BYU is standing behind Bear Bachmeier after the quarterback’s rough night in the Cougars’ loss at Utah, and the message from inside the program is clear: one bad game isn’t changing how they see him.
Bachmeier was intercepted four times against the Utes, a performance that put him squarely in the crosshairs as BYU tries to regroup this week against Baylor. But teammates say the criticism hasn’t shaken their belief in him.
“I know Bear. I know the character he has.
I know he's going to bounce back, and it's not just his fault,” said BYU offensive lineman Bruce Mitchell. “He's taken a lot of heat in the media.
He's taken it personally, and it's not just his fault. I got no doubt in Bear and have the utmost confidence in him that he's going to bounce back and have a great game this Saturday.”
Head coach Kalani Sitake struck the same tone, while also making it clear that quarterback play carries the biggest burden.
“There’s a factor for everybody to take the blame, but the bulk of it is on the quarterback, and nobody’s harder on him than he is himself right now,” said Sitake. “I believe in his talents.”
The loss makes BYU’s climb to the 12-team College Football Playoff more difficult, but the bigger postseason picture is already changing. On Monday, it became official that the College Football Playoff will grow to 24 teams in 2027.
“I wish there were 24 this year,” said Sitake with a chuckle. “I think there's a lot of interest, and there were a lot of people that were against it. Most coaches I've talked to love the idea, and I think it's a good move.”
For now, though, the Cougars are focused on the present - getting Bachmeier and the offense back on track.
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For a program still trying to salvage its season, the timing matters as much as the change itself. Michigan now has to win one of its remaining games to become bowl eligible, and the pressure to find answers has only intensified as the offense searches for a workable direction heading into the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]