Bachmeier Leads No. 8 BYU Past Iowa State 24-10

PROVO, Utah – No. 8 BYU defeated the Iowa State Cyclones 24-10 in Friday night’s Homecoming game at Lavell Edwards Stadium.

“We got the win,” said Kalani Sitake, BYU head coach. “Obviously saw some really good things and also saw some things that we could get better at. The efficiency on offense wasn’t good enough. We were 0-for-3 on fourth downs. I like being aggressive, but I’d like to see those turn into points. Overall, I’m just happy with a team win. I know there were some mistakes in all three phases, but really proud of how the team played and with how the defense played, especially. We put a lot on them, and I thought they responded the right way.”

Bear Bachmeier totaled 329 passing yards, completing 22 of 30 attempts, while throwing two touchdowns. The Murrieta, Calif. native also recorded 109 rushing yards to become the first BYU quarterback since Taysom Hill to record 300-plus passing yards and 100-plus rushing yards in the same game. It marked Bachmeier’s fourth career game with more than 300 passing yards. His 329 passing yards were also the most the Cyclones have allowed in a game this season. Late in the fourth quarter, Bachmeier recorded a career-long 39-yard rush.

True freshman wide receiver Legend Glasker led the receiver room with five receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown, including a career-long 75-yard reception in the third quarter. Kyler Kasper tallied three catches for 40 yards and a touchdown in the second frame. Junior tight end Walker Lyons also caught five passes on six targets for a career-best 61 yards.

Faletau Satuala led the defense with seven total tackles, including a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. Cade Uluave, Jake Clifton, Hunter Clegg and Anisi Purcell each recorded 0.5 sacks, with Ace Kaufusi earning a solo sack, totaling three for the Cougars on the night. 

BYU’s defense held Iowa State to 200 yards of total offense, the Cyclones’ fewest since 2018. Additionally, in the first half, BYU’s defense held Iowa State to just 49 yards, which were the fewest yards in a half the program had put up since 40 second-half yards against TCU on Oct. 28, 2017.

First Quarter

Iowa State won the toss and elected to receive the ball in the second half. The kickoff went into the end zone, setting up BYU at its own 25-yard line. The Cougars got to work early with back-to-back screen passes to Legend Glasker and Roger Salepaga II to earn a quick first down. BYU used a fast-paced offensive series to push ahead to its own 49 yard line before Bachmeier took off for 26 yards on the ground, a then-career best, stepping out of bounds at the Cyclone 25. Bachmeier then added an 11-yard pass to Walker Lyons to move the chains again. On the next snap, Preston Rex was met in the backfield by the defense on a handoff before spinning toward the far side of the field and earning eight more yards for the Cougars, pinning the ball at the Iowa State six-yard line.

Two plays later, a false start pushed the Cougars back five yards before Journee Tonga punched it into the end zone to put BYU on the board. With Matthias Dunn’s extra point, the Cougars went ahead 7-0 with 8:52 left in the opening quarter.

Iowa State’s first offensive drive started with a seven-yard rush from Cyclone running back Aiden Flora. The Cougars were called for a personal foul on the next play, giving Iowa State a first down at its own 47 yard line. Quarterback Jaylen Raynor scrambled along the sideline for a first down before a blitz by the defense earned a sack for Uluave on second-and-nine, setting the Cyclones back seven yards for a long third down at the BYU 49. After another incomplete pass, Iowa State punter Ethan Gurney took the field, and Tiger Bachmeier set BYU up at its own 7.

The Cougars’ opening play resulted in a five yard loss, which plagued the possession and eventually forced the BYU punt crew to take the field. Fuller Shurtz sent the ball 48 yards to the Iowa State 45 with 3:51 left in the period.

Short passes from Raynor chipped away at the BYU defense on Iowa State’s second possession, driving down to the BYU 33-yard line before time expired in the quarter with the Cougars still in front, 7-0.

Second Quarter

Coming out of the break, the Cyclones’ drive stalled to open the quarter, bringing out the field goal crew. Kicker Kyle Konrardy’s 40-yard kick was good, putting Iowa State on the board, 7-3, with 14:01 left in the half.

Starting from their own 25, BYU quickly moved down the field behind short passes from Bear Bachmeier, which eventually helped the Cougars get inside the red zone. Two incompletions and a short carry then set up fourth-and-goal from the 4, and BYU elected to go for it but came up empty with an incomplete pass.

Taking over at their own four-yard line, the Cyclones quickly went three-and-out against heavy pressure from the defense. The Cyclones punted it away to the BYU 30-yard line with 6:55 remaining in the half.

On BYU’s opening snap, a false start penalty set up first-and-15, but Rex caught a short pass and gained 20 yards on the next play. BYU was unable to move the chains on the next set of downs and attempted to convert on fourth-and-one at the Cyclones’ 46-yard line. However, Tonga’s rushing attempt fell short, resulting in a turnover on downs.

