Brigham Young Needs Overtime to Fend Off Southern Methodist

The behemoths on Brigham Young’s offensive line average 6-foot-6 and 306 pounds. The biggest guy on Southern Methodist’s defensive line is 6-5, 290 pounds.

When the No. 23 Cougars couldn’t shake the pesky Mustangs in regulation, Coach LaVell Edwards decided to exploit the mismatch in overtime.

Brian McKenzie ran for five yards on each of the first two plays, then weaved his way up the middle for a 15-yard touchdown that gave BYU a 19-16 Western Athletic Conference victory Saturday at Dallas.

The Mustangs (1-3 overall, 0-1 in conference) tied the score, 13-13, on a 27-yard field goal by Roy Rios with 48 seconds left in the fourth quarter, then went ahead, 16-13, on a 28-yarder by Rios in overtime.

The Cougars (2-1, 1-0), forced to settle for overtime after botching their last drive of the fourth quarter, needed only three plays to get McKenzie into the end zone.

The victory was BYU’s ninth consecutive on the road and 10th overall against a league foe. The Cougars’ only other overtime game was a 28-25 victory over Wyoming in the WAC championship last year.

Air Force 24, San Diego State 18--Tim Curry intercepted Kevin McKechnie’s pass at the 20-yard line and scampered 80 yards for a touchdown to give the unbeaten Falcons an overtime victory at Air Force Academy, Colo.

On a first-and-15 play from the 18--the fourth play of the overtime period, McKechnie let go a pass that ended up in Curry’s arms.

San Diego State, which kicked a 49-yard field goal with one second to play in regulation to tie the score, 18-18, lost its third consecutive game.

Air Force (5-0, 4-0) won its third consecutive overtime game, its first at Falcon Stadium. San Diego State is 1-3 and 0-1.

Texas El Paso 24, New Mexico State 16--Joseph Polk ran for two touchdowns and 115 yards as the Miners broke a 10-game losing streak with a victory at El Paso, Texas.

It was the first victory for the Miners (1-3) since a 37-6 defeat of Northern Illinois last October.

The Aggies are 1-3.