BYU’s 24-10 win over Iowa State came with a few easy conclusions and a few uncomfortable ones, and the biggest one might be this: the Cougars are going to keep living on the edge with Bear Bachmeier.
Kalani Sitake’s fourth-down decisions were a major part of the night, and not just because he kept showing faith in his offense. BYU failed on three separate fourth-down tries against the Cyclones, including one from inside the 5-yard line, another near midfield and a third inside the 5 again.
The first looked like Legend Glasker may not have created enough separation for Bachmeier’s throw. The second seemed to break down more because of the offensive line than Journee Tonga, since there was nowhere to go.
The third appeared to involve holding or pass interference on Iowa State on the pass to Walker Lyons, though no flag came.
Sitake’s willingness to gamble is not really the issue. The issue is that BYU couldn’t cash in.
Players want that confidence from their coach, and Sitake looks likely to keep taking his shots. He did, however, send out the field goal unit very quickly on fourth-and-5 from the Iowa State 20 in the fourth quarter.
Another area that turned messy was punt return duty, where Tiger Bachmeier had a rough night. He fielded punts inside the 5-yard line twice, and then muffed a fair catch in the second half that seemed to drain the energy out of the stadium and swing momentum to Iowa State.
With Cannon DeVries still out, though likely available for Notre Dame, Bachmeier looked like the best option Friday night. After that performance, he may be headed for the bench on returns.
The bigger picture for BYU’s offense is impossible to ignore now that LJ Martin is out for three to four weeks. The running game is not going to look the same without him.
Bear Bachmeier did clear 100 rushing yards, but he needed just nine carries to do it, while Preston Rex, Journee Tonga and Devaughn Eka combined for 17 carries and 54 yards. That’s 3.1 yards per carry, and that won’t scare anyone.
Still, there were a couple of positives: no turnovers from that group, and Tonga’s pass protection helped give Bachmeier enough time to hit Legend Glasker on a deep ball.
Short-yardage and goal-line situations remain a concern, and the piece of the puzzle BYU may need to solve is personnel. One possibility is a specialty package built around a bigger back such as Logan Payne at 210 pounds, Lucky Finau at 220 or Micah Beckstead at 238.
Another option floated: linebacker Cade Uluave. The point is clear enough - BYU needs answers in those spots.
What Friday also made plain is that Bachmeier is now the center of everything. If BYU keeps winning, it will be because he keeps playing at a high level.
Against Iowa State, he looked like the player who can carry that burden. He threw for 329 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, going 22 of 30, and added nine carries for 109 yards for a total of 438 yards of offense.
He spread the ball around, got the tight ends involved early and saw his receivers start making plays in the second half. The one blemish mentioned was a throw behind Kyler Kasper that likely would have gone for a long touchdown.
That kind of night also changes the conversation around Bachmeier himself. Earlier, the argument was that he was already good, but hadn’t shown much growth.
Friday offered a different picture. He was sharp, decisive and confident, and he showed he can do special things going forward.
Elsewhere around the week, there was the kind of small-town annoyance that sticks with you longer than it should. At a Bucee’s in Fort Collins a couple of weeks ago, after stepping aside to let a woman pass near the restroom area, she told the writer, “That’s the women’s restroom,” which was not exactly the warmest exchange.
There was also the broader gripe that comes with getting older and paying more for everything. Gas tanks, burgers, groceries and haircuts all seem to cost more than they should, and the line that sums it up best is this: “Being an adult is eating the crust not because you like it, but because you paid for it.”
And then there was the reminder of why high school football still hits differently. Covering Park City at Timpanogos on Thursday meant watching Timpanogos pull out a 24-23 overtime win.
The students rushed the field, Nolan Nielsen got the Gatorade bath and the celebration looked like a championship had just been won. Park City entered the game No. 12 in 4A RPI and Timpanogos was No. 21, and neither team is expected to win the title.
None of that mattered in the moment.
That’s part of the charm of sports, and especially of the high school version of it. It’s still pure.
Notre Dame week is next, and with it comes the biggest game in the history of BYU football. The reminder at the end was simple: a different version of you exists in the minds of every single person who knows you.
Think about it.
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 Looks More Dangerous After Another Statement Win
Another week, another convincing step forward for a BYU team that is starting to look a lot more complete than the preseason projections suggested. The Cougars handled Iowa State 24-10 to move to 5-0, and the win had the feel of a team that knows how to absorb a few tense stretches, then take control when it matters. There were plenty of individual moments woven into it, from pregame recognition for former BYU players and officials to the kind of physical plays that tend to define a Big 12 afternoon.
Bear Bachmeiers 75-yard touchdown strike to Legend Glasker gave the Cougars a jolt and helped separate a game that had its share of collisions and momentum swings, including a notable hit involving tight end Roger Saleapaga II and Iowa State safety Eddie Lemos. A penalty on Aiden Flora also became part of the larger story as BYU kept finding ways to stay ahead, with contributions across the roster adding to the sense that this is more than a hot start. At 5-0, the Cougars are no longer just surviving Saturdays, they are beginning to look like a team opponents will have to prepare for very differently. [Read more 🡒]