BYU walked into Salt Lake City with a top-10 showdown in hand and walked out with a loss that felt like a pileup of missed chances.
No. 3 Utah beat No.
9 BYU 28-20 on Saturday in the first top-10 meeting ever between the in-state rivals, and the Cougars will have plenty to replay from a game that slipped away in chunks. The defeat also snapped BYU’s run against Utah, with the Utes now holding a 60-34-4 edge in the all-time series.
The biggest swing came from BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who had the roughest day of his Cougar career. He entered the game having thrown multiple interceptions only twice before, both last year - in a double-overtime win at Arizona and in the Big 12 Championship Game loss to Texas Tech. Against Utah, he threw four picks.
Bachmeier finished 21-of-35 for 272 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. The mistakes came with real weight, especially the interception late in the first half after BYU had taken over at the Utah 20-yard line following a fumble, and the late pick to Trey Reynolds in the fourth quarter.
He also had several other throws that nearly turned into interceptions, making the outing even messier. The four picks doubled his season total from four to eight.
Even with the loss, Bachmeier stayed around after the game, signing autographs and taking selfies with BYU and Utah fans as he headed to the team bus back to Provo.
BYU’s defense gave the Cougars a chance after a brutal opening stretch. Utah jumped ahead 14-0 in the first five minutes, and BYU looked on the verge of getting overwhelmed.
Instead, the defense settled in and started creating problems for Utah’s offense. BYU ended with 11 tackles for loss and three sacks, but the early damage left too much to overcome.
There was one sequence in the third quarter that loomed large. On 3rd & 7, BYU linebacker Isaiah Glasker appeared to have Devon Dampier wrapped up for a sack, but the tackle went high and Dampier escaped.
He then scrambled nine yards for a first down. Utah had just missed a field goal by Dillon Curtis on its previous possession, and that stop could have forced another kick.
Instead, Dampier finished the drive with a touchdown pass to Braden Pegan, and starting cornerback Therrian Alexander III was shaken up on the play.
Utah’s defense, meanwhile, did not record a sack against BYU for the first time since 2003.
The Cougars also didn’t get the kind of lift they hoped for from LJ Martin. He played for the first time since October 3 and looked good in pregame warmups, but the workload never really came.
His first touch ended in an awkward tackle near the sideline, and later in the third quarter, after a rare loss on a carry, he was clearly hobbling. Martin finished with seven carries for 19 yards and a touchdown, plus one catch for five yards.
Martin did give BYU a little something in the run game, showing the patience that makes him such an effective back. But overall, the ground attack never really showed up outside of a few runs from Bachmeier.
BYU’s running backs combined for 17 carries and 56 yards, with one touchdown. Sione Moa had 10 carries for 37 yards, while Preston Rex, Journee Tonga and Devaughn Eka did not play.
The loss also put BYU’s College Football Playoff at-large hopes in a tough spot. When the Cougars were slotted at No. 9 in the initial rankings, the message was clear: beat Utah or the at-large path was in danger. Three weeks remain, and a lot can still happen, but BYU now needs help after a month that has been too uneven to leave much margin for error.
In Other News...
Bear Bachmeiers Collapse Turned BYUs Best Chance Against Utah
Bear Bachmeier gave BYU just enough early spark to make the rivalry feel manageable, and for a while the Cougars had the kind of offensive rhythm that can change a game in a hurry. His 75-yard touchdown pass helped set the tone in a first half that suggested BYU might have found the right answers against Utah, even as the matchup tightened into the kind of physical, possession-by-possession fight these games usually become.
Then the second half turned into a different story, and the turnovers piled up at the worst possible time. Bachmeier finished with four interceptions, and each one chipped away at BYUs chances to build on its early momentum or recover once Utahs defense started dictating the pace. In a 28-20 loss, the Cougars were left to wonder how different the night might have looked if their quarterbacks best stretch had lasted a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Big 12 Path Just Got A Lot Tougher After Utah Loss
The loss in Salt Lake City did more than sting in the moment. It tightened the road ahead for BYU in the Big 12 race, with Utahs 28-20 win leaving the Cougars at 7-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play, a mark that now puts a premium on every remaining league game. For a team that had been trying to stay in the thick of the title picture, the margin for error is suddenly a lot thinner.
Utah, meanwhile, kept rolling and is now sitting at 9-0 overall and 6-0 in conference play, which is why the Utes have suddenly become such a heavy favorite in the league chase. ESPNs projections reflect that shift, giving Utah a 93% chance to reach the Big 12 Championship Game and a 90% chance to make the College Football Playoff, a reminder of how quickly one rivalry result can reshape the path for both teams. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Heads To Utah With Playoff Pressure And One Huge Concern
Saturdays trip to Rice-Eccles Stadium has turned into one of the biggest games on BYUs schedule, with the Cougars heading into a Big 12 showdown that carries real weight in both the conference race and the College Football Playoff picture. Utah arrives unbeaten and sitting atop the league, while BYU comes in with one loss and a No. 9 ranking in the CFP standings, leaving little margin for error as the season tightens.
The Cougars do have some encouraging news on offense, with LJ Martin expected to play despite dealing with an injury. The bigger concern may be on the other side of the ball, where BYU is managing defensive absences at a time when every possession matters against a Utah team that has been hard to knock off balance. [Read more 🡒]