LAS VEGAS (AP) – Eathyn Manumaleuna blocked a field goal as time expired to give No. 19 BYU a 17-16 victory over UCLA on Saturday night in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Kai Forbath made field goals of 52 and 50 yards to keep the Bruins in it and UCLA drove almost the length of the field in the final 2 minutes to line up Forbath for the potential winner.

But Manumaleuna got his hand on the kick and the Cougars got their first win over the Bruins since Steve Young was the quarterback.

Max Hall threw for two touchdowns and the Cougars (11-2) closed the season with their 10th straight win despite getting shut out in the second half and having their lowest offensive output of the year.

BYU managed just 265 yards against the Bruins (6-7), who were playing for interim coach and defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker.

If it was Walker’s only game as UCLA’s coach, it was a memorable one.

The Bruins forced two turnovers, pressured Hall all game and nearly pulled off the upset with their fourth-string quarterback.

Walk-on McLeod Bethel-Thompson drove the Bruins from their own 2 in the final 2 minutes, completing an 36-yard pass to Logan Paulsen on a third-and-8 play with 30 seconds left to give UCLA a chance at finishing with a winning record.

It didn’t quite happen. Forbath’s kick was low enough for Manumaleuna to get a piece of it and keep the ball from getting through the uprights. Forbath had three field goals.

AP-ES-12-22-07 2351EST

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