In a couple of weeks, No. 11 BYU will get a bit of a break before it travels to Lubbock, Texas, to take on the No. 14 Texas Tech at Jones AT&T Stadium, and not just because the Red Raiders are not going to allow fans to throw tortillas onto the field following kickoffs.
That’s a longstanding, and seemingly harmless, tradition on the South Plains.
The undefeated Cougars (7-0, 4-0) will be idle the week before the showdown of Big 12 championship game contenders, while Texas Tech will be at Kansas State on Nov. 1.
However, BYU is on the other side of the deal this week, as it travels to Ames, Iowa, for the first time since a 34-7 loss in 1974 to face Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium — the second-largest football venue in the Big 12 with a capacity of 61,500.
Iowa State (5-2, 2-2) was idle last weekend while BYU was caught up in another excruciating and emotional duel with rival Utah, and has had an extra week to rest up and prepare for the Cougars.
In his weekly press briefing Monday, BYU coach Kalani Sitake acknowledged that it is just one of those rub-of-the-green things and the Cougars will have to deal with it. BYU also had an extra week to prepare for an opponent in September before it downed East Carolina 34-13 in Greenville, North Carolina.
“Yeah, we’ve been in that position where we’ve had some extra time to prepare, so we know it could be a benefit,” Sitake said. “You just have to be ready for a lot of different things. One thing that we’ve learned this year is that we’ve seen a lot of different things that maybe didn’t show up on film week to week.
“So when a team is given an extra week to prepare for us, there’s probably a definite (chance) that we are going to see things that they haven’t put on film yet. So we just have to anticipate it and (plan for) some of the things that maybe we might have struggled with in the first seven games.”
One thing BYU’s top-20 defense (No. 18) struggled with against Utah in last Saturday’s 24-21 win was the Utes’ perimeter rushing attack. The Utes rushed for 226 yards, including Daniel Bray’s 49-yard TD run that gave the Utes a brief 14-10 lead.
“They might try to capitalize on it,” Sitake said. “We just have to be ready for all of it. That’s what the focus will be on for us (this week), as well as all three phases going into this game.”
Iowa State lost 24-17 at Colorado on Oct. 11 in its last time out, the Cyclones’ second-straight loss after they started the season 5-0 and reached a No. 14 national ranking.
“Watching them on film, they do all the little things (well),” Sitake said. “So it is not going to be easy going on the road, but I look forward to the matchup. There are a lot of really cool things that we can work on (this week).”
Other takeaways from Sitake’s weekly press briefing:
BYU has never defeated ISU in five tries
The Cougars are 0-5 against Iowa State all-time, including a 45-13 loss in 2023 in Provo. Before that game, the teams had not played since the aforementioned game in Ames in 1974. They also played in 1968, 1969 and 1973.
“Iowa State is a really well-coached team with a lot of athletes and great players in all three phases,” Sitake said. “And we’re going to be in (front of) their home crowd, so that’s always going to be a good challenge.
“But I’m looking forward to it. I want our guys to embrace the opportunity and have fun with it. It is gonna be a really cool environment.”
It will be BYU’s first afternoon game since that 28-23 loss at Arizona State last November, which was the last time the Cougars lost. They’ve won nine straight since then, the second-longest winning streak in the country, behind only defending national champion Ohio State’s 11.
BYU’s health after physical rivalry game
Sitake said that although the rivalry game with Utah was hard-hitting and physical, the Cougars did not sustain any serious injuries.
“Guys are banged up, but I think that everybody that played in that game should play in this next one, too,” he said. “We will see.”
The coach said updates will be given Wednesday on the status of running back Sione Moa (compartment syndrome), safety Raider Damuni (ribs) and receiver JoJo Phillips (clavicle). Damuni, who did not play against Utah, is listed as a co-starter on the depth chart at strong safety with sophomore Faletau Satuala.
“We are looking forward to those guys coming back soon,” Sitake said when specifically asked about Moa and Phillips, guys who have been out since early September. “I don’t know if they will be ready for this week, but we will see. That’s a day-to-day thing.”
Bear Bachmeier not getting a big head
True freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week for the fifth time this season after becoming the first BYU freshman quarterback to ever beat the Utes last week. Sunday, former BYU linebacker Brandon Ogletree posted a video on X of Bachmeier and his brother, Tiger, volunteering at a senior retirement home.
As the attention grows for the 19-year-old from Southern California, Sitake said he’s certain that Bachmeier will remain humble and hungry.
“He’s the exact definition of it. That’s why. I mean, you guys have been watching him. Have you seen any of the success go to his head at all? He is humble. He thinks of others. He’s a great teammate. So it’s great to have him and the coaches and everybody bought into what we’re trying to focus on, which is the team.
“I mean, he went and did service (on Sunday) on his time off, and so this young man gets it, and we just need to make sure that we keep putting him in position where he can really thrive and stay humble and stay hungry, the standard that we’ve set. … He does that automatically. I wish I could take credit for that, but that’s already ingrained in him from his family.”
