ALBUQUERQUE — Freshman Jake Heaps threw four touchdown passes, connecting with Cody Hoffman on three scores, and finished with 264 yards passing to help Brigham Young beat overmatched Texas-El Paso 52-24 on Saturday in the New Mexico Bowl.
It capped a big turnaround for the Cougars (7-6), whose 1-4 start included a rare loss to in-state rival Utah State. At that point, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall told his team it would be a remarkable feat to reach a bowl game and win it.
“I’m just really proud of our team. In all facets of the game, we have improved,” Heaps said.
Mission accomplished for the Cougars, who won five of their last seven regular-season games to become bowl-eligible.
In the first game of college football’s bowl season, Mendenhall’s team showed just how far BYU came by dominating the Miners (6-7).
Hoffman had eight catches for 137 yards, while Joshua Quezada ran for 101 yards and J.J. DiLuigi added 98.
N. Illinois 40, Fresno State 17
BOISE, Idaho — Quarterback Chand- ler Harnish ran for two touchdowns and threw for another, and Northern Illinois (11-3) made interim coach Tom Matukewicz a winner in his only game in charge with a victory over Fresno State (8-5) in the Humanitarian Bowl.
Troy 48, Ohio 21
NEW ORLEANS — Corey Robinson threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns, and Troy set a New Orleans Bowl scoring record with a victory over Ohio (8-5).
Robinson completed 23 passes for 285 yards and four TDs in the first half alone, when Troy (8-5) raced to a 38-7 lead. Tebiarus Gill had a record three touchdown catches.
Devlin leads Delaware to final
NEWARK, R.I. — Pat Devlin threw two touchdown passes and Delaware’s defense forced five turnovers as the Blue Hens beat Georgia Southern 27-10 in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision semifinals.
Delaware (12-2) advances to the FCS national championship game, where it will face Eastern Washington on Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas.
• David Nadeau’s 32-yard field goal as time expired lifted Minnesota-Duluth to a 20-17 victory over Delta State in the Division II national championship game in Florence, Ala.
• Levell Coppage ran for 299 yards and three touchdowns and Wisconsin-Whitewater shut out Mount Union in the second half to win its second straight Division III national title, 31-21 in Salam, Va.
• Carroll College beat Sioux Falls 10-7 for the NAIA title in Rome, Ga.
Report: Friedgen asked to resign
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The University of Maryland has informed Ralph Friedgen that his 10-year tenure as head football coach is over and has asked him to accept a buyout of his contract, two people familiar with the situation said.
• Freshman running back Roy Finch will miss the Fiesta Bowl for No. 9 Oklahoma with a stress fracture in his left foot.
• UCLA football coach Rick Neuheisel fired assistants Chuck Bullough and Reggie Moore.
