es ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁season , ▁and ▁the ▁season ▁cul min ated ▁with ▁quarter back ▁Ty ▁Det mer ▁becoming ▁BY U ' s ▁first ▁and ▁only ▁He is man ▁Tro phy ▁winner . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁BY U ▁won ▁the ▁first ▁ever ▁W AC ▁Championship ▁Game ▁in ▁Las ▁Veg as ▁and ▁earned ▁a ▁bid ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁Cot ton ▁Bowl ▁against ▁Kansas ▁State ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁Big ▁ 1 2 ▁Conference , ▁making ▁it ▁BY U ' s ▁first ▁ever ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁Day ▁bow l ▁game , ▁which ▁they ▁won ▁ 1 9 – 1 5 . ▁BY U ▁finished ▁ranked ▁No . ▁ 5 ▁in ▁both ▁the ▁Co aches ▁and ▁AP ▁pol ls , ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁team ▁in ▁NCAA ▁history ▁to ▁win ▁ 1 4 ▁games ▁in ▁a ▁season . ▁ ▁Mountain ▁West ▁era ▁( 1 9 9 9 – 2 0 1 1 ) ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁BY U ▁left ▁the ▁W AC ▁along ▁with ▁seven ▁other ▁teams ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁Mountain ▁West ▁Conference , ▁with ▁the ▁C oug ars ▁winning ▁a ▁share ▁of ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁M W C ▁championship . ▁With ▁the ▁change ▁of ▁con ferences , ▁BY U ▁also ▁deb uted ▁a ▁new ▁color ▁scheme , ▁featuring ▁a ▁dark er ▁sh ade ▁of ▁blue , ▁a ▁red es igned ▁c oug ar ▁logo , ▁and ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁tan ▁as ▁an ▁acc ent ▁color . ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁also ▁featured ▁the ▁controvers