SARKISIAN LEADS BYU TO 14TH WIN : COUGARS MAKE NCAA HISTORY.

Byline: Whit Canning Fort Worth Star-Telegram 

As shadows began to lengthen on an afternoon that had been wrenchingly difficult for the Brigham Young Cougars, an inspiration suddenly presented itself.

Just as BYU receiver Kaipo McGuire, woozy from a hit, was escorted from the field, the Cougars also noticed the absence of Kansas State cornerback Joe Gordon, also departing with an injury.

``Right then,'' recalled K.O. Kealaluhi, ``me and Sark (quarterback Steve Sarkisian) went to coach (Norm) Chow and said, `Let's go deep.' ''

Chow, BYU's offensive coordinator, immediately appreciated the wisdom of attacking a brand new defender, Lamar Chapman, who had not played a down all day.

And so, Brigham Young reached back and went deep into history, fashioning a 19-15 victory in the Cotton Bowl on Sarkisian's 28-yard pass to Kealaluhi and Omarr Morgan's game-saving interception moments later.

In the process, the fifth-ranked Cougars (14-1) finally capped a seemingly endless season, becoming the first team in NCAA history to win 14 games in a season and silencing a profusion of critics - including 40,000 dejected Wildcats fans among the handsome crowd of 71,928.

It was a season that ended as it had begun in August, with Sarkisian throwing a bomb to Kealaluhi to stun a favored Big 12 opponent (Texas A&M) and the defense stopping a last-ditch drive.

It was a season both brilliant and frustrating, in which the Cougars won almost every battle on the field and still felt slighted: by the bowl alliance, by public perceptions of the Western Athletic Conference, by the 40,000 K-State supporters in the Cotton Bowl, even by the officials, at whom they howled loudly after two questionable third-quarter calls.

``We even got it from some of their players,'' said Sarkisian, who finished 21 of 36 for 291 yards, tied Roger Staubach's Cotton Bowl completion record and threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. ``Early in the game, they were yelling, `Hey, Sark, you're not in the WAC anymore, this is the big time.' ''

For much of the game, the K-State defense, which sacked Sarkisian seven times, made good on the boast.

The Wildcats (9-3) scored on a 41-yard Hail Mary on the last play of the first half and a 72-yard flip to Kevin Lockett (seven catches, 135 yards) in the third quarter, carrying a 15-5 lead into the final period.

At that point, the Cougars' scoring consisted of a field goal and a safety that came when Shay Muirbrook, voted defensive player of the game, smothered K-State quarterback Brian Kavanagh in the end zone.

But as the fourth quarter opened, the tide had begun to turn. The Wildcats were growing weary, and All-America cornerback Chris Canty had to leave the game twice with cramps.

``We had a big drive when we moved out from our 2-yard line to midfield before we had to punt,'' Sarkisian said. ``They are definitely the best defensive team we've faced, but when we finally got something going and they had to pass-rush eight straight plays, it began to tell.''

Early in the final period, Sarkisian constructed a lightning, four-play 72-yard drive capped with a 32-yard scoring pass to James Dye, making it 15-12.

``I think we were wearing down,'' Wildcats coach Bill Snyder said. ``That's what happens when your defense is on the field for long stretches. We played very well, but we got tired.''

With five minutes remaining, Sarkisian launched the Cougars goalward from their 40. When they reached the K-State 28, he rolled out and hit McGuire at the 15.

So did safety Mario Smith, and McGuire took the rest of the afternoon off.

``I was worrying about Kaipo, and feeling bad because I'd been playing so badly. Then I noticed Gordon was out, too,'' Kealaluhi said.

Sarkisian hit Kealaluhi with a perfect shot in the end zone with 3:39 left, and BYU led for the first time since the second quarter. But the 'Cats weren't dead.

Kavanagh drove K-State downfield, once hitting Lockett in the end zone for an apparent score, but with a shove from Tim McTyer, Lockett landed out of bounds.

From the BYU 12, Kavanagh threw the day's most fateful pass, a slant-in to Jimmy Dean. But Morgan, having been warned to play the slant by end Ed Kehl, stepped in, tipped the ball and picked it off at the 3 with 55 seconds left. The Cougars then ran out the clock.

Cotton Bowl

Brigham Young 19, Kansas State 15

Hero: BYU's K.O. Kealaluhi, who caught the winning touchdown with 3:39 left.

Goat: Kansas State quarterback Brian Kavanaugh, who threw an interception with 55 seconds left.

Of note: BYU's 15 games were the most in history, thanks to three games (the Pigskin Classic, at Hawaii and the WAC championship) that didn't count against the NCAA's limit.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: BYU tight end Chad Lewis hurdles two Kansas State defenders during the Cougars' Cotton Bowl victory.

Louis Deluca / Dallas Morning News

Box: COTTON BOWL (see text)