Starting in 2001, the Las Vegas Bowl featured a matchup of teams from the Mountain West Conference (MWC) and Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10), with organizers having first choice of bowl-eligible teams from the MWC, and the fourth or fifth choice (alternating annually) of bowl-eligible teams from the Pac-10.
This was the second meeting in the 2007 college football season between the UCLA Bruins and the BYU Cougars. In the first meeting on September 8, 2007 at the Rose Bowl Stadium, the Bruins avoided an upset in a tough game by beating the Cougars, 27–17. UCLA had control of the game in the first half, but BYU made it close in the third quarter. UCLA's pass defense was shaky, giving up 391 yards, and their own passing attack inconsistent, as Ben Olson, a quarterback who transferred from BYU to UCLA, completed only 13 of 28 passes for 126 yards.[3]
On December 3, 2007, following the final regular season game against USC, Los Angeles papers and the Associated Press reported that UCLA Coach Karl Dorrell was fired during a meeting with athletic director Dan Guerrero.[4] Dorrell was offered the choice, but decided not to coach in the Las Vegas Bowl. Defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker served as interim coach for the game.[5]
Game summaryedit
The 2007 Las Vegas Bowl kicked off at Sam Boyd Stadium at 8:12 p.m. EST. UCLA won the coin toss and elected to kick off to BYU to begin the game.
With less than a minute to go in the first half the Cougars had opened up 17-6 lead. Instead of simply downing the ball, the Cougars ran a running play up the middle and RB Harvey Unga fumbled. The Bruins responded by punching the ball in the end zone on the final play of the half. In the second half with the Cougars leading 17-13, the defenses took over. Second-half scoring was limited to a 50-yard field goal by the Bruins' Kai Forbath in the fourth quarter. Forbath then attempted a 28-yarder at the end of the game, but it was blocked by Eathyn Manumaleuna to preserve the Cougars' victory.
Walker's defensive schemes kept the Bruins, who were without their two top quarterbacks and relied on McLeod Bethel-Thompson, in the game. The Bruins size and strength advantage allowed them to dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Ball control was also key: Chris Markey rushed for 117 yards, the most by any BYU opponent in the 2007 season.[6]
The Las Vegas Bowl was an advance sellout for the fifth year in a row.
The Cougars ended the season with a 10-game winning streak, which after Hawaii's loss to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl became the longest winning streak in the country.
UCLA later selected a former teammate of Dorrell, Rick Neuheisel, as his successor.[8] DeWayne Walker was retained as the defensive coordinator.
The UCLA Bruins under Neuheisel and BYU Cougars would meet again in the 2008 regular season at BYU, where the Cougars would defeat the Bruins 59–0. This was the worst loss the Bruins endured since a 76-0 defeat in the very first UCLA–USC rivalry football game (in the year 1929).[9]
Referencesedit
^ abMegargee, Steve (December 19, 2007). . Rivals.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2007.
^. Archived from the original on August 3, 2007. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
^. Archived from the original on February 25, 2008. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
^Brian Dohn. UCLA fires coach Dorrell. December 5, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Los Angeles Daily News. December 3, 2007 11:18:47 AM PST. Quote: During his tenure, UCLA's off-the-field image, which took a beating under coach Bob Toledo, was cleaned up. But on the field too many inconsistent performances did in Dorrell, who was 1–4 against USC, including Saturday's 24–7 loss at the Coliseum.
^Associated Press. Fired Dorrell won't coach UCLA in Las Vegas Bowl. December 4, 2007. Quote: Ousted UCLA football coach Karl Dorrell has decided not to coach the Bruins when they play BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl.
^ESPN - Manumaleuna blocks UCLA's last-ditch FG to save No. 17 BYU's bowl win - NCAA College Football Recap
^Foster, Chris – Chow no longer interested in head coach job. Los Angeles Times, December 21, 2007
^Chris Foster, Neuheisel goes back to school, Los Angeles Times, December 30, 2008, Accessed July 26, 2008.
