BYU left Fort Worth with a win and a warning.
The No. 8 Cougars survived TCU 17-10 on a misty Saturday night at Amon G.
Carter Stadium, and the result pushed them to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12. It also kept alive a familiar pattern: BYU once again found a way in a one-score game, leaning on the kind of complementary football that has become a calling card for the program.
But the victory came with a cost.
Running back LJ Martin, linebacker Isaiah Glasker and punt returner and nickel back Cannon DeVries all exited in the first half and never returned. That left an already battered roster looking even thinner, and it added another layer of concern to a season that is still young but already carrying some heavy injury baggage.
BYU is already without running back Sione Moa, safety Raider Damuni, linebacker Siale Esera and offensive lineman Andrew Gentry. Kalani Sitake has said Damuni should be back “soon,” while Moa and Gentry are almost certainly out for the remainder of the regular season, at least.
After the game, Sitake said the latest injuries did not appear to be the most alarming kind.
“The good thing is that (Glasker) was standing and moving, so we’ll have to evaluate that. Same thing with LJ, so it wasn’t like those guys were on crutches or anything like that,” Sitake said. “So I’m encouraged with that, but you never know until you get a look at it and get to evaluate it with an MRI and things like that.”
Glasker was scheduled to have an MRI on his knee at 1 p.m. Sunday, his father said. DeVries was in a protective boot after the game.
Even with the injuries piling up, BYU found some answers. When DeVries went out, the Cougars shifted Mississippi State corner Jayven Williams to outside corner and moved Evan Johnson into the slot corner role. Williams has continued to give Lewis Walker’s cornerbacks room useful depth.
There were other bright spots, too. BYU’s pass rush finally made a real impact, sacking TCU quarterback Jaden Craig four times and doubling the team’s season sack total to eight. Tausili Akana, Nusi Taumoepeau, Jake Clifton and Braxton Lindsey all got to Craig.
“I think (Kelly Poppinga) was just letting the boys go, letting them just get after it and letting Tausili and Nusi and Kendal (Wall) and all those guys, and Braxton (Lindsey) just get after it, and then bringing the backers once in a while,” Sitake said. “I mean, Cade (Uluave) and Jake and (Isaiah) Glasker, those guys were coming after it pretty good, too. … We played some really tight man coverage and took some chances and took some risks and it paid off.”
Still, the Cougars also had some self-inflicted issues to sort out. Penalties on the offensive line, several bad snaps and a quiet offense for most of the night all stood out. BYU did not really get going until the final drive of the fourth quarter, which made the finish far more tense than it needed to be.
Sitake acknowledged that the team has plenty to clean up, but he also kept coming back to the same point: this group keeps finding ways.
“We are probably going to have to use our depth,” Sitake said for the fourth straight week. “We have a lot of talent on our team and if we need to we can go pretty deep.
So we will just have to figure it out. I know the guys are excited to be back home and play a game at home.”
That home game comes fast. BYU will host Iowa State at 8:15 p.m. Friday night in a Big 12 matchup on ESPN.
The Cyclones are 3-2 overall and 1-1 in league play, and they have already shown they are far from an easy out. They nearly knocked off No.
21 Iowa in Week 2 before losing 16-13 in Iowa City, beat Bowling Green 55-7 and pushed now-No. 12 Utah before falling 31-17 in Ames.
On Saturday, Iowa State’s offense was rolling in a 45-42 win over West Virginia.
“Nothing’s ever going to be easy, but we have to be ready and be excited for the wins and celebrate them, and then we’ll move on and try to work hard,” Sitake said. “We have one less day of prep, which means that we get to play a night game at home, coming up soon against Iowa State. Looking forward to that game.”
In Other News...
BYU-Notre Dame Just Became An Even Bigger Provo Event
BYUs October 17 showdown with Notre Dame already had the feel of a major moment, and the stage only got bigger with the latest details. The game is set for 5:30 p.m. Mountain Time at LaVell Edwards Stadium and will air on ABC, giving Provo a prime-time backdrop for a matchup between two undefeated teams both sitting inside the AP Top 10.
Its the first time the Irish and Cougars will meet in Provo with both programs ranked that high, which gives the night an added layer of weight beyond the usual nonconference intrigue. The meeting also fits into a two-game series, with BYU heading to Notre Dame in 2027, but for now the focus is on a rare ranked-on-ranked collision that should make October in Provo feel even bigger. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Looks Even More Dangerous Heading Into A Major UCF Test
BYUs upcoming trip to UCF is getting more attention after the Cougars kept showing up in the kind of games that make a September schedule feel heavier by the week. TCU pushed BYU all the way in a close loss, a result that adds to the sense that the Cougars are already battle-tested before they head to Orlando, especially with the numbers pointing to a team that can move the ball and avoid the kinds of mistakes that swing tight games.
Around the league, the teams on UCFs 2026 slate have offered their own snapshots of what the Knights may be walking into. Pittsburgh beat Virginia Tech even after losing starting quarterback Mason Heintschel to a torn ACL, while Baylor rolled past Arizona State in a more convincing showing, but BYUs combination of recent results, rankings and discipline in the key areas is what now gives this matchup its most interesting edge. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Undefeated Run Suddenly Carries One More Concern Against Iowa State
BYUs unbeaten start has put the Cougars in a familiar but tricky spot again this week, with No. 8 heading into a Big 12 matchup that comes with the usual ranked-team pressure and a little extra caution attached. Iowa State is in a transition year under coach Jimmy Rogers, but the Cyclones have still managed to win three of their first five games, which is enough to make this a game BYU cant simply assume it will control from the opening whistle.
The Cougars have plenty going for them, starting with quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who has accounted for 10 total scores in four games and given BYU a steady edge on offense. Still, the broader question around this trip is how cleanly the Cougars can handle a conference opponent that has already shown it can stay competitive, especially with betting odds suggesting the market expects a tighter test than a typical undefeated-team showcase. [Read more 🡒]