BYU’s red zone issues against Iowa State traced back to one clear absence: LJ Martin.
Before that game, the Cougars had been rolling inside the 20, turning 13 red zone chances into 13 touchdowns if you strip out kneel downs and garbage time. Without Martin, that rhythm disappeared. BYU got just two touchdowns in five red zone trips, and the offense spent too much time trying to survive without the run threat that had been punishing teams all season.
The backup backs weren’t enough between the tackles, so BYU leaned harder on the pass in tight space. That’s always a tougher ask near the goal line, where windows shrink and defenses squeeze everything. Against Iowa State, the Cougars learned that lesson the hard way.
One of the missed chances came after Bear Bachmeier hit Walker Lyons for a chunk gain to get BYU down to the Iowa State 11. Bachmeier then completed a five-yard throw to Jojo Phillips on first down, keeping the drive on schedule.
But Preston Rex managed only one yard on second down, and after a third-down miss intended for Reggie Frischknecht in the corner of the end zone, Kalani Sitake kept the offense out there on 4th & 4. Bachmeier fired one of his best throws of the night to Legend Glasker, threading it into a narrow window, but Glasker couldn’t haul it in.
That series told the story. BYU threw it three times on four snaps in that sequence, and once the ground game stalled, the Cougars had no easy answers.
The lack of a reliable red zone run game showed up again later after a muffed punt set BYU up at its own 1. The Cougars still worked all the way to the Iowa State 11, but a quarterback draw by Bachmeier gained only three.
Journee Tonga followed with one yard on second down, and after Bachmeier found Glasker short of the sticks on third, BYU settled for a field goal. Iowa State then jumped offsides, giving BYU a 4th & 1 from the 2, but the next back-shoulder throw to Walker Lyons hit him in the hands and still ended with a turnover on downs.
Across those two failed red zone possessions, BYU’s running backs totaled just two carries for two yards. That’s the kind of number that screams LJ Martin’s absence.
The contrast with BYU’s touchdown drive was sharp. On the Cougars’ first scoring march, Preston Rex broke a tackle and picked up eight yards in the red zone, and a few plays later Journee Tonga finished it with a six-yard touchdown run. The difference was simple: BYU backs averaged 7 yards per carry on the successful drive and just 1 yard per carry on the failed ones.
Iowa State also deserves credit for what it did up front. The Cyclones were getting good push in the middle of BYU’s offensive line, which made life tougher on every inside run. But the bottom line stayed the same: BYU either could run the ball in that area or it couldn’t.
The third red zone miss came in a different situation. With BYU up 21-10 and trying to bleed the clock, Preston Rex helped move the ball to the 20 with a run that put the Cougars right at the edge of the red zone. On 3rd & 5, BYU took a shot at the dagger with a back-shoulder fade to Kyler Kasper, but the pass fell incomplete and Matthias Dunn had to settle things with a field goal.
That left BYU with 17 points on five red zone chances, and that won’t be enough against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish bring a strong run defense, but BYU still has to find a way to average a few yards per carry down there. One yard at a time won’t cut it.
Aaron Roderick has options, but they need to be sharp. BYU may need to pull out its best red zone passing concepts and build three or four plays specifically designed to attack Notre Dame in that part of the field.
Jet sweeps are part of BYU’s red zone package, though they didn’t show up against Iowa State. Legend Glasker could be a candidate there, even if getting to the edge against Notre Dame’s speed will be difficult.
Devaughn Eka is another name to watch. He only had three carries, but he averaged a team-best 4.7 yards per rush, and a few red zone touches for him wouldn’t be a surprise. BYU will also need to throw more in the red zone than it would with a healthy Martin.
And then there’s Bachmeier. If he’s going to be involved as a runner, the red zone is where BYU needs that dimension most.
He took a few too many hits against Iowa State, so the Cougars can’t overload him, but his legs have to stay in play. Against TCU, BYU went 2-for-2 in the red zone because of Bachmeier’s running, and that was the difference in the game.
In Other News...
BYU Just Made A Clear Statement Before Notre Dame
BYU is leaning into tradition for one of the biggest stages on its schedule. The Cougars announced they will wear their classic royal home jerseys with white pants and a white helmet, finished with a royal blue facemask, for the matchup against Notre Dame, a look that calls back to the programs identity from the 1980s and 1990s.
It is also a deliberate choice in a season where BYU has rotated through several uniform combinations, but wanted something more recognizable for this one. The classic set was last worn in November 2025 against TCU, and the selection feels aimed at matching the moment as much as the opponent, with the Cougars choosing a familiar brand for a high-profile game. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Just Added A Tradition Twist To Notre Dame Week
BYU is leaning into a familiar look for one of its biggest nonconference stages of the season, unveiling a white helmet with the royal blue stretch Y logo, a royal blue uniform and white pants with royal blue stripes for Saturdays game against Notre Dame. The timing adds a little extra texture to a matchup that already carries plenty of tradition, especially with the Cougars taking a throwback route that has not been used against the Irish since 1993.
The combination was last worn in a game against TCU the previous year, giving this weekends choice a bit of an old-school feel without straying far from BYUs identity. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. MDT, with ABC carrying the game, and the uniforms add one more layer to a meeting that figures to draw plenty of attention well before the opening snap. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Just Showed UCF What Makes This 2026 Matchup Dangerous
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BYUs latest win over Iowa State, with Bear Bachmeier steering the offense, is the one that should especially catch UCFs attention because it underscores how quickly a ranked team can dictate terms when the quarterback settles in and the game script tilts its way. Pittsburghs stumble against North Carolina and Houstons win over Kansas State only add to the picture: UCFs future opponents are going to arrive with different strengths, different forms of momentum and plenty to prove, which is exactly what makes that 2026 slate feel dangerous before it even gets here. [Read more 🡒]