It doesn’t take long for a coach to build some real buzz in September, and the Big 12 already has a few names making noise.
BYU’s Kalani Sitake sits near the front of that conversation after the Cougars handled Arizona 28-17 on Saturday at Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo. In the first real conference test of the season, BYU answered with a clean, confident performance. Sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns, with two of those scores going to Kyle Kasper.
That win helped push BYU to the top of Pete Mundo’s Week 2 Big 12 Power Rankings, and it’s easy to see why. The Cougars came out of a season-opening game against Utah Tech with momentum, then backed it up against Noah Fifita and the Wildcats.
Fifita still threw for 230 yards, but BYU’s defense made him uncomfortable all afternoon and then shut Arizona out in the second half. Tausili Akana finished with 2.5 sacks, and the Cougars kept the Wildcats off the board after halftime.
BYU is 2-0 now and heads to Colorado State on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on CBS.
Another coach who picked up a major early-season boost was Eric Morris at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys came into Stillwater with Oregon listed as high as a 23.5-point favorite, and the upset changed the feel around the program fast.
Oklahoma State’s defense was the story, holding Dante Moore and the Ducks to 12 first downs, 5-of-14 on third down and 0-for-3 on third down. Morris also got the kind of game he needed from a team that’s expected to do damage on offense, but the defensive work - including a late Dierre Hill Jr. fumble - stood out most.
Oklahoma State is 1-1 and returns home Saturday to face Murray State. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
Utah’s Morgan Scalley has also wasted no time making his case. The Utes have opened with two lopsided wins, beating Idaho and Arkansas by a combined 109-24.
Against Arkansas, Devon Dampier completed 18 of 24 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, Utah’s defense has been led through two weeks by linebacker Jonathan Hall and tackle Jireh Moe, and it heads into this week’s trip to Utah State looking steady again.
Utah State is 0-2 and hosts Utah on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on FOX.
Then there’s Collin Klein at Kansas State, whose first stretch in charge has started exactly the way the Wildcats wanted. Kansas State has rolled past Nicholls and Washington State to open 2-0, with Avery Johnson, Rodney Fields and Wendell Gregory all delivering early.
The next test comes against Tulane, which owns a 2-1 edge in the all-time series after wins in 1988 and 2022. Klein was still on the Chris Klieman staff the last time the teams met, when Tulane won in New Orleans.
Kansas State took the most recent meeting, winning 34-27 in New Orleans for its first victory in school history.
Tulane is 1-1 and visits Manhattan on Saturday in one of the first games on the schedule. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. CT on ESPN2.
In Other News...
BYUs 2-0 Start Has A Breakout Star Fans Didnt See Coming
BYUs 2-0 start has come with an unexpected name popping up everywhere on the stat sheet. Cannon DeVries, the sophomore defensive back, has quickly become one of the Cougars most valuable players, leading the team in tackles while also giving the special teams unit a spark with his work as a kick and punt returner. His impact has stretched across both sides of the ball, and the coaching staff has leaned into his versatility at the nickel position.
The early-season resume already includes a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown in the opener, the kind of play that can change momentum for a young team in a hurry. Just as important for BYU, DeVries has looked steady enough in the defensive backfield to keep earning snaps, and teammates have taken notice of how naturally he has fit into a larger role. The bigger question now is how far that emergence can carry him as the schedule toughens and opponents start treating him like a player they have to plan around. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Tight End Duo Is Becoming A Real Problem For Defenses
BYUs offense has found something useful early in the season in a tight end room that looks deeper and more dangerous than it has in years. USC transfer Walker Lyons and Oregon transfer Roger Saleapaga II have both flashed as pass catchers and as blockers, giving the Cougars a pair of versatile options who can stay on the field in a variety of looks. Coaches have already pointed to this group as the best tight end unit BYU has had since 2018, and it has the feel of a position that can quietly shape how the offense functions week to week.
What makes the setup even more interesting is that Lyons and Saleapaga are not being treated like an either-or proposition. BYU expects them to play significant roles together, with additional depth behind them helping keep the position fresh and flexible. For a team looking for reliable mismatch options and more physicality at the point of attack, that kind of two-headed threat can be a real headache for defenses trying to sort out who is blocking, who is releasing and where the ball might go next. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Has The Edge But This Road Test Still Feels Dangerous
BYU heads into its road trip with plenty of numbers pointing in its favor, and the biggest edge may be the one that travels best: a run game that creates explosive plays. Colorado State has had a tough time holding up against the run, which gives the Cougars a clear path to controlling tempo if they can keep leaning on that strength and avoid giving the Rams extra possessions.
Still, this is the sort of matchup that can get weird fast if BYU is not sharp. Colorado State has shown the ability to create turnovers and finish drives without relying on third downs, even if its overall offense can be volatile from one series to the next. For BYU, staying on schedule and avoiding sloppy stretches may matter just as much as the favorable metrics, because road games against a team built on chaos rarely stay comfortable for long. [Read more 🡒]