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Provo • Turns out, something did come easy for the BYU Cougars during their rocky 2010 football season.
Whether that will continue this week against another Mountain West Conference foe with a subpar record is anybody's guess.
Despite coach Bronco Mendenhall's prediction that every November game would be a nail-biter, the Cougars pounded hapless UNLV 55-7 on Saturday, keeping their bowl hopes alive. BYU (4-5) now turns its attention to this week's contest in Fort Collins, Colo., against Colorado State, which was eliminated from bowl consideration Saturday with a 24-19 loss at San Diego State.
But that doesn't mean the Rams (3-7) will be a pushover. They pushed bowl-bound SDSU to the final gun, and are 3-1 at home this season. Colorado State's only loss at Hughes Stadium was a 27-0 setback to No. 3 TCU. BYU is an early five-point favorite.
"Colorado State is playing great football right now," BYU quarterback Jake Heaps said after his best performance of the season, 294 passing yards and two TDs against UNLV. "They struggled at the beginning of the season, but they are playing pretty good football right now. … Colorado State is going to be a very tough opponent, and it is going to be hard going into their house."
Heaps will receive a lot of attention this week, and not just because he's coming off his best game as a Cougar.
Colorado State also has a true freshman starting at quarterback, Pete Thomas, and Thomas has outplayed BYU's rookie this year despite being far less heralded out of high school. Both quarterbacks have three wins, although Thomas has started every game for the Rams this season, while Heaps has started in six of the Cougars' nine games.
"At this point, there are no excuses now," Heaps said Saturday, adding he no longer feels like a freshman quarterback. "We got to turn it up a notch, and really get after it. We know what we are capable of. We played a great game, but we can still play a bit better."
Thomas has completed 209 of 316 passes for 2,273 yards and 10 touchdowns, with 10 interceptions. Heaps is 139-for-260 for 1,351 yards and four TDs with seven interceptions. Thomas' pass efficiency rating is 130.7, while Heaps' is 96.8.
Seemingly, the Cougars have more offensive balance, although their passing game had been virtually nonexistent prior to Saturday. The Rams were able to rush for just 31 yards (on 34 attempts) against SDSU. Thomas was sacked five times.
Mendenhall said after BYU's easiest win in more than a year that his message doesn't change for a team that is 0-4 on the road and has been outscored 131-43 away from LaVell Edwards Stadium.
"I don't think that much changes from the message that I gave them after our last game against Wyoming," he said. "We are striving to reach our potential, whether it is home or away — no matter whom we are playing. I would like to help this particular team play to the highest level they are possibly capable of, and we have three more weeks to work in that regard."
Tight end Marcus Mathews suffered a lacerated spleen and is out for the season, a BYU spokesperson confirmed Sunday. Starting offensive guard Braden Hansen suffered a sprained knee and will be evaluated Monday.
Twitter: @drewjay, @sltribbyu —
Saturday's game
P BYU (4-5) at Colorado State (3-7), noon
TV • The Mtn.