Viva Las Vegas! Viva Las Vegas! (Or something like that…)

Yep, those college kids came to Las Vegas while their moms probably were hoping their kids went there to watch the football game between the UCLA Bruins and the BYU Cougars, staying away from all those blackjack tables and slot machines.

Oh yes, the UCLA Bruins played the Brigham Young Cougars in the 2007 Las Vegas Bowl at the Sam Boyd Stadium. Of course, those college kids I mentioned probably gambled at them casinos still. He he…

The Brigham Young Cougars were looking to extend a nine-game winning streak when they went up against the stumbling UCLA Bruins. Considered as one of the nation’s most balanced teams, the Brigham Young Cougars posted 458 yards of total offense per game under new quarterback Max Hall, compared to the 465 it averaged during John Beck’s final campaign.

In the end, all it took was a blocked field goal attempt to extend their dominance over these bowl games in the Sin City. After Brigham Young’s defense allowed UCLA to drive 87 yards in the final two minutes, Eathyn Manumaleuna saved the Cougars with his fingertip.

Manumaleuna got his right hand on Kai Forbath’s field goal attempt as time expired, giving the No. 17 Cougars (No. 19 AP) a 17-16 win over the Bruins in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday night.

Coming to this game, Brigham Young Cougars running back Harvey Unga was another dominant new face in the Cougars attack, totaling 1,840 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns in his red shirt freshman season.

After 17 carries, he only had 16 yards rushing with no touchdowns all game. Thankfully though, the Cougars managed to keep themselves in the game, setting up for that key defensive play to give them the Las Vegas Bowl win.

Health problems and inconsistent quarterback play have been hurting the UCLA Bruins all season long. ‘’Certainly the issues of injuries came into play this year, but the concerns that have plagued us just in a general sense relate to inconsistent play,'’ UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero said.

The UCLA Bruins have been much more consistent in their ground game, rushing for 1,801 yards and 12 touchdowns. UCLA Bruins running backs Kahlil Bell and Chris Markey split time at the HB spot, combining for a total of 1,393 yards.

The UCLA Bruins is the first Pac-10 team to play in three Las Vegas Bowls, having defeated New Mexico 27-13 in 2002 and losing 24-21 to Wyoming two years later.

This time though, the Bruins will be remembered as the team that can’t pull off a decent field goal attempt in Vegas. 

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UCLA Bruins BYU Cougars