LAS VEGAS -- At 9-3 overall, things could be better for BYU. The unranked Cougars would likely find themselves well inside the top 25 polls if it weren't for losses to Alabama, Washington and Fresno State.
Even so, no one on LaVell Edwards' squad is complaining. It's Dec. 5 and the Cougars are right where they hoped to be -- in Las Vegas competing for an unprecedented 20th WAC championship. BYU and 18th-ranked Air Force (10-1) meet for the league title Saturday morning at Sam Boyd Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. MST."It's big. Ever since the preseason and two-a-days, we've talked about being champions and winning the conference. That's a goal at BYU every year," said offensive lineman John Tait. "We have a chance to do something that only one team can do every year. Being the champs and getting the ring is something no one can take away from you."
And it matters little than no bowl implications are on the line. Win or lose, the Cougars are headed to the Liberty Bowl to face Tulane and Air Force will play in Hawaii on Christmas day.
"Bowl games are entirely secondary right now. No one's really thinking about it. We know we're going and we don't have to worry about where we're going," said middle linebacker Rob Morris. "So we can just go out and win the game. We want to be WAC champions."
In doing so, the Cougars would accom- plish the first of coach LaVell Edwards' annual objectives. BYU's three-pronged goals include winning the conference, being ranked in the top 20 and playing in a bowl game. While only the latter is assured, the other two are attainable. A win Saturday takes care of one, while an additional victory over Tulane on New Year's Eve should cover the other.
The Cougars, however, aren't looking too far ahead.
"We're not even thinking about the bowl game. It's nice to know we were respected enough to get invited to one without knowledge of what's going to happen to us in this game," said kicker Owen Pochman. "Winning the WAC championship is a tradition at BYU. That was in question last year, but to come back and win it would be great."
BYU claimed its first WAC title in 1965 under coach Tommy Hudspeth. Eighteen more followed when Edwards took over. The run includes 10 straight titles from 1976-85. In 1996, the Cougars defeated Wyoming 28-25 in overtime to claim the league's inaugural championship game.
A victory in the soon-to-be divided 16-team WAC's football finale would give BYU 20 championships over 37 years in the league.
"It means a lot. It means more to me than going to the Liberty Bowl," said senior linebacker Brad Martin. "It's a chance to wear a ring on the finger. Thirty years from now, that's what I'll remember. I want to say I won a championship."
GAME NOTES: The WAC championship game will be televised nationally by ABC (KTVX, Ch. 4). . . . As usual, KSL (1160 AM) has the Cougars covered on the radio. . . . This is the final Western Athletic Conference football game for both programs. Air Force and BYU will compete in the new Mountain West Conference next season. . . . The Cougars lead the all-time series 16-2. The Falcons, however, won the last meeting 38-12 in 1995. . . . BYU has scored in an ongoing NCAA record 298 consecutive games.