Six games into the 2026 season, BYU has already put together something that looks stronger on paper than the 2024 and 2025 teams that combined to go 23-4.
That’s saying plenty. Those two squads were a couple of plays from delivering the program’s first College Football Playoff berth. But this year’s 6-0 start has come with clear statistical gains, and the biggest jumps show up on both sides of the ball.
The defense is the first place to look. Under Jay Hill in 2024 and 2025, BYU was solid without being dominant.
It gave up a lot of yards, but it made life difficult once opponents got close to the goal line. In other words, it was a bend-don’t-break unit.
The Cougars ranked 67th in defensive success rate in 2024 and 55th in 2025. They finished 32nd and 40th in points allowed per drive across those two seasons, and in 2025 they were 53rd in available yards allowed.
This season, the Cougars have taken a clear step forward almost everywhere. BYU is 11th in points allowed per drive and 18th in opponent success rate allowed. The havoc numbers have jumped too: BYU is 14th in havoc rate generated after not finishing inside the top 50 in either 2024 or 2025.
The improvements continue in stuff rate, explosive plays allowed and yards per play. The two spots that still lag are turnovers and red zone defense, but even there the picture is moving in BYU’s favor.
The red zone defense showed real growth against Notre Dame, and the Cougars have had several near-misses on takeaways over the last few weeks. The sense is that turnovers will start coming.
The schedule also leaves room for more improvement. BYU has already faced two top-15 offenses in points per drive in Notre Dame and Arizona, and Utah is another top-15 test still ahead.
Beyond that, the defense’s remaining slate includes UCF (87th), Arizona State (106th), Baylor (74th), Kansas (101st) and Cincinnati (33rd). That gives the Cougars a real chance to keep tightening the screws as the season goes on.
The offense has made an even cleaner leap in one area that decides games: ball security. Excluding garbage time, BYU has turned it over only once, on the fourth-quarter interception against Notre Dame. Bear Bachmeier has been as steady as any quarterback in the country at protecting the football, and that alone separates this team from 2024.
That previous BYU offense had a major turnover problem, with Jake Retzlaff’s ball security standing out as the primary weakness. The Cougars ranked 134th in turnovers per game that year.
This season, they sit sixth. “This next sentence comes with a trigger warning: BYU doesn't lose to Kansas in 2024 if they protect the football near the end zone.”
There was another moment where that edge showed up. A turnover against TCU could have flipped that game, but BYU kept the ball secure in difficult conditions and left Fort Worth with a win.
The offensive line and Bachmeier have made it tough for defenses to create havoc. BYU is second in havoc rate allowed, a major jump from rankings of 80th in 2024 and 54th in 2025.
The Cougars are also staying ahead of the chains. They rank 16th in offensive success rate after finishing 35th and 25th in that category over the previous two seasons.
The strength of schedule has already forced BYU to deal with some tough defensive fronts. Notre Dame ranks second in yards per play allowed, TCU sixth and Arizona 29th. More challenges are still coming in Baylor (14th) and Utah (30th), while Kansas (84th), Arizona State (102nd) and Cincinnati (103rd) represent chances to keep the numbers moving in the right direction.
Where BYU has separated itself most is in the red zone. The offense is cashing in. That’s a major reason the Cougars beat Notre Dame, because they made better use of scoring chances once they got into opponent territory.
That wasn’t the case in the previous two seasons. BYU ranked 102nd in touchdowns per scoring drive in 2024 and 81st in 2025.
This year, the Cougars are scoring touchdowns on 83% of scoring opportunities, which ranks second in FBS. A scoring opportunity is any drive that reaches the opponent’s 40-yard line or closer.
The personnel fits that approach. Bachmeier is a real threat running the ball near the goal line, and his passing has improved too.
Kyler Kasper, Walker Lyons and Roger Saleapaga give BYU bigger red zone targets than it had a year ago. Against Notre Dame, Kasper and Lyons came through with key third-down catches in the red zone, either moving the chains or finishing the drive.
And when LJ Martin was healthy, BYU was perfect in red zone chances. Once he returns, that part of the offense could get even better.
Put it all together and the formula is obvious: a defense that can control games, an offense that protects the ball and a red zone attack that finishes drives. BYU still hasn’t played a clean game, but it is 6-0 anyway.
By the numbers, this team has already outpaced the two previous BYU squads that combined for 23 wins. If the Cougars can avoid a slip against teams like UCF, Arizona State and Kansas, they have a path to a postseason run in the playoff picture.
In Other News...
BYU Could Get A Big Backfield Boost Against UCF
BYUs backfield could get an important lift this week with running back Sione Moa no longer on the injury report for the matchup against UCF. Moa is medically cleared to play, giving the Cougars a potential boost in a spot where depth always matters, even if his actual workload will still come down to how confident and ready he feels once game day arrives.
The rest of BYUs report is relatively light, with right guard Kyle Sfarcioc and safety Tommy Prassas still listed, while UCF is dealing with a much busier set of availability questions. The Knights have starting quarterback Alonza Barnett III marked questionable and five players already ruled out, including offensive lineman Owen Spell and linebacker Lewis Carter, setting up a game where both teams will be watching the injury situation closely right up to kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Suddenly Has A Backfield Question That Could Shape Everything
Bear Bachmeiers national recognition and Cade Uluaves Big 12 honor gave BYU plenty to celebrate after the win over Notre Dame, but the Cougars also left that game with a reminder that depth across the roster is still going to matter. With LJ Martin and Sione Moa sidelined by injuries, backup backs Preston Rex and Journee Tonga were thrown into meaningful work and helped stabilize an offense that needed them to hold up their end of the bargain.
That leaves the backfield in a familiar but delicate spot for Kalani Sitakes staff. Sitake praised the way the running backs have developed and contributed, but BYU is still evaluating Moas readiness to return after an injury history that has complicated his availability. How that shakes out could shape the balance of an offense coming off one of its biggest wins of the season. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Just Added A New Threat To Its Big 12 Push
With the Big 12 at its midpoint and three teams still unbeaten in league and overall play, BYU has already done enough to make the conference race feel crowded. The Cougars win over Notre Dame, pulled off despite injuries, has only sharpened the sense that this team belongs in the conversation with the leagues best, especially with several ranked teams still sorting out their own issues and identities.
What makes BYUs position even more interesting is how much turbulence sits around it. Houston has gotten a big lift from Conner Weigmans passing, Texas Tech has found more rhythm on offense, and other contenders have run into problems, from Oklahoma States defensive struggles to Baylors offensive issues and Arizona States in-game quarterback change. For BYU, the next stretch will say plenty about whether its fast start is a real Big 12 platform or just the opening chapter of a tougher climb. [Read more 🡒]