Bear Bachmeier made sure BYU didn’t miss a beat.
Playing without top offensive weapon LJ Martin, the No. 8 Cougars handled Iowa State 21-10 Friday night in Provo behind a massive all-around effort from their sophomore quarterback. Bachmeier accounted for 438 total yards, giving BYU the kind of lift it needed to hold serve at home.
He was far sharper through the air than he had been a week earlier against TCU, completing 22 passes for 329 yards and a touchdown. Bachmeier also took on a heavy workload on the ground, finishing with nine carries for a career-high 109 yards.
The night also belonged to BYU’s tight ends. Walker Lyons and Roger Saleapaga II were worked into the passing game often, and both delivered. Saleapaga posted a career-best 72 receiving yards, while Lyons finished with five catches for 61 yards.
BYU set the tone right away with a clean opening drive. Bachmeier moved the offense with completions to multiple targets and added yards with his legs before Journee Tonga finished it off with a 6-yard rushing touchdown.
Once the Cougars realized the run game had little beyond Bachmeier, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick leaned harder on the passing attack - and his quarterback kept answering. One of the biggest blows came in the closing minutes of the third quarter, when Bachmeier connected with Glasker on a 75-yard touchdown, the third time this season he has hit Glasker on a deep route.
The win pushes BYU into a massive matchup with Notre Dame next Saturday, a game that could be the biggest home date in over 30 years.
In Other News...
BYU's Biggest Offensive Concern Didn't Go Away In The Iowa State Win
BYU got a much-needed win over Iowa State, and Bear Bachmeier had a hand in just about all of it. The quarterback threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns while adding 109 yards on the ground, giving the Cougars enough juice to control the game even without injured running back LJ Martin in the lineup.
Kalani Sitake liked the result, but the bigger offensive question still lingers. With Martin sidelined, BYU leaned heavily on Bachmeier and did not get the kind of production it usually wants from the rest of the backfield, leaving the Cougars with a familiar development task as they move deeper into the season. [Read more 🡒]
BYU's Playoff Path Suddenly Runs Through One Massive Test
With Week 6 arriving, the playoff picture is already starting to take shape, and BYU is firmly tied to it through the kind of test that can redefine a season. The Cougars have played well enough to stay in the conversation, but the next stretch will tell the real story as college footballs biggest conferences keep sorting out contenders and pretenders around them.
This is the part of the calendar when every result seems to carry extra weight, especially for a BYU team watching the wider race while trying to protect its own spot in the mix. The preview of the weekend slate points to injury questions, high-profile matchups and shifting expectations across the SEC, Big Ten and beyond, but for BYU the focus is narrower now: one massive challenge looms, and everything about the playoff path suddenly runs through it. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Looks More Dangerous After Another Statement Win
BYU kept rolling with a 24-10 win over Iowa State, another performance that gave the Cougars more evidence they belong in the national conversation. The game had the kind of defining moments that tend to stick with a team for a while, from an Iowa State penalty on Aiden Flora to a jarring collision involving BYU tight end Roger Saleapaga II and safety Eddie Lemos, but the Cougars kept finding answers and improved to 5-0 on the season.
The biggest swing came when Bear Bachmeier connected with Legend Glasker on a 75-yard touchdown pass, a play that helped separate BYU and underscored how dangerous this offense can be when it gets a crease. With contributions from other players and the usual pregame activity around former BYU players and officials, it felt like another night that reinforced the Cougars confidence, while also hinting there may still be more to come from a team that has started the year with real momentum. [Read more 🡒]