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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, October 3, 2009

No. 20 BYU tops Utah State, 35-17


Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

BYU quarterback Max Hall completed 16 of 23 passes for 218 yards.

GEORGE FREY | Associated Press

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Max Hall threw for three touchdowns and set up another with a block, of all things.

The BYU quarterback is managing to have some fun despite his tendency to throw interceptions.

Hall led the 20th-ranked Cougars to a 35-17 win over Utah State at Provo, Utah, last night, throwing for three scores and 218 yards with two interceptions. He also helped spring Harvey Unga for a long run in the fourth quarter that set up a touchdown and helped the Cougars (4-1) put away the Aggies for the 10th straight time.

"He came up and gave me an earful," said Unga, who ran for 118 yards and a touchdown. "He loves to kind of toot his own horn sometimes, but I love that about Max. He's a guy that plays with passion and he's a great leader on this team."

The Cougars also had a fumble on the opening series that led to a touchdown for Utah State. But other than the turnovers, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall couldn't complain about much. BYU held Utah State to 322 yards of offense — 73 on a meaningless touchdown drive at the end.

"I think if you take the turnovers I'd be very pleased, but of course you can't do that," Mendenhall said.

Utah State (1-3) fell to 1-50 against teams ranked in the AP poll. Two critical mistakes by the Aggies deep in their own territory cost them any chance of an upset.

The Aggies turned it over on a bad option pitch with 39 seconds left in the first half and the Cougars stopped the Aggies on fourth-and-1 early in the fourth quarter. Both plays led to quick touchdowns that gave the Cougars a safe cushion even before Hall's third TD pass gave BYU a 35-10 lead with 2:45 left in the game.

Hall has one more TD pass (11) than interception on the season.

PITTSBURGH 35, LOUISVILLE 10

Bill Stull threw for 242 yards and three touchdowns to help Pittsburgh beat host Louisville. Dorin Dickerson caught two of Stull's scoring tosses as the Panthers (4-1, 1-0 Big East) handed the Cardinals (1-3, 0-1) their eighth straight loss to a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent.

OREGON BACK MAY BE BACK

Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount's season-long suspension for punching an opponent could be lifted if he meets certain conditions, coach Chip Kelly said.

Academic, behavioral and football-related "ladders" that Blount must achieve for possible reinstatement have been set down, according to Kelly. Blount signed an agreement outlining the requirements last week.

Should Blount meet the conditions, the earliest he could return to the team is Oregon's Nov. 7 game at Stanford.