Cougars fans might help fill Sam Boyd

If Brigham Young ever needs to play a home game outside its own LaVell Edwards Stadium, it might want to consider Sam Boyd Stadium, which has become a home away from home for the Cougars.

The BYU faithful have helped sell out the last two Las Vegas Bowls, with an overflow crowd of 44,615 attending last year's 38-8 rout of Oregon. The game attracted the largest crowd in Sam Boyd history, boosted by a vast majority of BYU fans.

The Cougars, who ripped UNLV 52-7 here last year, have been the Rebels' opponent for four of the nine largest home crowd in UNLV history.

Saturday's game at Sam Boyd is expected to attract close to 15,000 BYU fans, and it could sell out, which would be just fine with Cougars coach Bronco Mendenhall.

"We have a tremendous fan base in Las Vegas, and that is a huge advantage for us," he said. "The last time we were there for a regular conference game, it felt like a home game with the number of BYU fans there."

Mendenhall estimated that more than 20,000 BYU fans attended the Cougars' 27-17 loss at then-No. 13 UCLA this season but said the number of fans who turn out to support the team in Las Vegas typically rivals any other Cougars contingent on the road.

• CHARITY BIKE RIDE -- Four BYU fans will ride bicycles from LaVell Edwards Stadium to Sam Boyd for Saturday's game as part of a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah.

The cyclists -- Garner Jensen, Tim Loomis, Steve Albreht and Ty Webber -- hope to raise at least $5,000 to help send at least 10 youths to BYU summer sports camps.

The group embarked on its journey Tuesday -- with former BYU football players Hans Olsen and Carlos Nunez joining them on the first leg -- and plans to ride more than 100 miles per day, over four days for a total of 450 miles, to reach Las Vegas on Friday.

• RUN STOPPERS -- BYU (3-2, 2-0 Mountain West) is one of three MWC teams, joining New Mexico and Wyoming, that hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher this season.

The Cougars are allowing 99 yards rushing per game and rank 21st in the nation in run defense. That doesn't mean Mendenhall isn't worried about UNLV's running game.

"We'll have to play the run effectively, in terms of stopping Frank Summers," he said. "He's very physical and capable. They give you a lot of different things to defend."

• LONE LOCAL COUGAR -- Mendenhall said BYU recruits Southern Nevada prospects "diligently year in and year out," but there is only one local product on the Cougars' roster: sophomore defensive back Aaron Attig.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 204-pound Attig attended Moapa Valley High School in Logandale. He redshirted in 2005 after returning from a church mission in Madrid, Spain, and played on the practice squad last year.

Attig, who also was recruited by UNLV, San Diego State and Oregon State, is a backup safety this season and also plays special teams.

"He's growing, developing and maturing," Mendenhall said. "At some point he could have a significant role. We're glad to have him here."

• LONG PUNT AND PASS -- BYU punter C.J. Santiago booted a career-long 75-yard punt in the Cougars' 31-24 victory over New Mexico on Sept. 29. It was the longest BYU punt since Matt Payne was credited with a 79-yarder against USC on Sept. 11, 2004.

Cougars quarterback Max Hall completed a career-long 59-yard pass to sophomore Austin Collie against New Mexico, BYU's longest pass play of the season. Collie leads the team with four TD catches.

Running back Manase Tonga leads BYU with five touchdown runs.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0354.