| Brigham Young vs. New Mexico
GAME: New Mexico at Brigham Young
TIME: 04:00 P.M. EST
VENUE: Cougar Stadium
John Beck isn't sharing the Mountain West Conference passing record. Brigham Young and its star quarterback aren't planning on having any company atop the league, either.
Led by one of the nation's top passers, the 23rd-ranked Cougars (8-2, 6-0) look to clinch their first conference title in five years when they face New Mexico (5-5, 3-3) on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
BYU has a two-game lead over Utah and can secure the title with a win in one of its last two games. The Cougars visit the Utes on Nov. 25.
"None of us want to share this title with anybody," said Beck, who became the Mountain West Conference's leader in passing yards in a 55-7 win over Wyoming on Thursday night. "We've worked too hard to let somebody else get a piece of it."
BYU, winner of seven straight since a 30-23 loss to then-No. 23 Boston College on Sept. 16, is trying to clinch its first conference crown since it went 12-2 overall in 2001. That was also the Cougars' last winning season.
BYU gained 454 yards against the top-rated defense in the conference and grabbed a share of the league title by routing Wyoming.
Beck was 20-of-26 for 313 yards and two touchdowns. With 9,807 passing yards, Beck overtook Jim McMahon for No. 2 on BYU's career passing list. He's second only to Ty Detmer's total of 15,031.
With three games to go, Beck won't catch Detmer. But if he has a conference championship, he won't care a bit.
"When I came to BYU, my sights weren't set on beating these guys that were legends. My sites were set on just winning," said Beck, fifth in the nation with a 172.7 passer rating. "Right now I feel like I'm playing for the BYU I chose to play for."
Beck's favorite target has been Jonny Harline, who has 40 receptions for 555 yards and seven touchdowns, but he has been effective in spreading the ball around. Nine Cougars have at least 14 receptions and 148 yards receiving.
New Mexico, which had a three-game winning streak end with a 27-21 loss to TCU on Saturday night, needs one victory in its last two games to become bowl eligible for the sixth straight year.
The Lobos were coming off a bye Saturday. They had won nine straight following an off week under coach Rocky Long.
"My worst concerns were realized," Long said. "When you have a really, really young football team and they have a bye week and then you play a team that is as fast and as good as TCU is, they aren't ready for the speed of the game. They are a young football team and not veterans."
New Mexico quarterback Donovan Porterie, who was sacked five times, sprained his left ankle in the third quarter and was replaced by Chris Nelson. Porterie's status for Saturday is uncertain.
Nelson was intercepted in the red zone with 22 seconds left against TCU. The Lobos' last five games have been decided by a total of 17 points.
New Mexico fell to 2-4 at home despite holding TCU to 192 total yards, including 25 passing. It was the Lobos' best defensive game of the season.
While New Mexico has struggled at home, it has won 15 of its last 20 conference road games. The Lobos are 2-1 in 2006.
BYU's defense will likely focus a good deal of attention on New Mexico receiver Marcus Smith, who's second in the conference with 44 receptions for 761 yards. He leads the Mountain West with eight touchdown catches.
BYU leads the series with New Mexico 40-14-1. |