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BYU looks to extend winning streak vs. UCLA

Sep 13, 2008 - 10:02 AM UCLA (1-0) at No. 15 Brigham Young (2-0), 3:30 pm EDT

PROVO, Utah (Ticker) -- Brigham Young needed some help from the officials to extend the nation's longest winning streak. The Cougars hope to have an easier time against UCLA - the last team they lost to.

The 15th-ranked Cougars shoot for their 13th consecutive victory and look to exact a measure of revenge Saturday when they host the Bruins.

Brigham Young's winning streak was in jeopardy last weekend against Washington, which clawed within 28-27 on Jake Locker's touchdown run with two seconds remaining.

But in a questionable call, Locker was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct for flipping the ball over his shoulder before celebrating with his teammates. The ensuing extra-point attempt, a 35-yard kick courtesy of the penalty, was blocked by BYU's Jan Jorgensen.

"Whether it was (a penalty) or not, I didn't see it, but if it was, it should have been called," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "Even if it was our team it should have been called. The rules are the rules."

Thanks to the rules, the Cougars (2-0) still are eying a perfect season and a potential BCS bowl bid. Their next test will come from UCLA (1-0), which posted a 27-17 victory over BYU in Pasadena last September.

Facing a 20-3 halftime deficit, the Cougars scored two straight touchdowns before ultimately seeing their 11-game winning streak - the country's longest run at the time - snapped by the Bruins.

BYU's Max Hall passed for 391 yards and two TDs in the game. However, he lost a key fumble after being sacked in the fourth quarter.

A redshirt junior, Hall has been outstanding in his first two games this season, completing 78 percent of his passes for 824 yards and five TDs with only one interception.

Hall and the Cougars will have to remain efficient against a UCLA team that has not played since a thrilling 27-24 overtime upset of then-No. 18 Tennessee on September 1.

Kevin Craft shook off a four-interception first half by orchestrating two late touchdown drives and Kai Forbath kicked the go-ahead field goal for the Bruins, who won in coach Rick Neuheisel's debut at his alma mater.

The Cougars own a 7-2 record in their all-time series with the Bruins. The teams last met in last year's Las Vegas Bowl, with BYU posting a 17-16 victory.