BYU, Colorado State showdown makes for exciting MWC opener

It seems only fair that Colorado State and BYU should meet in the inaugural Mountain West Conference football game on Thursday night in Provo.

After all, the two schools pretty much dominated the Western Athletic Conference in the '90s, combining for seven WAC titles in that span before breaking off to help form the MWC.

Add to that the fact that both schools are ranked this week -- BYU (1-0) is 25th while Colorado State (2-0) is 23rd in the AP Poll -- and the fact both schools have scored impressive nonconference wins (the Cougars topped Washington, 35-28, while CSU whipped Colorado, 41-14) and you have all the makings for what should be one of the biggest games of the year in the MWC.

"I think it can't be more appropriate to have the inaugural Mountain West game featuring two ranked teams," BYU coach LaVell Edwards said. "I think that makes for a very exciting game."

"There's no doubt this is a big game as far as the conference is concerned," CSU coach Sonny Lubick agreed. "The winner of this game is certainly in the driver's seat."

And it would seem the Cougars, who are 8-point favorites, would have a lot of edges entering the game.

Besides playing the game on its home field, BYU also had two more days to prepare because it played last Thursday night. Colorado State, meanwhile, eeked out a 38-33 win over Nevada-Reno on Saturday and may have lost star fullback Kevin McDougal to a groin injury.

"I have a feeling he'll be playing a little bit," Lubick said. "But it will be a tough decision on his part and the doctor's part. If he injures it again, he could be out a long time."

McDougal's backup is 6-0, 195-pound freshman Rahsaan Sanders.

"He can take my spot and we won't miss anything," McDougal said. "He's going to be the best running back we've ever had here."

Lubick and company also must try and figure a way to slow down BYU quarterback Kevin Feterik, who torched Washington for 501 yards and three touchdowns passing last week. Meanwhile, CSU allowed 429 yards through the air to UNR quarterback David Neill.

"If we play BYU like we played (Saturday), they will beat us by 40 points," McDougal said. "If we play like this in conference, we won't win a game."

BYU ran 52 of its 87 offensive plays against the Huskies out of the shotgun, an offense Feterik excelled in at Los Alamitos (Calif.) High School.

"Boy, does he look like a whole different guy," Lubick said. "He gets rid of the ball so quickly back there."

It was about this time last year that Feterik was getting booed routinely by the Provo faithful who wanted a switch to since-departed Drew Miller.

"If any fan ever boos Kevin again, we're going to take them out back in the alley," BYU All-American linebacker Rob Morris promised.

* BONEHEAD PLAY FOLLOWUP: Utah coach Ron McBride was asked what he thought of the final play of UNLV's 27-24 win over Baylor when Bears' coach Kevin Steele's gamble to try and run up the score backfired in a loss thanks to Kevin Thomas' 101-yard fumble return.

"I feel sorry for the coach from Baylor," McBride said. "That guy will never live that down."

McBride said the play could pay big dividends for the Rebels the rest of the season.

"That does a lot for your confidence," McBride said. "That's a huge victory for them because it shows them they can win when things are tough."

* LAS VEGAS BOWL DEAL APPROVED: The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority on Tuesday officially approved a deal with the Mountain West Conference to get the MWC's No. 2 bowl team for the next three years.

This year's EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl will be played on Saturday, Dec. 18, at Sam Boyd Stadium and will be televised by ESPN2 beginning at 3 p.m. The contest will pit the WAC champion against the second selection from the MWC.

MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson announced that the Men's and Women's basketball tournaments will also be held in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center for the next three years.

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