Las Vegas » Asked last week what would be at stake for the BYU Cougars in today's Las Vegas Bowl, quarterback Max Hall ticked off a list of things such as the chance to send the seniors out with a win and the opportunity to become the first BYU team ever to win a third-straight bowl game.
Almost in passing, he touched upon perhaps the most important element for the program as a whole: momentum.
The Cougars (10-2) have seemingly lost that, after falling 48-24 to Utah four weeks ago, and to a man they say the only way to get it back is with a victory at Sam Boyd Stadium (6 p.m. MST, ESPN) against 7-5 Arizona.
"This one is huge," receiver Austin Collie said. "I think we need to go off on a good note, on a winning note, especially after the Utah game. And I think the momentum of the game will carry over to the next season. How we play will say how we perform next year."
There are also the national rankings to think about, which for a non-BCS team such as BYU is big. Just ask Boise State, which went undefeated but won't be in a BCS bowl because it is behind the Utes in the rankings.
Recent history shows that if the Cougars lose today, they probably won't start the 2009 season in the rankings, while the better non-BCS teams they compete against for that berth -- Boise State, Utah and TCU -- most likely will.
The Cougars enter the game ranked No. 17 in the AP poll and No. 16 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, and a win would get them in the top 15 in both.
Last year, they were No. 19 in the AP before defeating UCLA 17-16, and were No. 14 in the final AP poll.
Why is that important? Because they started this season ranked No. 16 -- ahead of those others -- and had the inside track to a BCS bowl until getting blown out 32-7 by TCU in mid-October.
This has all the makings of a springboard game for the Cougars, and they know it.
"I am sure it is. I am sure it is," Hall said. "If we win this game, I am sure we will stay in the top 20 somewhere, and have good chances for next year to start off right, so it is a big game in my mind."
BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall is downplaying the springboard notion, but that's his style.
He says the game, win or lose, won't say more, or less, about his program than most other games.
"I really view each season independently first, but then collectively over the last four years," he said. "I would like to finish on a strong note, with momentum. If we are not able to play effectively, it still moves our program forward as we identify our weaknesses that we can address at a higher level. So I am not discounting our intent to win the football game, but the lessons are really what we are after. And that will help us "
Arizona, which is coming off a 31-10 win over its rival, Arizona State, has more momentum now than the Cougars, BYU's players acknowledge. But the MWC went 6-1 against the Pac-10, and the Cougars have mentioned that dozens of times in the weeks leading up to the game.
They truly believe some conference pride is on the line, still.
"There's a lot at stake," BYU tight end Dennis Pitta said. "We want to come out and prove that we are a good football team, and that we can play with anyone, and so it will be no different Saturday."
Arizona is a three-point favorite.
"I think both teams are ready to rock," receiver Austin Collie said. "I think both teams are jacked up, ready to play in this game. … You know, it has been 10 years since Arizona has played in a bowl game. We are always excited to play football. I think it doesn't matter if it is a bowl game or whatever, we are always going to be excited to play football. And it just happens to be in the Las Vegas Bowl."
And it could be a springboard for a BCS bowl-hungry program that has a much more favorable schedule next year -- with Utah, TCU and Florida State at home -- providing that rumored matchup with No. 1 Oklahoma fails to materialize.
"It could be the start of something special," Hall said.
