BYU’s defense may have finally found the one thing that’s been missing.
For years, the Cougars have been solid enough on that side of the ball, but the pass rush has been the nagging flaw - the piece that kept good from turning into truly dangerous. That changed after the bye week, and it showed again in BYU’s dominant showing against Iowa State.
The pressure started immediately. On Iowa State’s first drive, quarterback Jaylen Raynor was living in chaos, getting hit constantly and never settling in.
The Cyclones adjusted by getting the ball out faster and avoiding deep drops altogether. Even then, it didn’t help much.
Raynor was sacked three times and hit three more times.
BYU didn’t need one star to wreck the game. The production came from all over.
Cade Uluave, Jake Clifton, Anisi Purcell and Hunter Clegg each picked up 0.5 sacks, while Ace Kaufusi added a crucial sack in the fourth quarter. Keanu Tanuvasa didn’t get credit for a sack, but he was everywhere anyway, collapsing the pocket again and again.
It was, by the numbers and by the eye test, one of the best outings he’s had in a BYU uniform.
The pressure didn’t just show up on the stat sheet. It changed the shape of the game.
Iowa State’s receivers had less time to uncover, and Raynor was forced into some risky throws into the flats that probably should have been intercepted. BYU also knocked down three passes at the line, with Tanuvasa responsible for two of those breakups.
Even the pressures that didn’t become sacks or hits still mattered, because Raynor never found a real rhythm.
That kind of disruption fits what BYU has been building. The Cougars have more talent in the secondary than they’ve had before, a linebacker room loaded with NFL-level ability, and now the defensive line is beginning to catch up.
That group has been talented, but inexperienced. Now those former blue-chip recruits are starting to look like the players they were billed as in high school, and first-year defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga is seeing the whole thing come together.
Iowa State’s offense entered the game with some momentum after scoring 45 points against West Virginia the week before. But BYU made the Cyclones look completely stuck. Iowa State managed just 69 yards of offense in the first three quarters before finally moving the ball in the fourth.
Afterward, BYU cornerback Therrian Alexander III didn’t hold back when describing what he’s seeing from this defense.
"This defense, since I've been here, is the best defense I've ever played on," Alexander III said. "I feel like this secondary is immensely talented, and I feel like we're putting out best foot forward....for the front, it's the best pass rush since I've been here.
The front gets home. They dominate the run game...all of our guys up front are getting home."
The quarterback pressure also showed up in the third-down numbers. Iowa State finished just 2/13 on third downs, and Raynor’s final line - 16/29 for 98 yards - tells the story of a night when nothing came easy. He actually threw for more yards on 10 fewer attempts against Iowa earlier this season.
One of the most memorable plays came in the fourth quarter, when Jayven Williams delivered a standout hit for a pass breakup. But that play started with Jake Clifton getting through the line and forcing Raynor into a hurried throw to the flat. Williams finished the job.
That’s the real takeaway from the last two weeks: BYU’s defense is no longer waiting around for pressure to arrive. It’s creating it. And if the Cougars can keep doing that, they’ll have a chance in every game they play.
Notre Dame will be the next major test, and the formula is obvious. If you want to slow down a dangerous passing attack, you have to get to the quarterback. The last two weeks suggest BYU may finally be ready to do exactly that.
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
A glance at UCFs 2026 schedule already shows why road trips and league games in that stretch will not come with much margin for error. BYU, Pittsburgh and Houston have all put themselves into the AP Top 25 mix, and recent results across that group have offered a reminder that these are not just name-brand opponents but teams capable of swinging games with quarterback play, timely defense and enough depth to make September or later meetups feel bigger than they might look on paper.
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 🡒]