Bear Bachmeier made his first start look easy.
The No. 14 BYU quarterback threw for 198 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing score as the Cougars blasted Utah Tech 63-7 on Saturday night in Provo, Utah. Bachmeier did all of his damage in the first half before heading to the sideline, and BYU never came close to letting the Trailblazers into the game.
The Cougars controlled every part of the night. They piled up 521 total yards, averaged 7.7 yards per play and forced four turnovers while limiting Utah Tech to 52 total yards in the first half. BYU also kept its remarkable streak intact, remaining unbeaten against teams outside the FBS ranks since 1960.
Utah Tech’s rough start continued in lopsided fashion. The Trailblazers fell to 0-2 and have now been outscored 117-7 across their first two games. They’ve also given up at least 50 points in back-to-back outings for the first time since 2024.
The tone was set almost immediately. On Utah Tech’s first play, Therrian Alexander III picked off a pass at the Trailblazers’ 32-yard line and BYU cashed in less than two minutes into the game on a 9-yard fly-sweep run from Legend Glasker.
From there, the Cougars kept turning mistakes into points.
Late in the first quarter, Utah Tech quarterback CJ Tiller mishandled a snap, and BYU’s Tausili Akana fell on the ball at the Trailblazers’ 30. Two plays later, Glasker was back in the end zone, this time after hauling in a short pass and sprinting 26 yards for the score. Then Evan Johnson intercepted Tiller at the BYU 35 on the next Utah Tech possession, and Preston Rex finished that drive with a 9-yard touchdown run five plays later.
Tiller threw two interceptions before being benched early in the second quarter. Backup Bronson Barben came on and passed for 115 yards with one interception.
BYU kept the pressure on after halftime, too. The Cougars opened the third quarter with Cannon DeVries returning the kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, pushing the lead to 56-0 with 12:30 left in the period.
Utah Tech finally got on the board later in the third when Ace Chatman scored from a yard out with 4:45 remaining. But by then, the outcome had long since been settled.
In Other News...
BYU Defense Suddenly Faces A Bigger Question After Opening Win
BYUs opening win over Utah Tech came with a familiar August reminder that the first game can change a teams outlook in a hurry. The Cougars handled the result, but veteran safety Raider Damuni went down with a leg injury and had to be carried off the field, turning what should have been a clean season debut into a concern for the defenses early depth and experience.
Kalani Sitake said the program is still waiting on an MRI to get the official diagnosis, leaving the immediate status of one of BYUs more trusted defensive pieces unclear. The Cougars were already being careful with linebacker Isaiah Glasker, who sat out as a precaution so he could be rested for Arizona, so the next few days now carry a little more weight as BYU sorts out who will be available and how much change the defense might need to absorb. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Fans Will Learn A Lot From Kalani Sitake Tonight
BYU opens its 2026 season tonight against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium, and the game should offer an early look at how Kalani Sitake intends to steer this team. After a year of talking about the need to compete at the highest level, Sitake enters the opener with a clear mandate to show that the Cougars are not just aiming to win, but to do it with a sharper edge and a more aggressive feel from the start.
For BYU, the bigger question is what those coaching decisions signal about the programs broader ambitions. The Cougars have spent plenty of time trying to earn more respect in the College Football Playoff picture, and the opener should tell fans a lot about how Sitake plans to attack that challenge. Even against an overmatched opponent, the way BYU handles the night may reveal how serious it is about making a real national statement. [Read more 🡒]
College GameDay Just Gave BYU Fans A Big 12 Reason To Believe
ESPNs College GameDay season kickoff offered BYU fans a little bit of national validation before the real grind of the Big 12 begins. The panel spent time sorting through the conference race and debating the teams most likely to be standing at the end, with the conversation framed around prospects, matchups and how quickly the league could sort itself out once the season gets rolling.
For Cougar fans, the encouraging part was simply hearing BYU in the mix rather than on the outside looking in. The predictions were split across the studio, with some of the biggest names on the set landing on a different favorite and Pat McAfee going his own way, which only underscored how open the conference feels. Still, BYU being mentioned as a title pick on a stage like that is the kind of attention that can travel a long way through a fan base. [Read more 🡒]