^No. 18 B.Y.U. 59, U.C.L.A. 0 Hall’s 7 Touchdown Passes Lead B.Y.U.’s Rout, Associated Press, New York Times, September 13, 2008
December 02, 2023
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The 2007 Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl was an NCAA sanctioned Division I post season college football bowl game between the UCLA Bruins and the Brigham Young University Cougars The game was played on December 22 2007 starting at 5 p m PST at 40 000 seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Whitney Nevada where the bowl has been played since 1992 It was televised on ESPN 2007 Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas BowlLas Vegas Bowl logoUCLA Bruins BYU Cougars 6 6 10 2 Pac 10 Mountain West16 17Head coach DeWayne Walker Head coach Bronco MendenhallAPCoachesBCSNRNRNR APCoachesBCS1919171234 TotalUCLA 31003 16BYU 31400 17DateDecember 22 2007Season2007StadiumSam Boyd StadiumLocationWhitney NevadaMVPWR Austin Collie BYUFavoriteBYU by 6 1 RefereeEd Kierce C USA Attendance40 712PayoutUS 1 000 000 per team 2 United States TV coverageNetworkESPNAnnouncersBrad Nessler Bob Griese Paul Maguire 1 Las Vegas Bowl lt 2006 2008 gt Starting in 2001 the Las Vegas Bowl featured a matchup of teams from the Mountain West Conference MWC and Pacific 10 Conference Pac 10 with organizers having first choice of bowl eligible teams from the MWC and the fourth or fifth choice alternating annually of bowl eligible teams from the Pac 10 Contents 1 Teams 2 Game summary 3 Additional notes 4 ReferencesTeams editThis was the second meeting in the 2007 college football season between the UCLA Bruins and the BYU Cougars In the first meeting on September 8 2007 at the Rose Bowl Stadium the Bruins avoided an upset in a tough game by beating the Cougars 27 17 UCLA had control of the game in the first half but BYU made it close in the third quarter UCLA s pass defense was shaky giving up 391 yards and their own passing attack inconsistent as Ben Olson a quarterback who transferred from BYU to UCLA completed only 13 of 28 passes for 126 yards 3 On December 3 2007 following the final regular season game against USC Los Angeles papers and the Associated Press reported that UCLA Coach Karl Dorrell was fired during a meeting with athletic director Dan Guerrero 4 Dorrell was offered the choice but decided not to coach in the Las Vegas Bowl Defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker served as interim coach for the game 5 Game summary editThe 2007 Las Vegas Bowl kicked off at Sam Boyd Stadium at 8 12 p m EST UCLA won the coin toss and elected to kick off to BYU to begin the game With less than a minute to go in the first half the Cougars had opened up 17 6 lead Instead of simply downing the ball the Cougars ran a running play up the middle and RB Harvey Unga fumbled The Bruins responded by punching the ball in the end zone on the final play of the half In the second half with the Cougars leading 17 13 the defenses took over Second half scoring was limited to a 50 yard field goal by the Bruins Kai Forbath in the fourth quarter Forbath then attempted a 28 yarder at the end of the game but it was blocked by Eathyn Manumaleuna to preserve the Cougars victory Walker s defensive schemes kept the Bruins who were without their two top quarterbacks and relied on McLeod Bethel Thompson in the game The Bruins size and strength advantage allowed them to dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball Ball control was also key Chris Markey rushed for 117 yards the most by any BYU opponent in the 2007 season 6 Scoring summaryQuarter Time Drive Team Scoring information ScorePlays Yards TOP UCLA BYU1 08 12 38 5 58 UCLA 22 yard field goal by Kai Forbath 3 01 01 06 51 2 26 BYU 29 yard field goal by Mitch Payne 3 32 10 32 14 0 07 BYU Austin Collie 40 yard touchdown reception from Max Hall Mitch Payne kick good 3 102 04 44 32 3 13 UCLA 52 yard field goal by Kai Forbath 6 102 01 03 55 3 41 BYU Michael Reed 13 yard touchdown reception from Max Hall Mitch Payne kick good 6 172 00 00 4 0 12 UCLA Brandon Breazell 4 yard touchdown reception from McLeod Bethel Thompson Kai Forbath kick good 13 174 06 24 14 3 50 UCLA 50 yard field goal by Kai Forbath 16 17 TOP time of possession For other American football terms see Glossary of American football 17 16Additional notes editThe Cougars avenged a 27 17 loss to UCLA in a game played on September 8 at the Bruins home field the Rose Bowl in Pasadena California UCLA left this bowl game without naming a permanent head coach for the 2008 season Karl Dorrell had been fired on December 4 Rumored candidates as of December 24 included Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Rick Neuheisel Temple head coach Al Golden and Walker Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti and Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow had withdrawn their names from consideration 7 The Las Vegas Bowl was an advance sellout for the fifth year in a row The Cougars ended the season with a 10 game winning streak which after Hawaii s loss to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl became the longest winning streak in the country UCLA later selected a former teammate of Dorrell Rick Neuheisel as his successor 8 DeWayne Walker was retained as the defensive coordinator The UCLA Bruins under Neuheisel and BYU Cougars would meet again in the 2008 regular season at BYU where the Cougars would defeat the Bruins 59 0 This was the worst loss the Bruins endured since a 76 0 defeat in the very first UCLA USC rivalry football game in the year 1929 9 References edit a b Megargee Steve December 19 2007 Las Vegas Bowl BYU vs UCLA Rivals com Archived from the original on December 25 2007 Retrieved December 26 2007 ncaafootball com Bowl Schedules Results Archived from the original on August 3 2007 Retrieved September 19 2009 www byucougars com BYU UCLA game recap Archived from the original on February 25 2008 Retrieved September 22 2008 Brian Dohn UCLA fires coach Dorrell Archived December 5 2007 at the Wayback Machine Los Angeles Daily News December 3 2007 11 18 47 AM PST Quote During his tenure UCLA s off the field image which took a beating under coach Bob Toledo was cleaned up But on the field too many inconsistent performances did in Dorrell who was 1 4 against USC including Saturday s 24 7 loss at the Coliseum Associated Press Fired Dorrell won t coach UCLA in Las Vegas Bowl December 4 2007 Quote Ousted UCLA football coach Karl Dorrell has decided not to coach the Bruins when they play BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl ESPN Manumaleuna blocks UCLA s last ditch FG to save No 17 BYU s bowl win NCAA College Football Recap Foster Chris Chow no longer interested in head coach job Los Angeles Times December 21 2007 Chris Foster Neuheisel goes back to school Los Angeles Times December 30 2008 Accessed July 26 2008 No 18 B Y U 59 U C L A 0 Hall s 7 Touchdown Passes Lead B Y U s Rout Associated Press New York Times September 13 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 2007 Las Vegas Bowl amp oldid 1129887778, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
