Game 11: BYU vs. New Mexico

Game 10: BYU Cougars vs. New Mexico Lobos

BYU will host New Mexico on Senior Day at 4 p.m. MT on Saturday, Nov. 20. The game will be broadcast live from LaVell Edwards Stadium on The Mtn. and KSL Radio 1160 AM and 102.7 FM.

Tickets for Senior Day are still available. Prices are $10 in the end zone and $20 on the sidelines. CLICK HERE to get yours.

BYU (5-5, 4-2 MWC) vs. New Mexico (1-9, 1-5)

Nov. 20, 2010

4 p.m. MT

LaVell Edwards Stadium

Provo, Utah

THE BYU-NEW MEXICO SERIES

BYU has won 26 of the last 29 meetings between the two teams, including all five under current BYU head coach and previous New Mexico assistant coach Bronco Mendenhall. The Cougars lost 8 of the first 14 games against the Lobos after the series began in 1951, but later reeled off a 16-game win streak lasting most of the 1980s and 90s. New Mexico last defeated BYU in Provo in 2004 by a score of 21-14.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

- BYU enters its game vs. New Mexico with the chance to secure its sixth win of the season an become eligible for a bowl game. It also has the chance to go above .500 for the first time since opening the year 1-0 after a win over Washington.

- BYU is going for its sixth-straight win over the Lobos and stay unbeaten against New Mexico since head coach Bronco Mendenhall took over the Cougar program.

- After averaging 15.2 points over the first five games while starting their year with a 1-4 record, BYU has averaged 31.2 points over the last five games to go 4-1 — the lone setback being at unbeaten TCU. On defense, BYU allowed 28.8 points during its 1-4 start but has improved to allowing 17.8 points over the last five games.

- BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall was an assistant coach at New Mexico from 1998-02 under head coach Rocky Long before being hired at BYU.

Senior Day

The following seniors will be honored following the end of the game:

Nick Alletto, OL

Luke Ashworth, WR

Brandon Bradley, DB

Shane Hunter, LB

Landon Jaussi, S

Brian Logan, DB

Zeke Mendenhall, LB

Mitch Payne, K

BJ Peterson, WR

Andrew Rich, S

Vic So'oto, DL

Jason Speredon, OL

AJ Van Valkenburg, LB

ALL BUT PERFECT

BYU finished the game at CSU going 12-of-13 (.923) on third-down conversions, the first time BYU has had a third down conversion of over 80-percent since going 12-of-14 (.857) at Washington in 2008. On the one failed third-down

attempt, BYU still converted the ensuing fourth-down. As part of the third-down proficiency, BYU did not punt the entire game, accomplishing the feat for the first time since playing at Tulane in 2009.

MOVE FORWARD, NOT BACKWARD

As a team, the Cougars are one of the least penalized squads in the nation, averaging 36.8 penalty yards per game, good for 9th in the nation and first in the MWC. BYU also averages just 4.8 penalties per game, 13th among all FBS schools and third in the MWC. Against Nevada, BYU had a season-low one turnover for minus-5 yards.

FIVE COUGARS HONORED THIS WEEK

Based on their performances last week in a 49-10 win at Colorado State, three BYU players won MWC weekly awards, the second time this season a school has swept all three awards in one week. Senior wide receiver Luke Ashworth won

Offensive Player of the Week, senior safety Andrew Rich was named Defensive Player of the Week and senior kicker Mitch Payne took the Special Teams Player of the Year honor. Ashworth is the first Cougar to be named Offensive POW

since ; it is his first such award. Rich, honored for the second time in his career, is the second Cougar this season to be named Defensive POW--BYU has taken the award the last two weeks. Payne, also awarded for the second time in his career, is the third Special Teams POW from BYU to be honored by the MWC.

In addition, Ashworth was named the College Sports Performance Wide Receiver of the Week, his first national award. Freshman quarterback Jake Heaps and sophomore punter Riley Stephenson were also each honored with CPF honorable mentions.

NO RUNNING START

BYU’s defense has been stout against the run of late and particularly setting the tone to open the game. In the last five games the Cougars have held their opponents to first quarter rushing totals of minus-10 (SDSU), 20 (TCU), minus-31 (Wyoming), zero (UNLV) and 8 (CSU) yards, respectively.

For the complete BYU vs. New Mexico game notes, see the attached PDF file.