team with five rushing touchdowns while sophomore receiver Austin Collie has a team-leading four touchdown receptions.
MENDENHALL vs. NEW MEXICO
Saturday's victory at New Mexico marked BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall's third victory over the Lobos. Mendenhall served as New Mexico's defensive coordinator from 1998-2002 and as the assistant head coach in 2002. As the head coach at BYU, Mendenhall is 3-0 against his former team.
COUGARS AND LOBOS
Saturday's victory over New Mexico improved the Cougars' all-time record to 42-14-1 against the Lobos, including a mark of 21-8-1 in Albuquerque. With the win, BYU has won 17 of the past 19 games in Albuquerque, including a stretch of five straight wins. The past four games at University Stadium have been determined by an average of 4.25 points.