FORT WORTH, Texas — BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier was today named to the Davey O'Brien Award's Great 8, recognizing his play in BYU’s 41-27 win over Iowa State as one of the top quarterback performances from week nine of the season. Bachmeier was also officially added to the Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award Midseason Watch List.
The Davey O’Brien Quarterback Award honors candidates who exemplify Davey O’Brien’s enduring character while exhibiting teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership in both academics and athletics.
Bachmeier, a 6-2, 230-pound true freshman from Murrieta, California, completed 22-of-34 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns in No. 10 BYU's win at ISU. Prior to playing the Cougars, the Cyclone defense had not allowed a 300-yard passer in 21-consecutive games. Bachmeier also had 12 carries for 49 yards and a third score in the win.
Through eight games, Bachmeier has completed 126-of-201 passes (62.7 percent) for 1,693 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is averaging 211.6 yards per game passing, with an efficiency rating of 148.5. In addition, Bachmeier is second on the team in rushing, with 94 carries for 408 yards (4.3 yards per carry) and nine additional touchdowns.
Bachmeier has six games this season with both a passing touchdown and rushing score, the most in the FBS. Against Portland State on Aug. 30, he became the first true freshman quarterback ever to start a season opener for BYU.
A four-star high school recruit by Rivals, Bachmeier was ranked as high as the No. 11 quarterback in the nation by ESPN. While at Murrieta Valley High School, he totaled 6,810 passing yards to go with 59 touchdowns, 1,724 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns. Bachmeier earned four varsity letters in football, alongside lettering in both baseball and basketball.
After enrolling at Stanford for 2025 spring football practices, Bachmeier transferred to BYU this summer along with his brother, Tiger, who played two seasons for the Cardinal before graduating.
The other quarterbacks joining Bachmeier on week nine’s Great 8 list include Joey Aguilar (Tennessee), Haynes King (Georgia Tech), Brendon Lewis (Memphis), Drew Mestemaker (North Texas), Marcel Reed (Texas A&M), Conner Weigman (Houston) and Demond Williams Jr. (Washington).
The Davey O’Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award, the oldest and most prestigious college quarterback award, was first presented in 1981 to BYU Hall of Fame quarterback Jim McMahon. Since the inaugural award, two other BYU signal callers have won the prestigious award, including Steve Young (1983) and Ty Detmer (1990 and 1991). Only Oklahoma, with five, has won more Davey O'Brien Awards than BYU. Detmer is one of only four players to have won the award more than once.
In 1938, O’Brien, a star quarterback for TCU, became the first player ever to win the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award in the same year. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.
No. 10 BYU has a bye this week before traveling to Lubbock, Texas to take on No. 13 Texas Tech in Jones AT&T Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 8. The game will be broadcast live on ABC or ESPN (TBD) with kickoff set for 11 a.m. CT (10 a.m. MT).