BYU opens its season Saturday against Utah Tech, and the matchup sets up like a night where the Cougars should control things from the jump. BYU is ranked 14th to begin the year, its highest preseason ranking since 1985, and with that kind of gap on paper, the real value of Week 1 is not the final score. It’s the details.
The first item on the list is the passing game, specifically the new receivers working with Bear Bachmeier. BYU has to replace its three most-used wideouts from last season, and this game is the first chance to see that group in live action. Next week against Arizona, the Cougars will need those receivers ready to make plays against a really talented secondary, so Saturday is about getting them comfortable now.
That means actual game reps, not just practice work. It would be worth watching Bachmeier try a back-shoulder fade to Kyler Kasper, a throw the two have reportedly worked on all offseason.
It also means getting Legend Glasker involved so he can settle in during his first college football game. Jojo Phillips should be part of the mix too after serving as a leader and putting in the work to avoid drops in 2026.
Reggie Frischknecht, who had just one catch last season, is also expected to have a significant role.
Still, BYU does not need to lean on the pass to beat Utah Tech. The bigger picture is preparing for the games ahead, and that starts with getting the new pieces live reps.
The same idea applies to the backfield. LJ Martin does not need a heavy workload here, and 10-12 carries against the Trailblazers should be enough.
Health is the other major priority. The expectation is that the starters will probably only play in the first half, with the second and third-string players seeing plenty of action after that. Even in a game like this, the starters need enough work to get hit and reacclimated to game speed, but the goal is to get out clean.
That same clean finish matters on offense and defense. Week 1 games across college football are often sloppy, and BYU’s first game since December is no exception in terms of what can go wrong. No fumbles, clean exchanges, and no botched snaps would qualify as a good night for the Cougars.
Up front, BYU should have a clear edge. FCS teams usually struggle to hold up against Power Four opponents in the trenches, and Utah Tech is unlikely to be different. Whether Bronson Barben or CJ Tiller is at quarterback for the Trailblazers, BYU’s defense should make life miserable for them.
The defensive line, in particular, has a chance to set the tone. The Cougars want pressure with only four rushers, and that’s where the group’s young talent comes in. Hunter Clegg, Tausili Akana, and freshman Braxton Lindsey are all names to watch as BYU tries to get after the quarterback without having to blitz.
If BYU checks those boxes, it will have gotten exactly what it needs from Week 1: live reps for the new receivers, a controlled workload for the starters, and a clean game that leaves the Cougars healthy and ready for what comes next.
In Other News...
BYU Defense Suddenly Faces A Bigger Question After Opening Win
BYUs season started the right way on the scoreboard, but the opener against Utah Tech left the Cougars with an immediate test on defense. Veteran safety Raider Damuni went down with a leg injury and had to be carried off the field, a sobering sight for a unit that was otherwise trying to establish its footing in the first game of 2026. Coach Kalani Sitake said the team is waiting on an MRI to get a clearer read on the injury, which means the full picture is still coming into focus.
The uncertainty lands at a tricky time because BYU was already managing its depth with linebacker Isaiah Glasker held out as a precaution so he could be rested for the next matchup against Arizona. For a defense looking to build momentum off a win, the immediate concern now is how quickly it can get healthy enough to keep its plans intact. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Is Back In The Playoff Debate For A Bigger Reason
Takeo Spikes has put BYU back into the Big 12 playoff conversation, and not just as a team trying to hang around the league race. In a discussion about where the conference is headed, Spikes said he expects the Big 12 to land two College Football Playoff teams in 2026 and singled out BYU and Texas Tech as the programs most likely to get there. It is the kind of endorsement that gets attention in Provo because it frames BYU not as an outsider hoping for a break, but as a legitimate piece of the conference's ceiling.
The wider debate around the Big 12 is only getting more interesting because other voices still see Utah as a serious contender, even with coaching changes in the picture, which underscores how crowded the league's upper tier could become. For BYU, the appeal of Spikes' prediction is less about the exact year and more about the larger message: the Cougars are being mentioned in the same breath as teams with playoff-level ambition. Whether that translates into a real path through the conference will be the question hanging over the next few seasons. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Is Suddenly Right In The Middle Of Big 12 Stakes
The Big 12 race already has the feel of a national conversation, and BYU is right in the middle of it before the season even settles in. On College GameDay, the preseason championship picks split across the board, with some members backing the Cougars and others favoring Texas Tech or West Virginia, a reflection of just how open the league looks at the top. With BYU and Texas Tech the only Big 12 teams starting the year ranked in the top 15, there is a real sense that the conferences playoff hopes could hinge on those two programs living up to the billing.
What makes the noise around BYU so interesting is that it is not coming from the usual conference insiders alone. Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit were among the notable voices weighing in on the contenders, adding even more national weight to the discussion about who can actually separate in a crowded league. For BYU, the stakes are bigger than one preseason nod or one early ranking, because the Cougars are suddenly part of the argument over whether the Big 12 can produce more than one legitimate playoff contender. [Read more 🡒]