Not much has changed at University Stadium on Saturday: A visiting team jumped out to an early lead and never took its foot off the gas pedal.
BYU and its swarming defense jumped all over UTEP early in the fifth annual New Mexico Bowl en route to a 52-24 victory.
“I was really impressed with the fast start of our team,” BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. “I think they were ready to play today. I think we improved as a football team and played a good game, and I think today is a continuation of that trend.”
The Cougars wasted no time with a quick 7-0 — off a Bryan Kariya four-yard touchdown run — that only took 4:31 off the clock.
BYU added another touchdown and a field goal for a 17-3 lead after the first quarter and possessed a 31-10 halftime advantage.
BYU freshman quarterback Jake Heaps threw four touchdown passes, three to wide receiver Cody Hoffmann, and finished with 264 yards on 25-of-34 passing.
Mendenhall said Heaps’ N.M. Bowl performance was a culmination of his growth over the season.
“There were small steps up until this game through this game,” he said. “Today you saw more complete play coming from him and more consistency. I think you saw that he’s continuing to learn what it means to lead our team and he’s continuing to learn what it means to be a quarterback at BYU.”
Heaps elevated himself into BYU lore and earned the right to be compared to Ty Detmer, a Cougar legend and Heisman Trophy winner.
In the New Mexico Bowl, Heaps became the first freshman to start for BYU in a bowl game and win it. He also broke Detmer’s record of 13 touchdown tosses as a freshman, throwing for 14 on the season.
“Being in the New Mexico Bowl after the way we started the season was rewarding,” Heaps said. “To send our seniors our right and to finish the season the way we did today, I’m so proud of our guys.”
With 8:55 left in the second quarter, Heaps hit Hoffmann with a three-yard touchdown pass to tie the record and found Hoffmann again with 14 seconds left in the third quarter to break the record.
UTEP was pulverized by BYU’s defensive blitzing scheme from the get-go.
The Miners were limited to 11 offensive plays in the first quarter and mustered -5 yards of offense.
UTEP finished the game with 233 yards of offense.
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“In the game early we were really fired up, emotional and we made a lot of mistakes that we don’t normally make,” UTEP head coach Mike Price said. “Poor snaps, bad blitzes, and they did a nice job blitzing us. They just played controlled football and executed what they needed to do.”
Senior Kris Adams was the Miners’ lone playmaker. He finished his career at UTEP with a career-high 153 receiving yards and scored all the Miners’ three touchdowns (67, 37 and 49 yards).
“Everybody can make a play, and everybody can make mistakes at the same time,” Adams said. “When I look back at the game, I am going to remember the fact that we didn’t win, regardless of how many touchdowns we lost or how many we caught.”
BYU, which started the 2010 season at 1-4, won six of its last seven games, including the New Mexico Bowl.
Saturday’s contest for the Cougars was the last as Mountain West Conference members. The BYU football program will go independent starting in 2011.
“It’s a great way for this particular team to finish the season,” Mendenhall said. “It’s a great way for them to enjoy and remember our 2010 team, and I’m really proud of them.”
Please check out our photo gallery for more photos NM Bowl Gallery
