BYU heads into Week 8 riding the kind of momentum that can change the conversation around a program fast. The Cougars just knocked off Notre Dame 28-24, one of the biggest wins in school history, and the payoff showed up immediately in the AP Poll: BYU climbed to No.
- That’s the highest ranking the program has reached since its 1984 National Championship season.
Now the Cougars have to back it up. They’ll put their 6-0 record on the line against UCF, which comes in at 3-3 and has dropped two straight.
A big reason BYU has made this run is Bear Bachmeier. He’s been the engine of the offense all season, giving defenses headaches as both a passer and a runner. Bachmeier has thrown for 1,257 yards and added 284 more on the ground, and he was a major factor in the win over Notre Dame with 224 passing yards, a touchdown through the air, plus 45 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.
Still, there’s a case for the Knights to make this one uncomfortable. UCF’s record doesn’t tell the whole story, and one of its clearest strengths lines up with BYU’s biggest vulnerability.
The Cougars sit outside the top 30 nationally in defensive success rate and can be attacked through the air. They’re most dangerous when they can run the ball, and if an opponent can bottle that up, BYU becomes much more workable.
UCF has the profile to do exactly that, ranking 27th in opponent EPA per rush.
The matchup sets up as a classic strength-on-strength test in the Big 12, with BYU trying to extend its perfect start and UCF looking to spring a surprise after a rough stretch.
In Other News...
UCFs BYU Upset Hopes Suddenly Hinge On One Bye Week Decision
The bye week arrived at a good time for UCF, with the Knights trying to line up as much help as possible before facing unbeaten BYU. Quarterback Alonza Barnett III, wide receiver Duane Thomas Jr. and linebacker Lewis Carter have all been working back from injury, giving Scott Frost and his staff a few important decisions to sort through as the matchup approaches.
Frost said Barnett is making really good progress, but he stopped short of saying whether the quarterback will be ready to start against the Cougars. Thomas and Carter are also in the mix as possible returnees after missing time, and their availability could shape both sides of the ball for a UCF team trying to find enough firepower and stability to challenge BYU. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Heads Into Huge BYU Test With One Big Offensive Reality
Alonza Barnett III will remain out when UCF takes on No. 2 BYU at home, leaving the Knights to lean once again on Keyone Jenkins under center in one of their biggest games of the season. Barnetts hamstring injury has kept him sidelined for weeks, and with UCF staring at a top-tier opponent, the quarterback situation is no longer a side note but one of the defining realities of the matchup.
Jenkins has steadied himself recently and given the offense a chance to stay competitive against quality competition, which matters even more now with BYU coming in ranked second. The Knights need that continued progress to translate into a cleaner, more efficient performance if they want to make the home setting count, and the pressure around his role only grows with Barnett still unavailable. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Is Handing Its Backcourt To Two New Faces
UCF is leaning on two new guards to help steer its season, with Johnny Dawkins naming Arturo Dean and Cayden Vasko as captains for the year ahead. Both arrived through the transfer portal with different resumes and similar expectations: Dean brings backcourt experience from stops at Florida International and Oklahoma State, while Vasko comes over from Wofford with a reputation for running an offense cleanly and fitting into different roles.
The pairing gives the Knights a fresh leadership structure in a backcourt that also includes returners Riley Kugel, Carmelo Pacheco and John Bol. For a roster trying to blend new faces with holdovers, the captaincy choice says plenty about where Dawkins wants the tone set, even if the real test will come once the guards start having to prove it on the floor. [Read more 🡒]