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Miami • Far from Provo, their hopes of a magical season having evaporated in October, and against an opponent with which they have no history, the BYU Cougars enter Monday's Miami Beach Bowl with seemingly little at stake.

But don't tell that to coach Bronco Mendenhall's team, which has insisted since it landed in Miami last Wednesday that it is as motivated to defeat Memphis (9-3) at Marlins Park (noon MST, ESPN) as it has ever been before a game this season.

The Cougars (8-4) say it is all about building the BYU football brand, which took a hit after garnering some national attention with a 4-0 start. The Cougars disappeared off the national radar with four straight losses, and they are eager to get back a sliver of respect and show they recovered after losing quarterback Taysom Hill to a season-ending broken leg.

"I think it is a big game, specifically for this year," Mendenhall said. "Anytime you play well on national TV it helps the brand. And it is always fun to be doing it a long ways from home in terms of a fan base that doesn't get a chance to see us play, at least live, very much. So I love that part, kind of the ambassadorship that comes there. Nine wins is better than eight, especially with the unique season that we have had, and coming off the heels of beating Cal at Cal. That would be a really nice finish to the season."

Quarterback Christian Stewart, who filled in for Hill and has gone 4-3 as a starter, said first impressions are important, but so are final ones, and the 2014 BYU team believes a win will signal the program is still relevant nationally.

"I just feel like when we went on that stretch where we lost four games, a lot of people wrote us off for the season, and we have come back strong. We've won four in a row. We won at Cal," Stewart said. "And if we can win a bowl game against a great Memphis team, I feel like we can really show people that we are a team that needs to be reckoned with, and that we are a team that can play with anybody, and beat anybody."

Another motivating factor for the Cougars: last year's 31-16 loss to Washington in the Fight Hunger bowl. The loss snapped a four-game bowl winning streak, and dropped Mendenhall's record in bowls to 6-3.

"That loss left a bad taste in our mouths," said linebacker Bronson Kaufusi. "We definitely don't want to go through that again. That carries into the offseason, and nobody wants that."

Running back Mike Alisa said the difference this year has been preparation.

"We are riding a wave of momentum right now and we all know the only way we want to finish this is with a win," Alisa said. "So I think that in terms of attitude, our emphasis this year is way better as a team."

The Cougars held their final walkthrough on Saturday morning at Florida International University's stadium, then took a team picture and participated in a pep rally with Memphis players and bands from both schools in Miami Beach Saturday afternoon.

BYU won't practice Sunday, per school policy, but Mendenhall said that won't put his team at a disadvantage. The Cougars' readiness level is high, he said.

The coach continued to frame the bowl game as a chance for a "remarkable" finish.

"It would be a remarkable finish with a bowl win, [going to] 10 bowls in a row," Mendenhall said. "I think that would give us seven wins of the 10 and this team claiming nine wins and kind of doing their part to continue BYU football being one of the strongest programs, not only during the season, but postseason. There is plenty to play for."

Seniors Stewart, Devin Mahina and Paul Lasike echoed Mendenhall's thoughts, but also said the seniors are more invested this year, knowing they will be stepping on the field for the last time together.

"Coach [Robert] Anae ripped us pretty good yesterday in practice," Stewart said. "I think his mentality was that he wants us to focus on what is most important. And he talked about how last year the seniors didn't feel the game was the most important part of the trip to San Francisco and the bowl game."

Twitter: @drewjay —

Miami Beach Bowl

P Monday, Marlins Park, Miami

BYU vs. Memphis, noon MST

TV • ESPN