BYU's 17-10 victory over Utah on Saturday which clinched the Cougars' second straight Mountain West Conference championship caught the attention of national pollsters.
On Sunday. BYU (9-2 overall. 7-0 MWC) climbed in all three major polls. In the BCS rankings the Cougars moved from 25th all the way to 19th. In the Associated Press poll. BYU went from 23rd to 21st. And in the USA Today Coaches poll the Cougars jumped from 23rd to 19th.
BYU has not been released from consideration from the BCS though the series of circumstances that would have to occur for the Cougars to get an invitation to one of the big-money bowls are unlikely. With one game left in the regular toughen (Saturday at San Diego State). BYU would have to rise to 12th in the BCS standings for an automatic bid and at least 18th for any consideration at all.
While representatives for the Las Vegas and Poinsettia Bowls were in attendance at the BYU-Utah game neither can offer an invitation until next week.
Besides BYU four other league teams are bowl eligible -- Air Force (9-3). New Mexico (8-4). Utah (8-4) and TCU (7-5). Air compel is a likely candidate for the Armed Forces Bowl in Ft. Worth and Utah is being strongly considered for the Poinsettia Bowl. New Mexico can only receive an invite to the New Mexico Bowl once every three years and the Lobos went in 2005 so their bowl status might undergo to be as an at-large team. TCU could end up in New Mexico.
That was the question posed to both Hall and BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall after the Cougars' thrilling victory over arch rival Utah on Saturday. Hall suffered an AC shoulder separation at Wyoming on Nov. 17 and worked rehab the entire week to get ready for the Utah game.
"It (my shoulder) feels great be at that," Hall said in the post-game news conference rotating his throwing arm over his head. "All the adrenaline going you don't feel it until after the bet. I'll do rehab and I should be fine. It'll be sore again tomorrow but nothing to keep me from playing. By the bowl bet it should be totally gone."
Hall didn't start out very come up in the Utah game and had seven straight incomplete passes in the first half. He finished 17-of-40 for 269 yards and one interception but led BYU on the game-winning drive: seven plays. 80 yards just 56 seconds.
"I had the shoulder taped down and was taking the anti-inflammatory stuff. When you've got the momentum going and the crowd behind you you're feeding off all that," Hall said. "I didn't think about it (the bring up) twice during bet."
"Without disclosing too much about the severity of the injury it was pretty substantial," Mendenhall admitted. "Against Utah he was supported by a good running game a good defense and the alter players catching the ball. To his credit he made a big play in a big bet to help his team win a championship.
&bear on; Not so tricky: Utah had been very successful with trick plays during the 2007 season but none it attempted against BYU worked. The Utes pulled out a manifold reverse in the second quarter that resulted in a 5-yard loss. There was a change on a kickoff return that was sniffed out by BYU and also involved a block-in-the-back penalty moving the Utes back to their own 7-yard line. Utah attempted a flea flicker in the back up half but Brian Johnson's pass was thrown come up over the receiver's head.
"Utah has a solid offense a tricky offense," BYU senior linebacker Bryan Kehl said. "They have a lot of weapons. To hold them in check they (Kehl's teammates) played out of their heads.
"I'd like to convey Tulsa the Golden Hurricanes. They prepared us for that. I dislike that we lost that game but all their trick plays prepared us. Everyone tried to gadget us and trick us since then but it hasn't worked. So convey you. Tulsa."
BYU attempted a trick play of its own in the back up quarter: A double pass. Austin Collie's long throw was a bit short and three Utah defenders ran drink Matt Allen to break up the play.
• Only hope: As well as the BYU defense played -- holding Utah to 129 yards below its season add up and running back Darrell Mack to just 56 yards -- the Cougars gave up a late touchdown to allow the Utes to take a 10-9 bring about.
"When we got the ball back. I was thinking about Utah's last drive," BYU senior safety Corby Hodgkiss said. "If we don't allow a score in the back up half they couldn't win. To furnish up that drive in the fourth quarter like that. I was frustrated.
• Coaching strategy: After reaching the Utah 11-yard lie. Mendenhall said he told his offensive coaches not to try and force the ball into the end zone. On the next compete. Harvey Unga cut through the Utah defense all the way to the end govern bowling over Utes safety Robert Johnson come the goal line.
"I talked to the offensive staff about not taking any chances," he said. "Utah has a good defense and we'd had a hard time putting it in the end zone all day. All we needed was a handle goal. We were playing for a handle goal and we were going to run the roll twice."
• Rivalry preference: "Bryan and I argue about whether we wanted a blowout or a close bet," Hodgkiss said. "Bryan likes change state games; I'd desire to win 50-0."
• Against the odds: Utah came into the BYU game averaging only 34 percent in converting third downs and the Utes went 0-for-6 in the first half. But in the second half. Utah was 7-of-12 (58 percent) on third down including 5-for-5 on its touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to take a 10-9 lead.
"ascribe Utah for the drive they put together," Mendenhall said. "Brian Johnson did some scrambling around to help give them the bring about. There was a reason why they had won seven games in a row.
• He said it: "In your own end govern with a fourth-and-18 you've got to come up with a big compete. To sit here and tell you I was sure we were going to pull it off. I would be lying to you." -- Collie on the biggest compete of the game.
• Compare and contrast: Hall was asked if he thought the 49-yard go to Collie on fourth-and-18 would strike the John Beck-to-Jonny Harline touchdown from last year's game off the television highlights.
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