What to watch for in BYU's season opener against Utah Tech
By Nate Church,
September 3, 2026
Link to X (formally Twitter) User
For the first time this season, the BYU will take the field on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium against Utah Tech.Kickoff is at 6 p.m. for the game against the Cougars and Trailblazers. It will be broadcast on ESPN+.After ending last season with a 12-2 record and a postseason win in the PopTarts bowl over Georgia Tech, BYU enters the new season as the No. 14 team in the nation. The Cougars retained much of their roster from last year and carry the heavy weight of College Football Playoff expectations on their shoulders.Saturday’s game will be the second all-time between BYU and Utah Tech. The last time the two teams played was on Nov. 22, 2022, also in Provo, Utah. Despite their FCS status, the Trailblazers came out strong in the first half of that game and were down by only eight points at halftime.However, then-quarterback Jaren Hall blew the game wide open in the second half. At game’s end, Hall threw for over 450 yards. The Cougars finished the game with more than 600 yards of total offense and defeated Utah Tech 52-26.Now with sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier at the helm, BYU will look to replicate its success from the previous matchup. Bachmeier threw for more than 3,000 yards last season and rushed for 11 touchdowns, the most in single-season history. Alongside Bachmeier is Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year LJ Martin, who rushed for 1,305 yards last season and is projected to maintain his title as repeat conference offensive player of the year.
Photo by Sienna Puckrin
BYU will feature some new faces on both offense and defense, including transfer wide receiver Kyler Kasper and highly touted linebacker Cade Uluave. BYU’s defense was one of the best in the country last season in points allowed and takeaways. Under new defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga, the defense is expected to maintain, or improve on last year’s success.Utah Tech, in its first season as members of the Big Sky Conference, played its first game of the season last weekend on Aug. 29 against the No. 1 ranked FCS team in the nation, Montana State. The Trailblazers struggled in their season opener, losing 54-0.The Utah Tech defense allowed 447 yards of offense, two sacks and zero forced turnovers. On the offensive side of the ball, the Trailblazers struggled to run the ball, finishing the game with 58 rushing yards. Quarterback Bronson Barben threw two interceptions, one of which was returned 28 yards for a Montana State score.Coming into the season, the BYU running backs room and offensive line are rated as two of the best units in the Cougars’ offensive arsenal. With the Trailblazers defense giving up 140 rushing yards last weekend, BYU is likely to rely on their run game in Saturday’s matchup.However, the 307 passing yards that Montana State put up against Utah Tech last weekend will also give the Cougars a chance to test out their new wide receiving core. The three starters, Jojo Phillips, Kyler Kasper and true freshman Legend Glasker, all turned heads in camp and have been the biggest talking point around BYU football this offseason.Despite its lack of experience, only 20 collegiate receptions combined last season, the new group showed some promise during fall camp.Bachmeier has also shown significant growth this offseason. Last season, as a true freshman, Bachmeier was known for his ability to tuck the ball and bulldoze through defenders. Now that he has a full offseason under his belt, he looks much more poised in the pocket. His accuracy and passing attack have improved significantly.While fans can still expect to see Bachmeier take off in one of his signature touchdown runs, his refined passing ability and BYU’s need to prove its new wide receivers will provide an early glimpse at what this season’s passing threat will look like before Big 12 conference play begins.
Tags
byu football
Bear Bachmeier
Featured - Sports
Share
Link to X (formally Twitter) User
