BYU left Friday night with a 24-10 win over Iowa State, but the story of the game was how thoroughly the Cougars controlled things on defense and how sharp Bear Bachmeier looked when the offense opened up.
Bachmeier earned the top offensive grade by a wide margin. A week after struggling to find much rhythm throwing the ball, he was locked in from the opening series to the final whistle, finishing 22 of 30 for 329 yards and two touchdowns.
Only one of his throws was off target, and BYU’s passing game looked dangerous from the first drive on. He also carried a heavy load on the ground, rushing for 109 yards on nine attempts and clearly serving as BYU’s most effective runner with LJ Martin sidelined.
The other backs did not give the Cougars nearly enough. Journee Tonga, Preston Rex and DeVaughn Eka all had a hard time creating anything, especially in short-yardage situations where BYU needed a push.
Iowa State crowded the line a good portion of the night, which softened the blow somewhat, but the overall result still pointed to a group that has plenty to clean up while Martin is out for the next 4-6 weeks. That matters even more with Notre Dame and Utah looming.
BYU’s pass catchers helped Bachmeier have the best throwing night of his career. The tight ends were a major piece of the plan, especially Walker Lyons, who caught five passes for 61 yards, most of it coming early.
Roger Saleapaga flashed big-play ability with a 63-yard catch that set up a touchdown and hinted at the kind of impact he showed in fall camp. The receivers were not flawless - Kyler Kasper had one drop that would have gone for big yardage, and there were at least two drops overall - but they found space and gave Bachmeier a strong night to work with.
Up front, the offensive line was solid but not dominant. Bachmeier usually had time to throw, but he also took too many shots while staying in the pocket.
The run game never truly got rolling, and BYU came up short in at least two drive-ending short-yardage spots because the line couldn’t create enough movement. That kept the game tighter than it should have been.
On the other side, the defense was as close to airtight as grading scale allows. The defensive line set the tone, pressuring Iowa State all night and keeping Aiden Flora from breaking loose the way he had in previous games. Both the edge players and interior linemen consistently won their assignments, were disruptive against the run and the pass, and even knocked several balls down at the line.
The linebackers were nearly as strong. Cade Uluave led the way with six tackles, while Jake Clifton added five and continued to fill in effectively for the injured Isaiah Glasker. The only real knock was losing contain a few times, though backup Ace Kaufusi made one of the best individual plays of the game by clipping Iowa State quarterback Jaylen Raynor just before what looked like a big gain and a first down.
BYU also got a strong night from its safeties. Faletau Satuala showed up all over the field, creating pressure from the back end and forcing Iowa State into tough decisions.
Tommy Prassas had his best outing as a Cougar, finishing with three solo tackles and two pass breakups. Like the linebackers, the group’s main blemish came when contain broke down on Raynor.
The cornerbacks may have had the cleanest night of the bunch. Therrian Alexander was especially impressive, tight in coverage downfield and even more noticeable for his work stopping screens and throws to the flat. Jayven Williams delivered what might have been the hit of the year along with a pass breakup, and Evan Johnson quietly handled his assignments so well that he barely showed up on the stat sheet.
Special teams were a mixed bag. The kicking game, punting and coverage units all did their jobs well.
But Tiger Bachmeier’s night as a punt returner was rough. He muffed two returns, and the second one swung the game’s momentum.
The field awareness just hasn’t been there, and it looks unlikely he’ll be back there this season. If the game had been closer, those mistakes could have been a real problem.
Coaching grades reflected the same split. Kelly Poppinga’s defense looked exactly like the version he wanted after the bye: faster starts, steadier play and a plan that worked almost perfectly for 60 minutes.
Aaron Roderick also earned credit for spreading the field and getting the tight ends more involved. The trouble for the offense showed up in the critical moments, where short-yardage and red zone execution fell short.
With Martin out, those situations matter even more, and the repeated calls to run it up the middle with lighter backs like Journee Tonga did not produce the needed results.
In Other News...
BYU's Biggest Offensive Concern Didn't Go Away In The Iowa State Win
BYU got a much-needed Big 12 win over Iowa State, and Bear Bachmeier was a big reason why. The quarterback accounted for 329 passing yards and two touchdowns while adding 109 yards on the ground, helping carry an offense that played without injured running back LJ Martin and had to lean more heavily on its quarterback than it likely wanted to.
Kalani Sitake had plenty to like about the result, but the broader issue did not disappear just because the Cougars handled Iowa State 24-10. The running game beyond Martin still needs help, and the way BYU had to patch together production in his absence only sharpened the concern about whether enough other backs are ready to take pressure off Bachmeier as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Got The Breakout It Needed Before Notre Dame
BYU got the kind of win that can steady a season and sharpen the conversation around what comes next, beating Iowa State 21-10 while playing without its top offensive player, LJ Martin. The Cougars still found enough balance to control the game, leaning on a productive day from sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier and a passing attack that featured tight ends Walker Lyons and Roger Saleapaga II.
Bachmeier finished with 329 passing yards, a touchdown and a career-high 109 rushing yards, the sort of dual-threat effort that can change how opponents prepare for BYU in the weeks ahead. With Notre Dame still looming, the timing of the breakout matters just as much as the result, because the Cougars needed proof they could generate offense even when the game plan loses a centerpiece. [Read more 🡒]
BYU's Win Exposed Two Risky Problems Kalani Sitake Can't Ignore
BYUs 24-10 win over Iowa State came with the kind of mixed signals coaches usually spend the next week sorting through. Kalani Sitake got the result he wanted, but the game also put a spotlight on some choices and tendencies that deserve a hard look, from the aggressiveness of the fourth-down calls to how the offense functioned without LJ Martin. Bear Bachmeier still gave the Cougars enough at quarterback to control the game, but the win also made clear that the margin for error can shrink quickly when the run game isnt fully intact.
Tiger Bachmeiers work on punt returns added another layer to the discussion, giving BYU useful field position and a spark in a game that was often defined by possession and patience. The bigger question now is how Sitake wants to balance all of that moving forward, especially if he continues to lean into high-leverage decisions while trying to stabilize an offense that looked better in some areas than others. The win counted in the standings, but it also left behind a few coaching puzzles that wont go away on their own. [Read more 🡒]