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Las Vegas • Bronco Mendenhall's last bowl game as BYU's head football coach ended the same way the first one did, with a 35-28 loss to a Pac-12 opponent at the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl.
But Saturday's one-touchdown loss to rival Utah was far more difficult to swallow for the outgoing coach than the 35-28 loss to Marshawn Lynch and the Cal Bears back in 2005, because the Cougars mostly outplayed the Utes but could not overcome a 35-0 first-quarter deficit.
Taking advantage of five BYU turnovers on the Cougars' first five possessions, the Utes scored five touchdowns in the span of six minutes and 21 seconds in the first quarter.
After that, BYU dominated the contest, but still lost its fifth straight game to its rival. In those five losses since 2010, the Cougars have committed 19 turnovers.
"I am not sure I've ever been more proud of my team," said Mendenhall, who is leaving to take the same position at Virginia. "I have also never been a part of a game where the first five possessions are turnovers. And so, I don't think there could have been a more difficult challenge — some self-imposed and some certainly to the credit of Utah's defense early on."
Mendenhall finished with a 99-43 overall record in his 11 seasons at BYU, and a 6-5 bowl record. Ironically, the Cougars trailed Cal 35-14 in 2005 in their first bowl appearance under Mendenhall before losing 35-28.
"Our team tried really really hard all the way to the very end. Maybe if we get one more stop it gets interesting and we throw the ball into the end zone a time or two and see what happens … [the score] could easily have gone to 70, if they hadn't responded the way they did."
The Cougars outgained the Utes 386-197 and won virtually every statistical category, but could not overcome the five turnovers. Utah did not have a turnover, but passed for just 71 yards.
"Quitting and giving up was never going to be an option," said BYU tight end Remington Peck, who got the Cougars on the board first with a 3-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.
The Cougars cut Utah's lead to 35-28 with 3:23 remaining when Mangum ran 4 yards for a score. Mendenhall then decided to kick the ball deep, after consulting with his staff. The Utes picked up two big first downs to run out the clock.
"I don't necessarily regret the decision, I just wish we could have made a stop and made it more interesting at the end, and maybe chuck it to the end zone a couple times," Mendenhall said. "Certainly, you could argue it wasn't the right decision, because we didn't win."
Mendenhall wiped away some tears during his postgame remarks, and even thanked the media for "fair coverage" of his program the past 11 years.
As for his emotional state after coaching his final BYU game, he said:
"I don't know how to describe it. I am grateful, certainly, as a starting point. Humbled and proud, I think, just watching these guys battle. … We did lose the game, but I am taking with me a pretty good going-away present from watching them try that hard."
Twitter: @drewjay —
Bronco at BYU
Overall record • 99-43
Bowl Record • 6-5
Against Utah • 3-7