LAS VEGAS -- Owen Pochman was among the first Cougars to take the field at Sam Boyd Stadium Thursday. He's got family history here.
Two years ago in the inaugural WAC championship game, older brother Ethan kicked BYU past Wyoming 28-25 in overtime. Before connecting on the game-winning field goal, Pochman made one on the last play of regulation to force the extra session.Now, it's Owen's turn. The sophomore and his BYU teammates face Air Force for the 1998 title Saturday. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m., MST (KTVX, Ch. 4).
"I would just like the same thing to happen for our team. They won that year," said the younger Pochman. "I'd just like to win a championship whether it comes down to something I have to do or not."
If needed, however, Owen promises to be ready.
"I like to kick on (artificial) turf," he said. "And if the chance is there I'm willing to do whatever it takes."
BYU coach LaVell Edwards would prefer a less dramatic ending this time around, but acknowledges a good story when he sees it.
"It would be great if Owen is the difference in the game. He very well could be," Edwards said. "It could very well come down to kicking."
If so, the Cougars are in good hands, er, feet. Pochman earned second team All-WAC honors while connecting on 18 of 23 field goal attempts and all but one of his 41 extra point kicks. The missed PAT ended a school-record string of 62 straight over two seasons. The old mark of 61 belonged to Ethan, who'll make good on a promise to Owen and attend Saturday's game. The hero of the 1996 WAC finale resides in San Diego and has been unable to see BYU play this season. That would change, Ethan promised, if the Cougars made it to Vegas. Owen is expecting his older brother to stop by the BYU sideline during pregame warmups.
The visit will likely add more nostaglia to an already memorable scene. Upon returning to the stadium for the first time since winning the conference crown two years ago, several of the Cougars recalled the win over Wyoming.
"Great memories," Ronney Jenkins said as he surveyed the surroundings. "We won."
Quarterback Kevin Feterik noticed the bleachers in the north end zone had been removed and remembers the team being swarmed by a sea of fans after the contest; middle linebacker Rob Morris, who redshirted that season, pointed to where he sat in the stands with his father before jumping onto the field to join the postgame celebration; and Edwards thought of Kaipo McGuire calling timeout with one second left and Pochman's subsequent field goal from a tough angle to force overtime.
The stroll down memory lane was cut short by a reality check. BYU held a closed practice after meeting with the media.
"It's kind of neat to think about the last time BYU was here," Owen Pochman said. "But the main thing is we're excited to be here with this team."
WAC championship activities get under way Friday with a kickoff luncheon and pep rallies. BYU planned an afternoon practice at the stadium to wrap up preparations for the game.