PROVO, Utah (AP) — Max Hall threw for five touchdowns and set a BYU record with his 30th career win as the No. 19 Cougars beat Air Force 38-21 on Saturday.
Hall was 33 for 45 for 377 yards in his 30th victory, breaking the mark he shared with 1990 Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer. BYU (9-2, 5-1 Mountain West) earned its sixth straight win over Air Force (7-5, 5-3).
Harvey Unga became BYU’s all-time rushing leader with 67 yards, giving him 3,268 in his career.
The Falcons turned the ball over four times, and BYU converted three of them into touchdowns while taking a big lead, then hanging on for the win. The only time the Cougars didn’t capitalize on a turnover, they couldn’t — Andrew Rich’s interception on Ben Cochran’s pass at the end of the second quarter.
Cochran relieved starter Tim Jefferson in the first half and threw for 88 yards and a touchdown for Air Force, which gained just 300 yards in its regular-season finale.
Jared Tew ran for 88 yards for the Falcons.
Unga needed just 21 yards to surpass Curtis Brown’s record of 3,221, and he got that on a 4-yard run in the first half.
But at BYU, the biggest records are for throwing the ball — and the day belonged to Hall. He had two interceptions, including one that cost him an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for a scrum at the whistle, but had his biggest game since throwing for five touchdowns last Nov. 1 against Colorado State.
Two of Hall’s TD passes went to brother-in-law Dennis Pitta, who had nine catches for 111 yards.
BYU 38, AIR FORCE 21
Air Force 0 7 0 14 — 21
BYU 3 21 7 7 — 38
First Quarter
BYU—FG Payne 49, 6:00.
Second Quarter
BYU—Pitta 8 pass from Hall (Payne kick), 13:57.
BYU—Pitta 16 pass from Hall (Payne kick), 11:46.
BYU—Ashworth 9 pass from Hall (Payne kick), 5:15.
AFA—Cousins 27 pass from Cochran (Soderberg kick), 3:15.
Third Quarter
BYU—Chambers 10 pass from Hall (Payne kick), 13:24.
Fourth Quarter
AFA—Warzeka 3 run (pass failed), 14:18.
BYU—George 9 pass from Hall (Payne kick), 5:23.
AFA—Stephens 4 run (Cochran run), 1:57.
AFA BYU
First downs 18 26
Rushes-yards 56-212 25-121
Passing 88 377
Comp-Att-Int 5-22-2 33-45-2
Return Yards 21 40
Punts-Avg. 3-45.7 1-41.0
Fumbles-Lost 3-2 1-1
Penalties-Yards 2-25 7-75
Time of Possession 29:38 30:22
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Air Force, Tew 19-82, Cochran 13-47, Clark 9-35, Jefferson 5-20, Stephens 4-13, Walker 1-10, Warzeka 5-5. BYU, Unga 11-67, Di Luigi 5-29, Tonga 5-22, Kariya 3-9, Hall 1-(minus 6).
PASSING—Air Force, Cochran 5-18-1-88, Jefferson 0-3-1-0, Clark 0-1-0-0. BYU, Hall 33-45-2-377.
RECEIVING—Air Force, Clark 1-29, Cousins 1-27, Quintana 1-18, Fogler 1-8, Escamilla 1-6. BYU, Pitta 9-111, Tonga 5-63, George 5-56, Jacobson 3-73, Ashworth 3-22, Hafoka 3-17, Unga 3-12, Chambers 2-23.
