Did Bear Bachmeier’s historic start offer a glimpse of things to come?

In his college debut Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium, BYU freshman Bear Bachmeier did what Texas redshirt sophomore quarterback Arch Manning couldn’t do for No. 1-ranked Texas at Ohio State, win.

Yes, of course, comparing what Manning faced in Columbus against the mighty Buckeyes to what Bachmeier did against a now 0-2 FCS Portland State team is ludicrous. PSU has now been outscored 111-0 in two games, almost 70 of that from the Cougars.

But in Week 1 of college football, it is all about perspective. If you do that, Bachmeier’s historic true freshman start was a curious exercise; only a beginning with chapters yet to be written, a career yet to blossom with little, albeit impressive, evidence of ability.

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And it thrilled the largest crowd in LaVell Edwards Stadium since playing TCU 16 years ago.

“He was really calm under pressure and went through his checkdowns,” BYU running back LJ Martin told KSL radio. “We wanted to make it easy for him in his first game.”

There’s still much to learn about Bachmeier in the weeks to come. He didn’t face a TCU or Utah blitz or pressure. He wasn’t sacked or even hardly harassed. He was kind of protected. He wasn’t asked to make all kinds of throws. His script was simple and vanilla.

But in the competitive realm he played, comparing his Saturday to six other Big 12 quarterbacks who faced FCS competition Saturday, the kid did just fine.

He didn’t fumble.

He didn’t mess up the play clock.

He didn’t throw an interception, trip over a yard stripe, bumble a snap, cause the offense to get a penalty or even make a glaring, embarrassing error. It didn’t appear he forgot any formations or schemes. His execution was top-drawer.

That’s mostly because BYU absolutely dominated undermanned and undersized Portland State 69-0, outgaining PSU 606 to 51 total yards. It was BYU’s largest shutout since a 65-0 win in 1988 (New Mexico) and largest margin of victory since defeating UTEP 83-7 in 1980.

Bachmeier’s services were barely needed when his offense produced 468 on the ground, the most-ever by a Kalani Sitake-coached team.

When Bachmeier left the game for good at halftime, he’d thrown only 11 passes, many of them uncomplicated throws requiring little progression of reads — just simple timing throws. That’s all offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick asked of him in a kind of incubation experience to major college football.

Before BYU’s coaching staff put Bear in hibernation for Stanford next week, he’d completed seven of those 11 throws for 97 yards, three touchdowns and had run for two more in basically 19 minutes.

The kid played a hand in five touchdowns.

“I think he did a great job,” said Sitake. “Once he got hit I think he settled down. He had good demeanor and great presence out there and I think the guys felt great about how he handled things.”

Bachmeier’s job in this game became evident early. He was to be a game manager for the first two quarters, letting Martin carry a big load. Martin had 131 yards on eight carries (16.9 yards per carry) in the first half. He was to rely on BYU’s defense and special teams to do their work, and they did, with a Jack Kelly blocked field goal return for 57-yard touchdown as BYU’s first score of the game.

Bachmeier’s historic start as BYU’s first freshman got off to a slow start. Because of a Portland State forced fumble on Cougar returner Parker Kingston and Kelly’s blocked FG return TD, he only had five plays with 2:33 remaining in the first quarter.

On BYU’s second possession, Martin gained 52 yards on two carries to Portland State’s 4-yard line when Bachmeier hit Chase Roberts on a quick receiver delay for a 4-yard TD. It was the first score of his college career and came on the ninth play of his debut, a four-play 54-yard drive.

On his third career possession, Bachmeier ran a bootleg right, pulled up and hit tight end Noah Moeaki across the middle of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown. It was his second TD of the day and it came on his 16th career play. At that stage he was 3-of-6 passing, but the offense was averaging 7.8 yards per play and BYU led 21-0 with 9:52 to play in the first half.

On Bachmeier’s fourth possession, the 20th play of his career, there was a 360-degree pivot toss to receiver Cody Hagen, who took the end-around 57 yards for a touchdown and a 28-0 BYU lead.

As BYU’s defense began to dominate the line and smother PSU, Bachmeier would get three more possessions of the game before halftime brought in sophomore McCae Hillstead in relief to begin the third quarter.

On his fifth possession following a PSU fumble inside its own 10, Bachmeier called his own number at the 4-yard line and dove in from the 1-yard line for a touchdown to give BYU a 35-0 lead with 6:15 left before intermission. It was his 22nd play of the game. He was 4-of-7 passing for 26 yards but the offense was averaging 9.8 yards per play.

• Bachmeier’s sixth possession began at BYU’s own 9-yard line but a 25-yard Martin run and two passes to tight end Carsen Ryan — making his debut as a Cougar — gained 47 yards. Bachmeier hit Ryan on a 22-yard post pattern at the goal line and Ryan lifted the under-thrown pass off the helmet off safety Isaiah Green for an impressive TD catch and 42-0 BYU lead. It was Bachmeier’s 10th pass of his college career and 26th play of the game and he was 6-of-10 passing.

On Bachmeier’s final possession of the game he ran 11 yards up the middle, hit Hagen for a 24-yard gain and after Martin galloped for 11 yards, the young rookie used a QB draw play to rip up the middle of PSU’s defense and dive into the endzone from 3 yards out to put the Cougars up 48-0 with 49 seconds to play in the first half.

He exited the game with five touchdowns accounted for on his 30th play of the game. His quarterback rating was 227.7. The offense he was operating gained 364 yards and had not punted at that point in the game. His defense had held PSU to 44 yards, most all of that coming on the first possession of the game.

The only way you can even begin to make comparisons of what Bachmeier encountered in BYU’s win over Portland State is to look at what other Big 12 quarterbacks did against FCS competition this weekend.

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His quarterback rating (227.7) Saturday is comparable to Kansas QB Jalon Daniels (210), behind Iowa State’s Rocco Becht at 261.3 and Texas Tech’s Behren Morton (256), far better than Kansas State’s veteran Avery Johnson (134.9), and West Virginia’s Nicco Marchiol — all against FCS foes.

Kansas beat Wagner 46-7, and senior star Daniels completed 18 of 25 for 280 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. He had a 210 rating.

West Virginia beat Robert Morris 45-3, and Nicco Marchiol completed 17 of 20 for 224 yards and one touchdown.

For Iowa State’s return from Dublin and win over Kansas State, seasoned redshirt junior QB Becht completed 19 of 20 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns in a 55-7 win over South Dakota.

No. 17 Kansas State’s sophomore QB Avery Johnson was 26 of 41 for 305 yards and two TDs in a 38-35 late fourth-quarter win over North Dakota. Johnson had to play the entire game and his team was behind just before the end.

At halftime of Big 12-defending champion ASU’s game with Northern Arizona, Sam Leavitt was 13 of 19 for 151 yards and one touchdown for a 152 rating in a 17-6 halftime score.

In Lubbock No. 23 Texas Tech QB Behren Morton played sparingly in a 67-7 blowout win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, completing 16 of 18 passes for 201 yards and four touchdowns.

Of his runs, Bachmeier said he was ready.

“You kind of go back to your innate nature and make guys miss,” said Bachmeier of his runs. “It’s football, you want to get hit and settle into the game.”

His college debut was a great moment, he said. Especially with a sellout crowd and the atmosphere Saturday night.

“It was crazy, it was surreal, your heart starts beating, it was a great experience.”