College Football Front Page
Bachmeier’s dual-threat day carries No. 8 BYU to 24-10 win over Iowa State
Bear Bachmeier threw for 329 yards, ran for a career-best 109 and accounted for two touchdowns as BYU improved to 5-0 with a home victory at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
PROVO, Utah — Bear Bachmeier put on a show Friday night, passing for a season-high 329 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for a career-best 109 yards to lead No. 8 BYU to a 24-10 victory over Iowa State at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The performance was Bachmeier’s fourth career 300-yard game and helped the Cougars move to 5-0 (3-0 Big 12) while Iowa State fell to 3-3 (1-2).
Bachmeier was sharp from the outset, completing 73% of his attempts and connecting on his first seven passes. He went 4 of 4 on BYU’s opening drive and capped that possession with a 26-yard run that set up Journee Tonga’s 6-yard touchdown scamper. The quarterback’s command of the offense was on display throughout the night as he mixed efficient passing with decisive runs.
Big plays punctuated BYU’s scoring. Bachmeier’s 63-yard strike to Roger Saleapaga set up BYU’s second touchdown, and two plays later Kyler Kasper backpedaled across the goal line to put the Cougars up 14-3 with 1:51 remaining in the first half. Bachmeier later lofted a 75-yard dart to Legend Glasker to extend the lead to 21-3 with 1:09 left in the third quarter. Defensively, BYU smothered the Cyclones in the second quarter, allowing just six total yards (0.5 yards per play), and with LJ Martin sidelined seven different Cougar rushers combined for 177 yards on the ground.
Iowa State struggled to get going. Jaylen Raynor threw for 98 yards and a touchdown, and Aiden Flora finished with 86 rushing yards but managed only 11 before halftime as the Cyclones totaled just 49 yards in the first half and endured three straight second-quarter three-and-outs. BYU now prepares to host Notre Dame on Oct. 17, while Iowa State heads to Arizona on Oct. 24.