Truth be told, I didn't expect BYU football to pull off the upset in Lubbock against a very, very good Texas Tech team. I would have liked to see the Cougars keep the score a little closer, but at the end of the day, Bear Bachmeier looked like a true freshman and Tech's defense looked championship-ready. It was a disappointing end to BYU's unbeaten season, but at 8-1, the Cougars still controlled their own destiny for the Big 12 title game--and, by extention, the College Football Playoff--coming out of it. I don't have much more to say about that game.
On the other hand, I have a great deal more to say about the BYU's next game, as the Cougars returned home to Provo to face off against TCU. These two teams last met in Fort Worth in 2023, a game where BYU was totally outclassed and suffered a 44-11 beatdown at the hands of true freshman quarterback Josh Hoover.
As it turns out, vengeance is so, so sweet. This time, the Cougars were playing at home, in the raucous confines of LaVell Edwards Stadium, and they were trotting out their own true freshman phenom, Bear Bachmeier. The two teams' 2023 roles were totally reversed, with the BYU defense shutting down Josh Hoover and the Cougar offense shredding TCU's secondary. Even the score was almost identical, with BYU winning 44-13 in the end. It was an incredibly cathartic and satisfying victory, and it was vital for BYU's season trajectory. Thanks to this win, the Cougars still fully control their own destiny. If they win their next two games, they are locked into the Big 12 title game. This is, without a doubt, the best shot a BYU team has ever had at a berth in the playoff. It is an exciting time to be a BYU fan. Here are some thoughts from a dominating Cougar victory over TCU:
The Good:
The BYU defense, which looked so lifeless in the loss at Texas Tech, rediscovered its groove against the Horned Frogs. The Cougars scored on their first six possessions, including four touchdowns. Bear Bachmeier bounced back nicely from his first career loss, completing 23 of 33 pass attempts for 296 yards, a touchdown, and no turnovers while also rushing for 59 yards and a score. He looked poised, confident, and controlled en route to winning Big 12 Offensive Co-Player of the Week honors. His two star receivers, Chase Roberts and Parker Kingston, also did their part with five catches apiece, and Carson Ryan had arguably his best game as a Cougar with four catches for 79 yards and a huge 43-yard catch and run for a touchdown.
The BYU defense put on a masterclass against TCU's potent passing attack, sacking Josh Hoover four times and holding him to a miserable stat line of 10/32 for 183 yards, two interceptions, and no touchdowns. The Cougars also stuffed the Frogs on the ground, limiting them to 115 yards as a team. Tanner Wall picked off his third pass of the season and returned it for a score, the first pick-six of his career. The BYU pass rush, led by Tausili Akana, Nusi Taumoepeau, and Hunter Clegg, was absolutely electric, harassing Hoover all night. An underrated contributor from this game was linebacker Max Alford, who tied with Isaiah Glasker for the team lead in tackles. Alford has earned more snaps in recent weeks and has taken advantage of the opportunities he's been given. This is a very special BYU defense, with a ton of young talent that should keep Jay Hill in a great place for the next few seasons.
Special teams had a bit of an odd day (more on that in a bit), but Will Ferrin was his usual generational self, nailing all three of his field goal attempts and extending his program-record streak of made PATs to 111. For his efforts, he was named the Big 12's Special Teams Co-Player of the Week. Position-for-position, he is arguably the Cougars' best player this season and has been a key part of the team's success.
The Bad:
There isn't a lot to complain about from what turned out to be a dominant three-phase win for BYU. The only real issue I had with the Cougars' performance was that Kalani Sitake and Aaron Roderick once again let off the gas completely in the fourth quarter with a 37-13 lead. Tanner Wall's pick-six put them over 40 regardless, but Kalani's refusal to score style points is once again likely to be problematic for this team. If the Cougars are left out of the playoff with an 11-2 record and a conference title game appearance, at least some of the blame will rest on the staff's complete unwillingness to look good winning.
I also have to point out BYU's strange punter situation in this game. Sam Vander Haar was sidelined from his usual punting duties with the same leg injury that caused him to uncharacteristically shank two punts against Texas Tech last week, and true freshman Fuller Shurtz started in his place. It was an...inauspicious start to Shurtz's BYU career--he punted once for 41 yards, but on his second attempt, he simply dropped the ball while trying to kick it, and the fumble was recovered by the Horned Frogs. Like the style points issue, this mistake was rectified by Tanner Wall's pick-six, which ended the ensuing TCU possession. That said, Shurtz might not be quite ready for the bright lights yet, and Vander Haar will hopefully be ready to go for the Cincinnati game.
Beating TCU feels really good--this win avenged the 2023 beatdown nicely and also snapped a five-game BYU losing streak against the Frogs dating back to the infamous 2008 College Gameday game. Next up for the Cougars is an all-important road matchup against Cincinnati, a team that started the season hot but has cooled off significantly. The Bearcats are good, but beatable. In particular, their defense has looked very vulnerable in back-to-back losses to Utah and Arizona, two teams that BYU has already beaten this year.
It's no exaggeration to say that from here on out, every game is the most consequential for BYU since 1984. The Cougars fully control their own destiny for the conference championship game--if they beat Cincy and UCF, they're in. Even if they lose one of those two games, a lot of the potential tiebreaker scenarios would favor them. This BYU team still has everything to play for, and it's an incredibly exciting time to be a Cougar fan.