Hall sets BYU record for victories, throws 5 TDs in 38-21 win over Air Force

Hall has 5 TDs in BYU’s 38-21 win over Air Force

PROVO, Utah — Max Hall threw for five touchdowns and set a BYU record with his 30th career win as the No. 19 Cougars beat Air Force 38-21 on Saturday.

Hall was 33 for 45 for 377 yards in his 30th victory, breaking the mark he shared with 1990 Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer. BYU (9-2, 5-1 Mountain West) earned its sixth straight win over Air Force (7-5, 5-3).

Harvey Unga became BYU’s all-time rushing leader with 67 yards, giving him 3,268 in his career.

The Falcons turned the ball over four times and BYU converted three of them into touchdowns while taking a big lead, then hanging on for the win. The only time the Cougars didn’t capitalize on a turnover, they couldn’t — Andrew Rich’s interception on Ben Cochran’s pass at the end of the second quarter.

Cochran relieved starter Tim Jefferson in the first half and threw for 88 yards and a touchdown for Air Force, which gained just 300 yards in its regular-season finale.

Jared Tew ran for 88 yards for the Falcons.

Unga needed just 21 yards to surpass Curtis Brown’s record of 3,221, and he got that on a 4-yard run in the first half.

But at BYU, the biggest records are for throwing the ball — and the day belonged to Hall. He had two interceptions, including one that cost him an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for a scrum at the whistle, but had his biggest game since throwing for five touchdowns last Nov. 1 against Colorado State.

Two of Hall’s TD passes went to brother-in-law Dennis Pitta, who had nine catches for 111 yards.

The game plans were predictable. BYU was going to throw the ball and Air Force was going to concentrate on running it. The Cougars threw 15 passes in the first quarter to Air Force’s two — and when the Falcons tried pass No. 3, it was a wreck.

Rich intercepted it and ran it back 44 yards to set up Hall’s 12-yard pass to Pitta that put BYU up 17-0. Hall and Pitta had just put BYU ahead 10-0 on an 8-yard touchdown pass about two minutes earlier.