BYU’s latest win had the feel of a grind, and that matters heading into Friday night.
The Cougars left Fort Worth with a 17-10 victory over TCU, and it took defense, patience and one more signature burst from Bear Bachmeier to finish the job. BYU led 10-7 entering the fourth quarter when TCU’s potential tying field goal came up short. Then, with eight minutes to go, Bachmeier put the game away with his legs, powering into the end zone on another “Bear on the Loose” run to make it 17-7.
That result gave BYU its first win in Fort Worth since 2006 and secured a school-record third straight 4-0 start. Now the Cougars turn around for a Big 12 home game against Iowa State on Friday night at 8:15 p.m. MT on ESPN.
The matchup sets up as another test, though the numbers point to BYU holding the edge.
In the latest Game Grader rankings, BYU sits at 63.4 for the 2025 season, good for 19th, while Iowa State checks in at 54.9, 32nd. Over the three-year span from 2023-25, BYU’s average is 55.3, compared with 57.2 for Iowa State. Looking ahead to 2026, BYU is projected at 65.4, 15th, while Iowa State is at 48.8, 50th.
BYU entered the season picked second in the Big 12 in Pick Six Previews, and after the 4-0 start the Cougars have climbed to No. 15 from a preseason No. 17 ranking. Iowa State, meanwhile, has already beaten expectations. The Cyclones were picked last in the Big 12 in the preview magazine, but they played Iowa to a field-goal game and already own a conference win after a 45-42 escape against West Virginia on Saturday.
That doesn’t make them an easy out. It does, however, highlight how much Jimmy Rogers has had to manage after the winter roster turnover.
The biggest concern for BYU is what the offense looks like without LJ Martin. The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year was injured early against TCU and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a lower-body injury. Against the Horned Frogs, BYU managed only 142 total yards through 3.5 quarters, and Bachmeier finished 11-of-24 for 62 yards before his late rushing heroics closed the door.
That leaves an opening for BYU to lean back into the run game, even with Martin sidelined. Iowa State’s defense has been shaky against the run, and West Virginia just put up 291 rushing yards with its quarterback and running back both topping 140 yards and scoring twice. The Cyclones rank 53rd in the opponent-adjusted defensive metric and sit in the bottom 10 among Power Four teams against the run at 59th.
If BYU can force Iowa State to crowd the box, the Cougars may have a shot to land something bigger downfield. Iowa State is 104th in FBS in explosive pass defense, which puts Legend Glasker in the spotlight.
On the other side, BYU’s defense looks like the cleaner advantage in the game.
Iowa State’s offense ranks 36th of 68 Power 4 teams, but BYU is seventh in the same opponent-adjusted metric. The Cougars are 10th against the run and 23rd against the pass, and they’ll try to make quarterback Jaylen Raynor uncomfortable the way Iowa and Utah did earlier in September.
Iowa State’s explosive day against West Virginia came from Aiden Flora, who caught two touchdown passes and ran for three more scores in a 260-yard, five-touchdown performance. Still, that came against a West Virginia defense rated last in the Power Four at 68th in the opponent-adjusted numbers.
BYU’s defense has more resistance built in, and the Cougars also have help up front and at linebacker. Isaiah Glasker is out with an injury, but BYU brought in All-ACC Cade Uluave as the top transfer linebacker in the last cycle. Nusi Taumoepeau also flashed against TCU with five tackles, 1.5 for loss and a sack, a sign he’s starting to look like a real difference-maker.
The pace of this one could keep the scoring down. Both teams are among the 10 slowest offenses in seconds per play - BYU is second slowest, Iowa State sixth - so tempo should be deliberate.
That points toward another lower-scoring game, with BYU’s defense positioned to be the deciding unit. The Cougars should have enough to move to 5-0 under the Friday night lights at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
In Other News...
BYU Suddenly Has A Cannon DeVries Problem Before Iowa State
BYU heads into its matchup with Iowa State with a special-teams wrinkle that could force some shuffling on the back end of the defense. Cannon DeVries, the Cougars defensive back and starting punt returner, has been downgraded to doubtful after not making the expected progress in his recovery, leaving his status in serious doubt for Saturday.
If DeVries cannot go, BYU will have to piece together a different defensive look and likely turn punt-return duties back over to Tiger Bachmeier, even though that job has not come easily for him. The Cougars would obviously prefer to have DeVries available, but the broader target is getting him back healthy for Notre Dame, which gives this week an extra layer of urgency without offering much room for optimism. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Knows Exactly How Iowa State Will Try To Drag This Out
Iowa State heads into Week 6 with a clear idea of the kind of game it wants to play against the eighth-ranked Cougars in Provo. The Cyclones have stayed above water so far this season and are still trying to position themselves for a bowl run even as the transfer portal has thinned parts of the roster, so the path forward has to be practical as much as flashy. Against a BYU team that has made itself a tough out, that means leaning on the run game and trying to keep the ball away from one of the Big 12s more imposing teams.
Aiden Flora is expected to be a central part of that plan, giving Iowa State a chance to shorten the game and limit possessions if the ground attack can stay on schedule. For BYU, the challenge is as familiar as it is annoying: force an opponent out of its comfort zone, get the defense off the field, and make sure a road team built on patience does not turn the afternoon into a slog. The Cougars know whats coming, which only makes the chess match more interesting. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Football Just Landed A Boost Fans Will Want To Size Up
Brigham Young University is giving its football program a notable jolt through a new partnership with Utah-based PV3 Enterprises, a deal that brings a significant investment to the programs facilities and extends beyond the locker room. Along with the backing for football infrastructure, the arrangement also creates NIL opportunities for more than 40 current BYU student-athletes, tying the program more closely to a growing off-field marketplace that has become part of modern college football.
The most visible change will be at LaVell Edwards Stadium, where the playing surface will now be known as PV3 Field. Beyond the naming rights, athletes are set to gain access to mentoring, business partnerships and endorsement opportunities through PV3s portfolio, with principals Mark Hancock and Jason Murray framing the agreement as a long-term commitment to BYU football and its future. [Read more 🡒]