The No. 8 BYU Cougars secured a 27-20 victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils on Saturday afternoon, October 31, 2026, at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The win moves the Cougars to a 7-1 record on the season.
Offensive Performance and Scoring
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier completed 19 of 30 passes for 236 yards and one touchdown to lead the Cougars. Bachmeier's passing performance included a touchdown to Kyler Kasper late in the second quarter, which helped extend the BYU lead to 14 points at that time. Despite the victory, Bachmeier also recorded one interception during the contest.
Running back Sione Moa provided a significant offensive contribution, rushing for 20 yards and scoring two touchdowns. The BYU ground game was limited, as the team finished the game with a total of 47 rushing yards. Other rushing contributions included 16 yards from Bachmeier, 15 yards from Legend Glasker, and 2 yards from Journee Tonga.
Receiving and Passing Details
The BYU receiving corps was led by Legend Glasker and Kyler Kasper, who combined for 144 yards and one touchdown. Glasker recorded 87 yards on four receptions, including a 53-yard catch late in the fourth quarter that helped set up the game-winning touchdown. Kasper added 57 yards on five receptions.
Tight ends Walker Lyons and Roger Saleapaga II contributed 49 and 26 receiving yards, respectively. Reggie Frischknecht also recorded 17 yards on three receptions. The Cougars' offense struggled on third downs, a point noted by head coach Kalani Sitake following the game.
Arizona State Offensive Stats
Arizona State's offense was led by quarterback Jake Fette, who completed 22 of 42 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns. The Sun Devils' rushing attack was bolstered by Cardae Mack, who accumulated 123 yards on 23 carries. Other rushing totals included 34 yards for Kyson Brown and 8 yards for Fette.
On the receiving side for Arizona State, Derek Eusebio recorded 48 yards on seven receptions. Other notable receivers included Omarion Miller with 47 yards, AJ Ia with 37 yards, and Kyson Brown with 20 yards. The Sun Devils also recorded one interception during the game.
Defensive Stand and Sacks
The BYU defense, led by Kelly Poppinga, recorded a season-high six sacks, all of which occurred during the first half. This performance represents the second-most sacks by any FBS team in a single half this season and the most for the Cougars in a single game since 2015.
Faletau Satuala led the defensive effort with nine total tackles, including five solo stops and one tackle for loss. Isaiah Glasker and Cade Uluave each recorded one sack and a total of 15 combined tackles. Jayven Williams contributed seven tackles, including six solo stops and three pass breakups. The defense also recorded eight total sacks.
Defensive Key Plays
Arizona State's defense was anchored by a total of 56 tackles, with Owen Long leading the team with 10 tackles. The Sun Devil defense also recorded one interception and four sacks.
During the game, Nusi Taumoepeau forced a fumble on Arizona State's first drive, which was recovered by Isaiah Glasker at the Sun Devil 29-yard line. This sequence allowed the BYU offense to score a touchdown, with Sione Moa carrying the ball into the end zone.
Coach Reactions
Following the game, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake expressed both pride and a desire for improvement. "Interesting game. Glad we got the victory," Sitake said. "Obviously there's a lot of things we need to improve on, but I think we have to give Arizona State a lot of credit. They made things difficult for us. They made it interesting, especially at the end."
Sitake noted that the third quarter was particularly challenging for the team. "That third quarter was tough. A lot of plays for our defense. Third down was not good for our offense, and we could not run the ball for some reason. There's things we need to improve on, but I am really proud of the way the guys played and the belief they have in each other."
Looking Ahead
The victory moves the Cougars to a 7-1 record. The team will look to build on this performance as they prepare for next week's matchup.
