PHILADELPHIA — BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier was today named a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award presented by the Maxwell Football Club.
Now in its eighth year, the award is presented annually to the outstanding freshman in college football, recognizing his exceptional performance and significant impact on his team throughout the season.
Bachmeier has helped lead BYU to an 8-0 record and a No. 7 ranking in the first release of the 2025 College Football Playoff rankings. The 6-2, 230-pound true freshman from Murrieta, California, has completed 126-of-201 passes (62.7 percent) for 1,693 yards and 11 touchdowns. Bachmeier 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, tied for 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.
Last week Bachmeier was named to the Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2025 and is officially a candidate for the 2025 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award. He was also named the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week for his performance in BYU’s win at Iowa State. In eight games Bachmeier has been named the Big 12 Freshman of the Week five times.
Bachmeier was a four-star high school recruit by Rivals and 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.
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award is named in honor of the former standout at the University of Alabama who later became the 2005 NFL MVP with the Seattle Seahawks.
Finalists for the annual Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award will be announced on Dec. 3 with the winner of the award announced on Dec. 30. The formal presentation of the freshman of the year award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also very involved in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism and leadership.
ESPN College GameDay is headed to Lubbock, Texas, this week to highlight the Big 12's top-10 matchup between No. 7 BYU and No. 8 Texas Tech on Saturday. The Cougars will play their fifth away game of the season when they take on the Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium in an 11 a.m. CT kick nationally televised on ABC.