No. 8 BYU is back in Provo, and the Cougars return home with a chance to do something the program has never done before: open three straight seasons 5-0.
That’s the backdrop for Friday’s Big 12 matchup with Iowa State, a meeting between a BYU team that is 4-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play and a Cyclones squad that comes in at 3-2, 1-1 in the Big 12. The Cougars have spent nearly a month away from home, and they’ve been a force in night games for years now, going 35-4 in such contests since 2019. At LaVell Edwards Stadium in late kickoffs, they’re 20-3 in that span.
BYU’s overall profile has been strong through four games. The Cougars are putting up 37.3 points per game, giving up 14.3, and sitting at plus-5 in turnover margin. Iowa State has also shown plenty of offense, averaging 33.6 points while allowing 21.2 and breaking even in turnover margin.
The Cougars’ biggest question entering Friday is how the offense responds after a rough passing night last weekend. Bear Bachmeier threw for just 62 yards in the Texas mist, and that makes the early passing game a major thing to watch.
If BYU gets back to its usual rhythm through the air, that’s one story. If not, it could point to something bigger.
The ground game is under the microscope too, and not just because of one off night. LJ Martin will be out for at least a month, which puts real pressure on a BYU rushing attack that has to keep moving without its top offensive weapon. The Cougars will lean on backups, and how that group handles the load will say plenty about how steady BYU can be in the coming weeks.
That makes Preston Rex and Journee Tonga central figures on Friday. Tonga has been a bright spot, rushing for 157 yards at 8.3 yards per carry.
Rex has added 94 yards on 18 carries and has scored two touchdowns, while also giving BYU a receiving option out of the backfield. Behind Martin, BYU’s backs have combined for 598 rushing yards on 111 carries, a 5.4-yard average, and 10 touchdowns.
Keeping that efficiency intact will be harder as the schedule tightens, but if the Cougars can stay at 4.0 yards per carry or better as a group, they may be able to hold things together.
Iowa State could offer a good test for that committee approach. The Cyclones have the most missed tackles in the Big 12 with 76, so there may be room for BYU’s reserves to find some confidence. If the Cougars can create extra yards after contact, that would go a long way toward offsetting Martin’s absence.
Another key battle comes up front. BYU’s pass rush has picked up in Big 12 play, with seven combined sacks against Arizona and TCU.
Iowa State, though, has been sturdy in pass protection, allowing just three sacks in conference games. The matchup between the Cyclone offensive line and the Cougar front seven should be one of the game’s sharper edges.
Iowa State has already shown it can win a shootout, beating West Virginia 45-42 last weekend, and new-look teams have exceeded expectations early in 2026. BYU, meanwhile, is trying to keep its perfect start rolling while adjusting on the fly.
Kalani Sitake knows the quick turnaround won’t make things any easier.
“Short week, which means that we have to speed up the preparation, but we’ve been here before. We’ve had this every year.
“... Jimmy Rogers is a really good coach, and you can see the team rallying around (the coaching staff’s) teaching.
Fundamentally, they’re really sound in how they coach the game in all three phases. They have some really good pieces to work with, and there’s not a lot of mistakes that they make.
So you’re going to have to be on top of your game to have some success against them.” - BYU coach Kalani Sitake
Rogers returned the praise.
“I think (Kalani Sitake) does an unbelievable job. He’s just a great person, you can see his players play for him, and what he’s been able to turn BYU into over the years has been incredible to see.
“... We’ve got to get ready to play our best football in a short week, just as they do. Anything can happen.” - Iowa State coach Jimmy Rogers
BYU’s schedule after Friday is no lighter, with Notre Dame, UCF, Arizona State, Utah, Baylor, Kansas and Cincinnati still ahead after the Iowa State game. But first comes a home test that could extend a historic start.
In Other News...
BYU Suddenly Faces A Brutal Offensive Problem At The Worst Time
BYUs backfield took a major hit at a moment when the schedule is only getting tougher. Running back LJ Martin is expected to miss four to six weeks after suffering a lower-body injury in the game against TCU, and that timetable puts him out of the mix for upcoming matchups against Iowa State and Notre Dame.
Kalani Sitake said Martin is not on crutches, which is at least a small bit of encouraging news, but the Cougars still have to plan for a stretch without one of their key offensive pieces. Losing a runner of that importance right before a demanding run of games adds another layer of pressure to an offense that now has to find answers quickly. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Suddenly Faces A Huge Offensive Test Without Its Top Playmaker
BYUs offense is about to be asked to answer a much bigger question than it has all season, and it comes at a time when the schedule is about to get heavier. Running back LJ Martin will be out four to six weeks with a lower-body injury suffered against TCU, a setback that immediately removes the Cougars most reliable downhill threat from the lineup. He has been a centerpiece of the attack, piling up 344 rushing yards and three touchdowns so far this season while carrying the rsum of the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
The timing makes the injury especially difficult for a BYU team that cannot afford to lose rhythm as it heads into a key stretch. Martin is already out for the Iowa State game and will also miss the nationally televised matchup with Notre Dame on Oct. 17, leaving the Cougars to adjust without the runner who has helped define their identity. For an offense trying to stay on track against better defenses, the next few weeks now look like a test of depth, creativity and how well the rest of the ground game can absorb the loss. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Fans Are Facing A Notre Dame Ticket Reality Nobody Likes
BYUs home schedule is suddenly carrying a premium, and not just in the usual late-season sense. With Iowa State and Notre Dame coming to LaVell Edwards Stadium next, ticket resale markets have pushed prices sharply higher, turning what should be an ordinary search for seats into a small headache for fans trying to get in the door. Some single tickets are already listed for more than $400, and the buzz around the Notre Dame game has only added to the spike.
Even with the sticker shock, the interest has not cooled. BYU fans have made clear they still see these matchups as worth the trip, especially with a marquee opponent like Notre Dame on the calendar and a Big 12 home game against Iowa State coming first. The challenge now is less about whether the crowd will show up and more about how many fans are willing to pay the going rate to be part of it. [Read more 🡒]