The ups and downs, ebbs and flows of college and NFL football games is an actual science. Losses can damage confidence and wins can leave a team with a euphoric hangover that can cost them the next week.
The latter is the situation BYU is battling this week as it heads to Ames to play Iowa State, a team that has had two weeks to prepare for the Cougar visit.
Fresh off an emotional win over Utah in Provo, the Cougars displayed several important traits, including zero turnovers. The Cougars ran the ball against a tough Ute defense, amassing more yards than Utah normally yields. On defense, BYU got three sacks against a highly touted Ute offensive line, which had given up only six all season.
Iowa State has suffered some key injuries, including some that have impacted two talented starting corners. BYU’s defense will need to defend a solid ISU offense led by Rocco Becht, the Big 12’s No. 7-ranked passer. BYU will counter with LJ Martin, the league’s No. 1 rusher and quarterback in Bear Bachmeier, who is ranked the No. 4 play-action passer in the country.
A key for the Cougars during the seven-straight wins has been offensive line play and the production of Martin, as explained in my piece here. Martin gained more yards rushing on Utah than any BYU running back since 2007.
Cougar Insider predictions
Question of the week: At the halfway point in the season, declare what you believe is BYU’s identity at No. 11 and 7-0, and is it sustainable the rest of the season, especially on the road in Ames, Lubbock and Cincinnati? Predict BYU vs. Iowa State.
Jay Drew: This BYU football team has taken on the identity and personality of its head coach, Kalani Sitake. That is to say that the Cougars are doing what made Utah so successful a decade ago, when Sitake was there. They are running the ball well, limiting their turnovers and playing outstanding defense, which tends to travel well.
Except this is not a bend-don’t-break defense, the kind of which got the Cougars in trouble before Jay Hill arrived in 2023. It is an attacking defense that forces turnovers, even if the pass rush still leaves something to be desired.
Offensively, the Cougars have shown just enough balance to be successful, as offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick has masterfully brought freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier along.
Is it sustainable? I think so, although at some point BYU’s lack of a bona fide, experienced running back behind LJ Martin is going to catch up to them. Converted safety Preston Rex has shown some flashes as a receiver out of the backfield, but sooner or later BYU has to find an RB2 to complement Martin — who is arguably the best player on the team.
It feels like BYU will have to score more than 30 points per game in its next three road games, beginning Saturday against Iowa State. They should be up to the task in Ames, as the Cyclones are a bit shaky in the secondary.
Prediction: BYU 31, Iowa State 27
Dick Harmon: You see teams putting up 40-plus points and 500 yards a game. Utah and Texas Tech are those kinds of teams. BYU is not. The Cougars are a defensive-minded, ball and clock controlled team that features complementary team football, winning with all three phases. Conservative by design, the Cougars are capable of chunk yards and big plays on special teams and defense. This is the 7-0 and No. 11-ranked identity.
BYU has proven to be a grind-it-out, physical team capable of holding on to one-score games. That takes confidence and preparation, and lack of panic in tough situations. This is a credit to the coaches and discipline of the players. The wins at Colorado, Arizona and the most recent win over rival Utah prove the Cougars are a Big 12 contender because they are a team that just gets the job done, style points or not.
It is impressive that this BYU team has taken on the personality of its most visible player, freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier: calm, poised, effective and prepared. BYU could very well lose in coming weeks with some tough games on the schedule. But don’t count them out: They believe in one another and that is an intangible trait of winners.
Prediction: BYU 27, Iowa State 24
Cougar tales
Here’s a roundup of our coverage of BYU’s 24-21 win over Utah:
- What a national magazine wrote about Sitake (Dick Harmon)
- Bachmeier became a legend, he just doesn’t know it (Dick Harmon)
- Sights, sounds of “Big Noon Kickoff” (Jackson Payne)
- Three takeaways from BYU’s win (Jackson Payne)
- Three takeaways from Utah’s loss (Brandon Judd)
- How social media reacted to BYU win (Jackson Payne)
- BYU legally wins, no stolen victory (Jay Drew)
- Did loss impact Whittingham’s retirement plans? (Brandon Judd)
From the archives
From the X-verse
Extra points
- Crumbl CEO pays fine for fans storming field (Deseret News)
- Bachmeier elite in three QB categories (Sports Illustrated)
- Van Noy, Swag Daddy enjoy return to BYU (Provo Herald)
Fanalysts
Comments from Deseret News readers:
All of us could take a page out of the book of Kalani, LaVell, McBride and Holmoe! Some of the toughest and most competitive guys, who are some of the most loving and uplifting at the same time.
Urban and Whitt and the Utah current athletic director were/are not balanced, and it is showing in the culture, and in the product and recruiting! All you have to do is listen to both coaches or ADs speak, and the difference is unmistakable!
One team is rising … the other faltering, and I’d rather have both teams be great!
Utah, you can bring it back … remember McBride and LaVell … emulate that … correct your own when they spew hatred, vitriol and bigotry. I do it to Coug dweebs when I see their trolling that goes too far. Believe me, I know it goes both ways and so does Kalani.
To both sides … quit posting or supporting online what you wouldn’t say in person or that you wouldn’t want your kids to hear or emulate!
P.S. I would say this to your face … and tell you that I respect the rivalry and your hardworking Ute team. Let’s keep the excitement and magic, but bring back the respect and the love!
— Howboutthisjazz
Both quarterbacks had great runs, but one looked unstoppable. Had you told me that Bear would have the exact same rushing yards as Dampier, I would have loaned money from the bank and gone to Vegas. This game has more than just a big “W” in the column, it has in-state recruits looking at what program is excelling and on the rise, and which one is not. My guess is Whit is retiring and with three in a row and Whit gone, it will be an easy choice which program to commit to.
— MichaelDean
Up next
- Oct. 22 | TBA | softball | Utah Valley
- Oct. 23 | TBA | softball | Utah Valley
- Oct. 23 | 7 p.m. | women’s volleyball |@ Baylor
- Oct. 23 | 7 p.m. | soccer | Kansas
- Oct. 24 | TBA | men’s tennis | @ Montana State
- Oct. 24 | 7 p.m. | men’s basketball | North Carolina
- Oct. 25 | 11 a.m. | softball | @Utah Tech
- Oct. 25 | noon | women’s volleyball | @ TCU
- Oct. 25 | 1:30 p.m. | football | @ Iowa State