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Provo • BYU's offense and the school's bowl eligibility have something in common. Both took their sweet time arriving at frigid LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday night.
Behind another outstanding game from Christian Stewart, the Cougars heated up with each passing quarter, however, and eventually took a 42-23 win over hapless UNLV in front of an announced crowd of 53,622 shivering fans and frost-layered empty seats, improving to 6-4 and securing a bowl berth for the 10th straight year.
The Cougars will play in the Miami Beach Bowl on Dec. 22 in Florida, accepting the invitation from a bowl official after their 10th game when the season started as if BYU would get there much earlier. UNLV fell to 2-9, but didn't go quietly, staying with the 26-point favorites until midway through the third quarter.
"It has not been an easy season, and the games aren't easy," said coach Bronco Mendenhall. "I'm encouraged by the win. I am seeing a lot of guys grow up and a lot of guys develop."
The Cougars led just 21-13 at halftime, but only after the defense forced UNLV into kicking field goals when the Rebels had driven deep into Cougar territory. There were more anxious moments for the hearty Cougar faithful in the second half, but Stewart passed and ran effectively to keep the Rebels at bay.
"He's really done a nice job," Mendenhall said of the former walk-on, a senior who got his first win at LES to fulfill a lifelong dream.
Stewart completed 18 of 32 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, his second-straight 300-yard effort and the third time he's done it since relieving Taysom Hill in the fifth game. His passer rating was 172.5, a career high.
"If we are winning games, that's all that matters to me," Stewart said, deflecting praise.
Paul Lasike, the rugby star-turned-fullback, also shined offensively, scoring three touchdowns, including a nifty 26-yard reception that gave the Cougars a 35-16 lead and some breathing room with 5:42 remaining in the third quarter.
The Cougars finished with 267 rushing yards after getting just 28 net yards on the ground in the first quarter - and 30 of that came when receiver Jordan Leslie took a lateral and streaked down the East sideline for BYU's first touchdown.
The Cougars got Craig Bills, Bronson Kaufusi and Algie Brown back from injuries, but saw receiver Colby Pearson leave the game in the first quarter with a broken collarbone. His season is over.
"I'm kinda numb to the injuries, and it doesn't do me any good to talk about them," Mendenhall said.
Defensively, Kaufusi led the way with nine tackles and two sacks, while Las Vegas native Kai Nacua had an interception. The Cougars gave up a 68-yard touchdown run to UNLV's Shaquille Murray-Lawrence and a 42-yard touchdown catch to Devonte Boyd, but otherwise stiffened when it had to and limited the Rebels to 403 yards. Blake Decker, who once tried out to play for BYU, completed just 10 of 25 passes for 90 yards before taking a hard hit and leaving the game for the second straight game in the third quarter.
"Yes and no," said BYU defensive back Jordan Preator, when asked if he was satisfied with how the defense played. "We got the win, but there are a lot of things we need to work on, still."
The Cougars will get a breather, of sorts, this week as they host FCS Savannah State on Saturday before concluding the regular season at 5-5 California.
Twitter: @drewjay BYU 42, UNLV 23
BYU 42, UNLV 23
O It takes awhile for BYU's offense to get going, but once it does, the Cougars rack up 592 yards and bury UNLV .
• After BYU's second muffed kick, UNLV takes over at the Cougar 18 but can't move the ball and has to settle for a 33-yard field goal.
• The most time-consuming of BYU's six touchdown drives is one minute, 43 seconds.