Athletic director Tom Holmoe had hinted in October that year that moves were coming, but the game that solidified the need for change was played on Nov. 17, 2012 at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, Calif. Slight favorites despite the fact that San Jose State was 8-2 and had one of the country's best quarterbacks, David Fales, the Cougars sputtered offensively most of the game and were upset 20-14 to drop to 6-5.
It turned out to be a watershed moment in recent BYU football history.
"That was a hard one," Mendenhall recalled on Monday as the 6-2 Cougars continued preparations for Friday's rematch with the 4-4 Spartans.