Colorado State has spent the first two weeks making life messy for opposing offenses. BYU has spent the same stretch refusing to make mistakes.
That’s the tension heading into this matchup in Fort Collins, and it starts with the number Colorado State keeps hanging its hat on: eight. The Rams have forced eight turnovers in two games, with four against Wyoming and four more against Southern Utah. That includes five interceptions and three fumble recoveries, good for second in the country in turnovers gained and turnover margin.
It’s been the engine behind Colorado State’s 2-0 start, even with plenty of other eye-catching numbers attached to the offense. Hauss Hejny has thrown nine touchdown passes, the Rams are averaging 46.5 points per game, and they’ve piled up 1,074 yards through two games.
But the defense has been the real game-changer. Those takeaways flip field position, create short fields and give the offense extra chances without asking it to grind out long drives every time.
BYU, though, has brought the exact opposite profile. The Cougars have not turned the ball over once this season - no interceptions, no fumbles, nothing. And if they’re going to handle a 17.5-point road favorite role here, that clean ball security is a big part of the equation.
It’s not just about avoiding giveaways, either. BYU has been at its best when it stays ahead of the chains and keeps the offense on schedule.
That’s where Aaron Roderick’s group becomes a problem. The Cougars can lean on the run, string together long possessions and drain clock in a way that makes comebacks miserable for the other side.
When they’re in rhythm, they’re tough to slow down.
The numbers back that up. BYU’s offensive success rate is sitting around 59%, it’s averaging more than half a point of expected value per play, and it’s converting nearly 70% of its third downs.
Those figures won’t stay that high forever, but they say plenty about what the Cougars can do when the offense is functioning the way it should. They consistently get four or five yards at a time, and that kind of steady pressure wears defenses down.
That matters against a Colorado State defense that has already given up 10 plays of 20 or more yards and 25 plays of 10 or more. The Rams have played Wyoming and Southern Utah, so the concern isn’t hard to see: remove the turnovers, and the defense has had plenty of trouble. Colorado State’s real edge has been opportunism, not control.
So this game comes down to whether the Rams can keep creating chaos against a BYU offense built to deny it. If Bear Bachmeier, LJ Martin and the Cougars keep the ball clean, they should have a path to move it consistently and finish drives.
Colorado State wants the game to get loose. BYU is built to keep it tight, keep it clean and play its own style.
That’s why the Cougars look like the better bet to impose their game here.
In Other News...
BYU Is No Longer Crashing The National Conversation
BYUs rise into the national conversation no longer feels like a one-week novelty. The Cougars are sitting 11th in the current college football rankings, with Utah right behind at 17th, a reminder that two programs long treated as regional afterthoughts have become regular fixtures in the Top 25.
For decades, both schools were more likely to be overlooked than discussed on the sports biggest stages, but recent changes have altered that script. Coaching stability and conference affiliation have helped push both programs into a more consistent spotlight, and what once looked like a breakthrough now looks a lot more like the new normal. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Is Taking A Scheduling Risk The Committee Could Notice
BYUs 2026 trip to Colorado State adds another piece to a scheduling pattern that has already become hard to ignore. It will be the third straight season the Cougars are slated to play a road game against a Group of Six opponent, a quirk that sets them apart from the rest of the Power Four crowd and leaves them carrying a little more travel-related baggage than most of their peers.
Since 2021, nine Power Four programs have taken three straight road games against Group of Six teams, but BYU is the only one still waiting to finish that stretch. The Cougars have already started adjusting the shape of future slates, moving a game against Oregon State to a neutral site, and the current long-range picture shows only one other true road date against a Group of Six team, at Northern Illinois in 2030. [Read more 🡒]
BYU's Fast Start Just Created A Week 3 Betting Debate
BYUs unbeaten start has made the first month of the season feel a little more serious than usual, and the Cougars have already given themselves something to build on. After opening with two straight wins, including a 28-17 victory over Arizona, they head into a matchup with Colorado State carrying the kind of early momentum that tends to sharpen every conversation around a program, from the standings to the betting board.
Colorado State arrives with the same 2-0 record, which is why this one has started to draw attention beyond the usual early-season chatter. Bear Bachmeiers play has become part of the conversation as well, adding another layer to a game that looks more evenly matched than the records might suggest. The question now is whether BYUs start is enough to make the Cougars the more trustworthy side, or whether the Rams own unbeaten run will keep this debate alive right up to kickoff. [Read more 🡒]