Bachmeier named to Davey O’Brien Award preseason watch list

FORT WORTH, Texas — BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier was today named to the preseason watch list for the prestigious Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, a list that includes 30 of the nation’s top returning college quarterbacks.

The Davey O’Brien Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The preseason watch list candidates were selected based on previous career performance as well as expectations heading into the 2026 college football season. 

In 2025, Bachmeier was named a semifinalist for both the Davey O'Brien Award and the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year. He was also named to the Davey O'Brien Award weekly Great 8 list twice and was a candidate for the Manning Award.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound sophomore from Murrieta, California, completed 251 of 387 passes (64.9 percent) for 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2025. He averaged 216.6 yards per game passing and was second on the team in rushing, with 147 carries for 527 yards and 11 scores. 

Bachmeier was honored as conference freshman of the week seven times in 12 weeks during the 2025 regular season, on his way to earning the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year Award and being named Big 12 Honorable Mention. As an offensive co-captain, Bachmeier helped lead No. 12 BYU to an 11-2 record in 2025, a trip to the Big 12 Championship and an invitation of the Pop-Tarts Bowl. 

Recently, Bachmeier was named to the preseason watch list for the 2026 Maxwell Award, presented annually by the Maxwell Football Club to the most outstanding player in college football. He was also named Preseason All-Big 12 by Phil Steele and Pro Football Network. 

The 2026 Davey O’Brien QB Class will be officially announced on Nov. 10 with semifinalists named a week later on Nov. 17. The Davey O’Brien Foundation will then announce the three finalists on Nov. 24 with the winner of the 2026 Davey O’Brien Award unveiled live on ESPN on Dec. 11, during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show. 

The 50th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner honoring the 2026 winner will be held Monday, March 8, 2027, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

BYU Hall of Fame quarterback Jim McMahon won the inaugural Davey O’Brien Quarterback Award in 1981. Since then, 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.

BYU kicks off the 2026 football season against Utah Tech on Saturday, Sept. 5 at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with the kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. MDT. 

Davey O’Brien Award Preseason Watch List

Micah Alejado, Hawaii, So., 5-10, 180, Las Vegas, Nev.

Bear Bachmeier, BYU, So., 6-2, 230, Murrieta, Calif.

CJ Bailey, NC State, Jr., 6-6, 218, Miami, Fla.

Alonza Barnett III, UCF, Sr., 5-11, 210, Whitsett, N.C.

Rocco Becht, Penn State, Sr., 6-1, 208, Wesley Chapel, Fla.

Byrum Brown, Auburn, Sr., 6-3, 235, Raleigh, N.C.

CJ Carr, Notre Dame, Jr., 6-2, 215, Saline, Mich.

Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss, Sr., 6-0, 210, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Devon Dampier, Utah, Sr., 5-11, 210, Phoenix, Ariz.

Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall, Sr., 6-2, 225, Atlanta, Ga.

Noah Fifita, Arizona, Sr., 5-10, 189, Huntington Beach, Calif.

Josh Hoover, Indiana, Sr., 6-2, 200, Heath, Texas

Brad Jackson, Texas State, So., 6-0, 197, San Antonio, Texas

Kevin Jennings, SMU, Sr., 6-0, 195, Oak Cliff, Texas

Sam Leavitt, LSU, Jr., 6-2, 216, West Linn, Ore.

Broc Lowry, Western Michigan, Jr., 6-1, 210, Canfield, Ohio

Jayden Maiava, USC, Sr., 6-4. 230, Palolo, Hawaii

Arch Manning, Texas, Sr., 6-4, 222, New Orleans, La.

John Mateer, Oklahoma, Sr., 6-1, 224, Little Elm, Texas

Owen McCown, UTSA, Sr., 6-1, 190, Rusk, Texas

Darian Mensah, Miami, Jr., 6-3, 205, San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State, So., 6-3, 215, Austin, Texas

Nick Minicucci, Delaware, Sr., 6-2, 215, Midland Park, N.J.

Dante Moore, Oregon, Sr., 6-3, 206, Detroit, Mich.

Marcel Reed, Texas A&M, Jr., 6-1, 185, Nashville, Tenn.

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Cal, So., 6-3, 225, Ewa Beach, Hawaii

Julian Sayin, Ohio State, So., 6-1, 214, Carlsbad, Calif.

Gunner Stockton, Georgia, Sr., 6-1, 215, Tiger, Ga.

Conner Weigman, Houston, Sr., 6-3, 210, Cypress, Texas

Demond Williams Jr., Washington, Jr., 5-11, 190, Chandler, Ariz.