Bear Bachmeier threw for a season-high 329 yards and two touchdowns on Friday, Oct. 8, to lead No. 8 BYU to a 24-10 victory over Iowa State in Provo, Utah. The win moved the Cougars to a 5-0 record and 3-0 in the Big 12.
Bachmeier completed 22 of 30 passes, marking his fourth career 300-yard game. He also recorded a career-best 109 yards on the ground during the matchup. His performance helped BYU overcome the absence of running back LJ Martin, as seven different players contributed to a 177-yard rushing total. The victory was aided by a stingy defense that allowed only six total yards in the second quarter, yielding 0.5 yards per play.
BYU's scoring included a touchdown run by Journee Tonga and a touchdown run by Kyler Kasper. Bachmeier also threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Legend Glasker in the third quarter to extend the lead to 21-3. Despite totaling 506 yards, BYU failed to convert on three fourth-down attempts, including two unsuccessful attempts inside the Iowa State 5-yard line.
Iowa State, which moved to a 3-3 record and 1-2 in the Big 12, finished with 200 total yards, their lowest single-game total since 2018. Jaylen Raynor threw for 98 yards and a touchdown, including a 1-yard pass to Christian Greenlaw in the fourth quarter. The Cyclones' offense struggled significantly, totaling only 49 yards before halftime, which was their fewest since 2017.
BYU coach Kalani Sitake stated that he trusts Bachmeier's ability to make the right decisions regardless of whether the defense focuses on the run or the pass. Cyclones coach Jimmy Rogers noted that the team failed to be as competitive as expected during the contest.
BYU is scheduled to host Notre Dame on Oct. 17, while Iowa State will play at Arizona on Oct. 24.
