According to most college football experts, this couldn't happen.

A 59-0 win?

Even though BYU was ranked 18th coming into Saturday's game against UCLA, the simple fact is Mountain West Conference teams don't put this kind of a whupping on a team from the mighty Pac-10. The two games last year between these two teams were close. But a blowout happened on Saturday, and UCLA slinks back to Westwood with its worst loss since 1929.

BYU (3-0) blitzed through the Bruins with a 35-point second quarter and seven touchdown passes -- tying a BYU record and setting a MWC mark -- by junior quarterback Max Hall.

When things are rolling like that ...

"You don't want to come off the field," Hall said. "We have a lot of belief in ourselves that we can do whatever we want."

And the Cougars did pretty much whatever they wanted in front of a sellout crowd (64,153) at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Defensively, BYU caused turnovers on three consecutive UCLA possessions in the second quarter -- as well as blocked a field goal attempt on another Bruins second-quarter possession -- and totally shut down the UCLA offense. Hall led the Cougars on efficient, time-consuming drives in a perfect showcase of Robert Anae's short passing game.

Call it death by execution.

UCLA died quickly and without much of a fight. BYU led 7-0 after the first quarter and made it 14-0 on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Hall to Austin Collie early in the second. On UCLA's next possession, defensive end Jan Jorgensen sacked Kevin Craft and caused a fumble that was recovered by junior Ian Dulan. Hall and Collie (10 catches, 110 yards, two touchdowns) immediately hooked up on a 37-yard scoring pass for a 21-0 Cougar advantage.

Two plays into UCLA's next drive, BYU cornerback Scott Johnson and linebacker Matt Bauman teamed up for a bit hit to cause another fumble. This one was recovered by Brett Denney at the Bruins 30. Hall hit Michael Reed on a quick slant for a 13-yard scoring pass and it was 28-0.

UCLA's Terrence Austin fumbled the ensuing kickoff (thanks to a hit by freshman Spencer Hadley) and the ball was covered by another freshman, Shiloah Te'o, at the UCLA 25. Hall threw his fifth touchdown pass of the half -- a 15-yarder over the middle to Harvey Unga -- and the score was 35-0, BYU.

"It was very satisfying," Jorgensen said. "We came out and played with a full passion bucket today. We were ready to go. We were flying around hitting people, it was amazing."

UCLA (1-1) drove to the Cougar 15 on its next possession but BYU's Russell Tialavea blocked Kai Forbath's 32-yard field goal attempt. The Cougars chewed up 6:53 off the clock and finally scored with 14.2 seconds left in the half on Hall's sixth touchdown pass, a 2-yarder to Dennis Pitta. BYU led 42-0 at halftime. Hall's six first-half touchdown passes was a BYU record.

"Our physical play was most pleasing," BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "It sounded different, it was fierce, it was aggressive and it was dominating in terms of tenacity of play."

The second half was more of the same, even though Hall and most of the rest of the first-teamers were pulled after his seventh touchdown pass gave the Cougars a 49-0 lead with 7:43 to play in the third quarter. Backup quarterback Brenden Gaskins directed BYU to the final 10 points of the game, including Mitch Payne's first field goal of 2008 and a 13-yard scoring run by junior Wayne Latu.

UCLA was relegated to calling timeouts on BYU last possession in a lame attempt to get the ball back and avert a shutout. Turns out it was the first time the Bruins were held scoreless since a 27-0 loss to crosstown rival USC in 2001.

"I expected us to come out and play well and put a lot of points on the board," said Hall, who completed 27-of-35 passes for 271 yards. "This team right now, we believe in each other and we're working our tails off. I wasn't expecting it (the game) to be quite like that. Things clicked for us and we took advantage of turnovers. It turned out to be a pretty good day for us."

Max Hall, master of the understatement.

UCLA, which opened its season with a 27-24 overtime upset of then-No. 18 Tennessee on Sept. 1, had 11 days to prepare for the Cougars but looked lost and a step behind the entire game.

"It was a tough loss. We got dominated in every aspect of the game," UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel said. "Games like this can get away from you very quickly if you're not mentally tough."

BYU dropped three spots in the AP Top 25 poll after beating Washington 28-27 last week as the nation debated the excessive celebration penalty on the Huskies Jake Locker. Mendenhall insisted his team didn't use that as motivation, but it was clear the Cougars were trying to get someone's attention with this dominating performance.

"I don't think it was so much that we were angry," Jorgensen said. "We were just tired of hearing about that call. We were ready to come out and make a statement today to shut those people up so they can focus on something other than one call in one game."

BYU outgained UCLA 521 yards to 239 and converted 13-of-17 third downs. The Cougars also scored all eight times it got into the red zone.

• Daily Herald Sports Editor Darnell Dickson can be reached at 344-2555 or by e-mail at ddickson@heraldextra.com. He hosts "The Home Team" on AM 1400 KSTAR weekdays from 4-6 p.m.

Touchdown passes in a game

TDs Name Opponent Year Halftime Stats

7 Max Hall UCLA 2008 23-29 239 6 TDs

7 Jim McMahon Colorado State 1981 24-32 310 4 TDs

7 Marc Wilson Colorado State 1977 11-22 256 5 TDs

6 Steve Sarkisian Texas A&M 1996 16-22 184 3 TDs

6 Ty Detmer San Diego State 1991 16-33 334 2 TDs

6 Robbie Bosco Baylor 1984 22-26 239 5 TDs

6 Steve Young Utah 1983 18-21 172 4 TDs

6 Jim McMahon UTEP 1980 22-28 372 5 TDs

6 Jim McMahon Utah State 1980 13-17 342 4 TDs

6 Gifford Nielsen Utah State 1977 22-28 235 4 TDs

6 Gary Sheide New Mexico 1973 18-28 245 5 TDs