BYU left Fort Worth with more than a win Saturday. It left with proof that it can survive a messy night, take a punch, and still finish the job.
The Cougars beat TCU 17-10 for their first victory in Fort Worth in 20 years, improving to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in Big 12 play. It was the kind of game that never felt clean, never felt comfortable, and never gave either side much room to breathe. Injuries piled up, the weather turned ugly, and BYU still found a way to grind it out.
The biggest reason was the run game, even after it lost its top back almost immediately. LJ Martin was injured on his second carry and did not return, but BYU kept leaning on the ground attack anyway.
The Cougars finished with 36 rushing attempts for 157 yards, and Bear Bachmeier helped carry that load in a much different way than usual. He threw for only 62 yards on 46% completions, a shaky night through the air that matched the conditions, but he also ran for two touchdowns, scoring from nine and 21 yards out.
Bachmeier was especially important as a runner. The sophomore took 15 carries for 66 yards after entering the game with just 12 rushing attempts through the first three games of 2026. With Martin out, Preston Rex, Journee Tonga and Legend Glasker stepped in and combined for 75 yards against TCU’s run defense.
That was the only path for BYU on a night shaped by rain, injuries and offensive line penalties. The Cougars had to keep the ball on the ground, control the clock, avoid turnovers and wear down the Horned Frogs. That plan wasn’t always pretty, but it worked.
The defense made sure of it. BYU limited TCU to 259 total yards, held the Horned Frogs to 4 of 13 on third down, forced six punts and gave up just 2.4 yards per carry. Faletau Satuala delivered one of the game’s biggest early swings with an interception and a 59-yard return that set up Bachmeier’s first touchdown.
The pass rush also showed up in a big way. Nusi Taumoepeau, Tausili Akana, Braxton Lindsey and Jake Clifton all recorded sacks, giving BYU its best pressure performance of the season.
Holding a conference opponent to 10 points on its own field is a strong result no matter how it looks. Kelly Poppinga’s defense has earned that label: solid. The only question now is how much longer it can stay that way if the injuries keep coming.
And right now, the injury list is growing fast. Martin was the latest and perhaps the most painful loss, but linebacker Isaiah Glasker and defensive back Cannon DeVries also left early and did not return. Linebacker Cade Uluave missed a defensive series as well.
BYU is already without Raider Damuni and Andrew Gentry, among others. That kind of attrition can be managed for a while, but not forever.
Losing Martin for any stretch would be a major problem, especially with Notre Dame coming in two weeks. Glasker and DeVries matter, too.
The Cougars have depth, but the more bodies they lose, the harder it gets to keep surviving nights like this.
In Other News...
BYU Won At TCU But A Bigger Concern Just Took Over
BYU left Fort Worth with a win, but the bigger takeaway from the 17-10 victory at TCU was how hard the Cougars had to work for every yard. The offense never really found its rhythm, finishing with just 216 yards while dealing with injuries to key players, and for long stretches it was the defense that kept BYU in control.
Bear Bachmeiers late touchdown run supplied the margin, but the performance also raised a broader question about how close this team is to the level it expected to reach before the season. A road win in the Big 12 is never easy, yet BYU will likely need a cleaner showing on offense if it wants to keep pace with those preseason expectations. [Read more 🡒]
Sonny Dykes Said What BYU Keeps Doing Is A Real Problem
TCU came away from its 17-10 loss to BYU with plenty to feel good about on defense, but not nearly enough on the scoreboard. The Horned Frogs held the Cougars to 17 points and just 62 passing yards, yet still dropped to 0-2 in Big 12 play for the first time since 2013 because the offense could only manage one touchdown.
Sonny Dykes pointed to the obvious issue afterward: the Horned Frogs have to be better on offense if they want to get out of the early hole. He also gave BYU credit for the way Bear Bachmeier helped move the ball on the ground, another reminder that the Cougars keep finding ways to stress opponents even when the passing game is limited. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Gritty TCU Win Changed The Ceiling Debate
BYUs rain-soaked win at TCU did more than add another road victory to the ledger. It offered a reminder of how much the Cougars can lean on defense and discipline when the conditions get ugly, and it came in Fort Worth, where they had not won since 2006. With several players banged up along the way, BYU still found a way to keep the Horned Frogs from settling in, thanks in part to a defense that made life difficult up front and a game plan that stayed patient even when the offense never looked especially clean.
Bear Bachmeiers passing day was not the sort that changes anyones mind on its own, but BYU did not need fireworks to leave Texas with a result that mattered. The four sacks were a big part of the story, and so was the willingness to stick with a conservative approach in a game where field position and toughness mattered more than style points. For a team that has spent part of the season fighting the ceiling debate, this was the kind of win that forces a more serious conversation about how high the Cougars can climb. [Read more 🡒]