Most college football players are winding down their season in mid-December, but Tanner Mangum is just starting his campaign.The sophomore is back as Brigham Youngs starting quarterback after senior Taysom Hill was lost with a left elbow injury in the regular-season finale. Hills misfortune places Mangum squarely into the action when the Cougars face Wyoming in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego on Wednesday (9 p.m. ET, ESPN).It was another injury to Hill that opened the door for Mangum to be a starter in 2015 and he was more than up to the task. Mangum passed for 3,337 yards and 23 touchdowns -- both school records for a freshman -- and developed cult status by throwing winning last-minute touchdown passes in both his first appearance (against Nebraska) and first start (Boise State).Yet despite the solid campaign, Mangum found himself watching from the sidelines this season after Hill regained his starting job in a tightly contested competition.It was a test for me to keep that long-term perspective, Mangum recently told reporters. While youre going through that, it can be tough to see that. It can be tough as a competitor wanting to compete. But you have to learn how to be a teammate and learn how to support your teammates and be there for them through the ups and the downs.Mangum tossed only 18 passes this season -- completing 14 -- so there is the matter of shaking off the rust.He said he doesnt foresee that to be an issue as the Cougars (8-4) have had ample time to prepare for the Cowboys (8-5).I feel good. I feel confident, Mangum said. Itll also be good to have a couple weeks of practice to get all the reps, be able to sharpen up and get polished before the game. Im feeling strong, confident and healthy.The Cougars are feeling good about themselves in general as they enter the contest with four straight victories and seven of their past eight games.They will see a familiar sight in Wyoming, a program that was always in the same conference as the Cougars from 1922-2010 before BYU departed the Mountain West to become an independent.It will be the 78th all-time meeting -- BYU leads 44-30-3 -- and the Cowboys are learning that their fan base would relish a victory over their former conference rivals.Obviously, we know it is a very good opponent, senior center Chase Roullier said. You can see that in film and through the record as well. You hear about the history between these two teams, whether it be teammates from Wyoming that seen it in the past or just things that you read.... We understand the importance of who this opponent is. But when it comes down to it, it is just another opponent for us that is in our way and we need to take them down.Wyoming is playing in a bowl game for the first time since 2011 and is a revitalized program under third-year coach Craig Bohl.Sophomore quarterback Josh Allen passed for 2,996 yards and 26 touchdowns -- he was intercepted 13 times -- but the player who makes the offense go is junior running back Brian Hill.Hill ranks fourth in the nation with 1,767 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns and could be playing in his final game for the school. He is considering applying for the NFL draft but wont make a decision until after the bowl game.Anything that has to do with it, it gets pushed back to someone else, Hill told reporters. Agents contacting me, I sent them to my mom. I just dont feel like its fair to focus on the future while I have business to take care of here right now.BYU has a solid running back of its own in senior Jamaal Williams, who rushed for 1,165 yards and 11 touchdowns. Williams rushed for 131 yards in the regular-season finale against Utah State after missing three of the previous four games with an ankle injury.The Cougars defense is led by senior safety Kai Nacua, who has five interceptions this season and 13 in his career. Senior outside linebacker Sae Tautu posted a team-best six sacks.Sophomore free safety Andrew Wingard heads the Cowboys defense and recorded a team-high 128 tackles. Gary Cahill Jersey . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. 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Ancelotti says Ronaldo has recovered from a hamstring injury but "but he doesnt feel comfortable yet so we wont risk him." Madrid is third in the Spanish league, six points behind leader Barcelona, going into Saturdays game against Valladolid. CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The rain from Hurricane Matthew kept coming. So too did Virginia Techs aggressive defense, along with an offense that kept chipping away through its own mistakes.Consider it proof that the No. 25 Hokies are catching on to what their new coach is preaching.Jerod Evans accounted for three touchdowns while the defense shut down No. 17 North Carolina in a 34-3 road win Saturday played in heavy rain the hurricane brought as it made its trek north.What I do like is I do think theyre good listeners, Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente said. I do think theyre listening to our process.Since a Week 2 loss to Tennessee, Virginia Tech has won three straight blowouts -- this one against the reigning Coastal Division champion Tar Heels (4-2, 2-1), who had beaten Pittsburgh and Florida State on last-second scores in the past two weeks.Simply put, the Hokies were tougher than both the Tar Heels and the unfavorable conditions.Were tired of hearing about everybody else, Evans said. Were tired of hearing about UNC, Miami, Clemson, Louisville, etc. Those are great teams, dont get me wrong. ... But at the same time, we feel like we should be mentioned in those categories with those guys. So every week we have a statement we want to make.The Hokies had their share of weather-related troubles, including seven fumbles, bobbled snaps and a season-low 264 yards.But Bud Fosters defense locked down on UNCs Mitch Trubisky, who entered as one of the nations top passers. UNC finished with 131 yards, with Trubisky throwing his first two interceptions of the year, while the Hokies scored 20 points off four turnovers.UNC, playing without injured top tailback Elijah Hood, failed to score a touchdown for the first time under fifth-year coach Larry Fedora.They were in the right spots when I couldnt put the ball in the right place, Trubisky said. They were there to make the play and break it up. Overall I dont blame it on the weather. I just think it was us.THE TAKEAWAYVIRGINIA TECH: Theres that familiar bring-your-lunch-pail edge taking shape with this group. Virginia Techs nationally ranked defense won battles up front, while its offense did a much better job fighting thrrough the weather conditions.ddddddddddddThey know what the tradition is and the expectations are, Foster said. And theyre working extremely hard to live up to those and get it back to that.NORTH CAROLINA: The wet weather doesnt fully explain why the Tar Heels high-flying offense looked so, well, waterlogged. They never got in rhythm and never responded as the Hokies pushed through them -- a curious all-around clunker for a surging team.Im not going to blame it on the weather, Fedora said. They played in it, too. They seemed to handle the weather. We did a poor job all the way around.POLL IMPLICATIONSThe Hokies slipped into the AP Top 25 after a bye week and look like theyll stick around a while. As for the Tar Heels, they fell out of the rankings after a season-opening loss to Georgia, then returned this week for what could be another brief stay.SPUTTERING OFFENSEUNCs 131 yards were its lowest since a 1999 loss to Wake Forest, while the 31-point margin of defeat was the worst for UNC since a 41-10 loss to rival North Carolina State in 2008. Trubisky, who entered with three straight 400-yard passing games, threw for 58 yards.And receiver Ryan Switzer, who had a two-game ACC record of 30 catches against Pitt and FSU, had two catches for 2 yards with a couple of drops.WEATHER ISSUESThe rain was in full force roughly two hours before the game kicked off, and didnt let up. That meant a sparse and soaked crowd for one of UNCs biggest home games, with plenty of Hokies fans making the trip.The National Weather Services Raleigh office reported Hurricane Matthew brought nearly 9 inches of rain in nearby Raleigh between midnight and 8 p.m.UP NEXTVIRGINIA TECH: The Hokies play a cross-division game at Syracuse in their first meeting since 2003.NORTH CAROLINA: The Tar Heels travel to No. 10 Miami in another critical Coastal matchup, with the home teams winning the past two seasons by a combined 55 points.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap and the APs college football site at http://collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '