LAS VEGAS -- If BYU fans were waiting for the Cougar offensive line to finally assert itself and help provide a dominating running game, they could find exactly that performance Saturday night in Sin City.

It's always the last place you look, isn't itfi

A power running game and long, time-consuming scoring drives equaled BYU's 11th straight Mountain West Conference win, a 24-14 victory over UNLV in front of a sellout crowd of 38,026 at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Redshirt freshman running back Harvey Unga was sensational, rushing for a career-high 177 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown. Leading just 7-6 after the first half of play, BYU (4-2 overall, 3-0 MWC) turned to Unga and its running game to dominate time of possession and score 17 consecutive points in the second half.

"It was sweet deal. A sweet, sweet deal," BYU senior center Sete Aulai said. "That's what we've been wanting to do all year, control the line. On the last drive, it was tiring moving the ball like we did. I told the umpire, 'I'm tired,' but I love it."

On the other side of the ball, UNLV's Frank "The Tank" Summers was looking for a fourth straight 100-yard game, but didn't get it. He only had 13 carries for 50 yards.

"The key going into the game for UNLV was to establish the running game with Summers," said BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall. "That never got under way."

BYU's final touchdown of the night was a good example of what the Cougars did most of the night. Only two of the 15 plays on the drive covered more than 10 yards: A 17-yard pass from Max Hall to Manase Tonga and an 11-yard run by Tonga. The rest was grind-it-out, move-the-chains, vintage spread offense. Tonga blasted for five yards on fourth-and-1 to the UNLV 5 and Unga scored on the next play for a 24-6 BYU lead.

"We kept getting seven or eight yards every time we ran," Hall said. "I told coach (Robert) Anae, 'Let's keep doing it If they can't stop it.' I think things are starting to click in the run game and the best is yet to come."

BYU's scoring drives covered 12, 10, 14 and 15 plays. The Cougars won time of possession 22:10 to 7:50 in the second half and held UNLV to just 46 yards of total offense after halftime until the Rebels final drive.

UNLV (2-5, 1-2) got the first break of the game when linebacker Beau Bell dislodged the ball from BYU receiver Matt Allen and freshman cornerback Quinton Porter recovered at the Cougar 27. The Rebels ended up with a 37-yard field goal from Sergio Aguayo to open the scoring.

BYU drove to the UNLV 7-yard line on its ensuing possession but turned the ball over again. Hall got hit as he threw and the ball was picked off by UNLV defensive lineman Elton Shackelford, who returned it to the Rebel 25.

BYU's first scoring drive took 6:10 off the clock and featured three third-down conversions. Unga took the ball on third-and-1 and ran 32 yards down to the UNLV 3. On the next play, Tonga powered over for a touchdown and a 7-3 lead in the second quarter.

UNLV tried a change-of-pace after BYU took the lead, inserting true freshman Omar Clayton in at quarterback. Clayton was 4-for-4 passing and ran for 18 yards, moving his team to the BYU 26. Aguayo kicked his second field goal of the game, this one from 44 yards, to close the BYU lead to 7-6.

Late in the first half, BYU's Bryan Kehl made a big play, picking off a Travis Dixon pass and returning it to the UNLV 46 with 1:01 to play. But BYU committed its third turnover of the first half moments later. Hall's pass intended for Michael Reed was tipped into the air and Bell came down with the pick.

BYU opened the second half with a 10-play, 66-yard drive capped by a 4-yard pass from Hall to Vic So'oto. Unga carried seven times for 51 yards on the drive. Mitch Payne's 27-yard field goal made the score 17-6 and Unga's touchdown was the clincher.

The BYU defense gave up just 217 total yards, and that included 71 on UNLV's last drive after the game was decided. Tight end Dennis Pitta caught seven passes for 97 yards. Hall finished 21 of 33 for 214 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

BYU has now won seven straight in Las Vegas. The Cougars are 9-2 in Sam Boyd Stadium, splitting two bowl games and a pair of WAC championship games.

"We came in thinking they were very skilled and talented," Mendenhall said, "and I think our effort was reflective of that."

• Daily Herald Sports Editor Darnell Dickson can be reached at 344-2555 or by e-mail at ddickson@heraldextra.com

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