BYU WINS SECOND STRAIGHT PIONEER LAS VEGAS BOWL IN THRILLING FASHION

LAS VEGAS - Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl Game Story
Dec. 22, 2007

No. 17 BYU (11-2) won its second-consecutive Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl, escaping with a 17-16 victory over UCLA (6-7) after defensive lineman Eathyn Manumaleuna blocked a 28-yard field goal as time expired. The second-largest crowd (40,712) in Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl history and an ESPNHD audience watched the thrilling game.

The unlikely ending followed a record-setting night by Bruin place-kicker Kai Forbath, who made a bowl-record 52-yard kick, along with attempts of 50 and 22 yards that kept the Bruins in it.

UCLA drove nearly the entire length of the field in the final two minutes to line up Forbath for the potential winner. But Manumaleuna and Brett Denney led a surge by the defensive line for the block and the Cougars got their first win over the Bruins since Steve Young was the Cougars' quarterback.

Cougar wide receiver Austin Collie, the MVP of the bowl, finished with six receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown in helping BYU win its 10th straight win despite getting shut out in the second half. Sophomore quarterback Max Hall threw two touchdowns in the first half as BYU grabbed a 17-6 lead.

BYU managed just 265 yards against a stingy Bruin defense, who were playing for interim coach and defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker.

The Cougar victory avenged a 27-17 regular-season loss in Los Angeles and it snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Bruins.

Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl Game Notes

-2007's crowd of 40,712 marked the third consecutive sellout of the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl, the second-largest crowd in the history of the bowl.

Top Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl Crowds
44,615 - 2006, BYU vs. Oregon
40,712 - 2007, BYU vs. UCLA
40,053 - 2005, Cal vs. BYU
30,894 - 2001, Utah vs. USC
30,324 - 2002, UCLA vs. New Mexico

-The crowd was also the fourth-largest crowd in the history of Sam Boyd Stadium to watch a football game.

Top Sam Boyd Stadium Crowds
44,615 - 2006, Las Vegas Bowl (BYU vs. Oregon)
42,075 - 2002, Wisconsin at UNLV
41,238 - 1996, WAC Championship Game (BYU vs. Wyoming)
40,712 - 2007, Las Vegas Bowl (BYU vs. UCLA)

-BYU wide receiver Austin Collie was named the Rossi Ralenkotter MVP, hauling in six passes for 107 yards and a touchdown with a long reception of 37. The sophomore also returned three kicks for 88 yards for an average of 29.3.

-UCLA place-kicker Kai Forbath set a Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl record with a 52-yard field goal in the second quarter. It broke the previous record of 49 yards, set by Nate Fiske of UCLA in the 2002 bowl against New Mexico. Forbath later added a 50-yard kick in the fourth quarter, which is the second-longest kick in bowl history.

-BYU was the first team to play in three consecutive Pioneer Las Vegas Bowls. The Cougars join UNLV (2-0) and Utah (2-0) for the most overall victories in the bowl's history.

-The game ended when BYU defensive lineman Eathyn Manumaleuna blocked a 28-yard field goal attempt by Forbath as time expired, sealing the Cougars' 17-16 victory.

-On the evening Forbath hit three field goals (22, 52, 50), which tied the all-time bowl record. Forbath is now tied with Damon Shea of Nevada, who made three field goals in 1995 against Toledo.

-The final score of 17-16 was the third time the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl was decided by just one point. Bowling Green defeated Nevada, 35-34, in the inaugural game in 1992, and Utah defeated Fresno State, 17-16, in 1999.

-The 33 points was the lowest-scoring game since 2001, when Utah defeated USC 10-6.

-Schools now in the Mountain West are 7-5 all-time in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl, including an impressive 6-3 since splitting from the WAC in 1999. The Pac-10 dropped to 4-4 all-time in the game.

-The victory snapped BYU's seven-game losing streak to UCLA, and it was the Cougars' first win against the Bruins since 1983.

-The game marked the second time that BYU and UCLA played in a bowl game, as the Bruins beat the Cougars in the 1986 Freedom Bowl, 31-10.

-BYU has now won two straight bowls after losing four straight and has an overall bowl record of 9-16-1.

-BYU's all-time record at Sam Boyd Stadium is now 10-2, including 7-0 all-time against UNLV, 2-1 in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl and 1-1 in the WAC Championship.

-UCLA's overall bowl record now sits at 13-15-1 and is now 1-2 all-time in Pioneer Las Vegas Bowls.

-It was the third rematch in Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl history and it marked the second time that a team avenged a regular-season loss. UNLV beat Central Michigan, 52-24, in 1994 after previously losing to the Chippewas.

-UCLA defensive lineman Bruce Davis recorded 2.5 sacks on the evening, second most all-time behind Mike Crawford of Nevada, who had three against Ball State in 1996.

-BYU linebacker Kelly Poppinga tied for the third-most tackles in a game with 13. UCLA linebacker Kyle Bosworth tied for the fifth-most with 12 takedowns.

-BYU won despite finishing with the third-least net rushing yards in bowl history with 34.