COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.

At a noble place which cherishes fighting for freedom of speech, BYU football coach Bronco Mendenhall played the role of dictator.

No talking about Utah, please, he commanded.

Even after beating up Air Force, 38-24, and setting up the game we've all been waiting for ...

Not 'til Monday. Mendenhall said this right around 5 p.m. on Saturday.

His soldiers obediently focused on what they had just accomplished, even if it's already long forgotten by Cougar fans this morning who don't have to listen to the coach: a good win against a confident and prepared opponent, with a battered defense that held together discipline and execution at the most important times.

The minds of Mendenhall and defensive coordinator Jaime Hill came up with more than enough to give the Cougars a chance to succeed when Air Force had the ball. A difficult feat, to be sure. Even undefeated Utah only won by a touchdown at Falcon Stadium this year.

The Falcons, against BYU, went nowhere on their opening drive of each half: "The plays that we practiced all week were the plays they ran," Hill said. Bad Air Force starts set the tone for 10-1 BYU.

Air Force (8-3) ran in some big spurts, yes, but held the ball for just 28 minutes -- four shy of its average.

Having the ball, running clock, wearing down a defense is everything to Air Force. It is as valuable to the Falcons as Mendenhall's Tradition-Spirit-Honor trademark in Provo.

There will be critics that say BYU needs to grow up, acknowledge the rival rather than delay the intensity. Especially now that there's nothing else in the way.

But Mendenhall still has a lot of concerns with this group.

With a good effort so important, it needed an impassioned pep talk, trailing 14-10 after a barrage of miscues, by receiver Austin Collie at halftime.

When BYU, in the words of linebacker David Nixon, "started acting like" the best team in the Mountain West Conference -- something it will try to prove Saturday in Salt Lake City -- it recaptured the lead on its first second-half drive.

Then came Blake Morgan, a 185-pound jackhammer, to get the Cougars the ball right back. That produced a 24-14 lead that would never be relinquished.

"Every time we break that huddle, coach (Paul) Tidwell comes over and says 'fumble on 3,' " Morgan said. "Everybody was just flying down and I guess somebody just hit him right."

It was understated beautifully, just like BYU's best defensive stand.

The kind that gives BYU the hope it needs to get ready for next week.

The kind that will have to be replicated often against the Utes.

The wonder of Air Force is that many think it cannot score quickly. This is only partially true.

One drive, they will churn you slowly into butter. Next thing, you're toast.

The Falcons trailed 31-17 after a field goal, immediately forced quarterback Max Hall to fumble and started the fourth quarter at midfield.

BYU's defense had just scraped through 13 plays, allowed 63 yards in more than four minutes and was asked to go right back onto the field.

"That's what Air Force wants to do to you," Nixon said.

BYU, to its quiet credit, didn't let fatigue or Falcon momentum take over.

Mendenhall wanted to stick with that story line.

He hoped his censorship would limit the focus to what the Cougars had just accomplished.

It won't, even though a season with some unexpected highs and lows is about to take a dramatic turn -- one way or another.

Whether the Cougars want to talk about it or not.

• Jason Franchuk can be reached at jfranchuk@heraldextra.com