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Lincoln, Neb. • After more than eight months of speculation, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall didn't suspend nearly as many players for their involvement in the Miami Beach Bowl brawl as most thought he would.

Mendenhall told KSL Radio before Saturday's BYU-Nebraska kickoff that safety Kai Nacua, receiver Trey Dye, defensive end Tomasi Laulile and linebacker Sione Takitaki would miss the game due to disciplinary reasons.

He did not specify whether the discipline was for the brawl.

Takitaki has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor theft, and it was announced in August that he wouldn't play.

Mendenhall said in March that "10-ish" players would be disciplined in the offseason, but he never called them suspensions.

Jordan Preator, a cornerback last year, started in Nacua's place at free safety.

There was a mild surprise on the offensive line, as Lui Lapuaho started at right guard (in the place of Tuni Kanuch) and Brad Wilcox started at right tackle. However, Kanuch entered the game in the second quarter and Lapuaho slid over to tackle.

Injury update

Mendenhall said in his pregame radio show that freshman running back Francis Bernard broke a finger in practice and will be out a week or two. The Cougars hope to get him back for the Sept. 19 game at UCLA, the coach said.

Junior nose tackle Travis Tuiloma suffered a knee injury and missed most of the second half. Mendenhall said he's expected to be out four to six weeks.

Another long drive

The Cougars put together a 99-yard touchdown drive in the first quarter, thanks to a 53-yard strike from Taysom Hill to Nick Kurtz, Kurtz's first catch as a Cougar. It was the first 99-yard drive for BYU since last year in the fourth quarter against California.

Eight BYU receivers caught passes in the first half, and nine had receptions in the game, which ended when Mitch Mathews caught a 42-yard prayer from freshman Tanner Mangum.

Briefly

Temperature at kickoff was 93 degrees, tying a mark for hottest game-time temperature in Memorial Stadium history. It was also 93 in the 1985 opener against Florida State and the 2002 opener against Utah State. The wind blew steadily from the south throughout the game, and kickoff humidity was 47 percent. … Nebraska won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. With two rushing touchdowns in the first half, Hill moved into a tie for eighth on the school's career rushing touchdowns list, with 24.

Twitter: @drewjay