On the following play, Raynor’s pass was broken up by Keanu Tanuvasa before Bodie Schoonover dropped running back Flora for a two-yard loss. A false start then set the Cyclones back to their own 40-yard line, where a minimal gain against heavy pressure forced another punt. Dupont’s punt set up Tiger Bachmeier for a 22-yard return to the BYU 29 with 2:44 remaining in the half.

The Cougars then opened up a four-play, 75-yard drive that lasted 1:51 seconds ending in a touchdown from Kasper. Bear Bachmeier started the drive connecting with Lyons near the sideline for three yards. On the next play, the sophomore quarterback, while under pressure, escaped the pocket to his left and slung the ball deep downfield to Saleapaga for a 63-yard completion, finally getting tackled at the Iowa State five-yard line. After an incompletion, Bear Bachmeier found Kasper in the corner of the endzone. A successful extra point attempt extended the BYU lead to 14-3 with 1:54 left in the half.

A touchback started Iowa State’s final drive of the half at their own 25-yard line. After Tanuvasa and Tausili Akana forced a loss of one, Therrian Alexander III continued the defensive pressure, meeting Flora in the backfield for a loss of two yards. A four-yard pass on third-and-13 again had the Iowa State punt squad out on the field.

A holding penalty enforced on BYU stopped the ensuing drive, sending the Cougars into the locker room up 14-3.

Third Quarter

The Cyclones received the second half kickoff for a touchback. A pass interference penalty against the defense on the first play of the half immediately pushed the Cyclones to the Iowa State 40 before the drive stalled against pressure from Uluave, Justin Kirkland and Clifton. Dupont kicked it away to Tiger Bachmeier who was tackled at the Cougars’ one-yard line.

On second-and-eight, Tonga caught a pass from Bear Bachmeier for a gain of 13. Two snaps later, Kasper caught a 15-yard pass, and then Bear Bachmeier added 12 yards on the ground. The sophomore then posted long completions to Jojo Phillips and Lyons, which put the Cougars at the Iowa State 11. Three short gains later and the Cougars sent out the field goal unit on fourth-and-three from the Iowa State four-yard line, but an offside penalty on the defense pushed BYU to the two-yard line for fourth-and-one where the Cougars elected to send the offense back on the field to attempt a conversion. An incompletion meant for Lyons in the end zone ended the 12-play, 97-yard drive with a turnover on downs with 5:41 left in the quarter.

Starting from its own two-yard line, Iowa State’s Flora rushed up the middle for a 14-yard gain before a delay of game penalty and defensive pressure up front from Tanuvasa, Miles Hall and Satuala ended the drive, forcing Dupont’s sixth punt of the night with BYU leading 14-3.

Tiger Bachmeier caught the 44-yard punt at the BYU 36-yard line but an unsportsmanlike penalty after the play set them back to the Cougars’ 21. After a short pass to Glasker and a three-yard rush from Rex, Bear Bachmeier loaded up a down-field heave that connected with Glasker in stride, and Glasker took off for a 75-yard touchdown reception. A successful point after attempt from Dunn later and the Cougars led 21-3 with 1:18 left in the third quarter.

Again at their own 25-yard line, the Cyclones committed another delay of game penalty before heavy defensive pressure earned Clifton and Purcell a sack to end the quarter with BYU leading 21-3.

Fourth Quarter

An incompletion from Raynor then set up Dupont to punt from his own end zone on fourth-and-24. Tiger Bachmeier failed to secure the punt and the Cyclones recovered at the BYU 49. The Iowa State offense then marched down the field, scoring a touchdown on a pass from Raynor. The Cyclones initially lined up to attempt a two-point conversion but committed a delay of game penalty, backing up the try to the eight-yard line where they sent the kicking squad out for an extra point attempt. The successful point after left the score with BYU leading 21-10 with 12:51 left in the game.

Starting from their own 25, Bear Bachmeier threw an eight-yard pass to Kasper, who advanced the Cougars to the 33. Later, on third-and-two, the sophomore quarterback called his own number rushing up the middle to the 37-yard line for a first down. A pass to Glasker in the flat earned BYU another first down, but then Phillips was unable to reach the line of gain on third-and-four. Shurtz punted for the second time of the night from the Iowa State 43, pinning the Cyclones at their own three-yard line with 9:02 remaining.

Iowa State then opened a 13-play, 69-yard drive that spanned 3:47. Jayven Williams and Clifton combined for three pass break-ups, while Tanuvasa and Kaufusi each recorded a sack. A false start penalty eventually bogged down the drive at the BYU 28 where Iowa State’s kicker Konrady sent his field goal attempt wide left on fourth-and-17.

The field goal miss set up the Cougars at their own 28 with 3:47 remaining. A pass out to Devaughn Eka pushed BYU ahead for eight yards before Bear Bachmeier again called his own number rushing up the middle for 39 yards to the Iowa State 25. Two short rushes from Rex and an incompletion to Kasper later and the Cougars lined up for a field goal attempt. Dunn’s 38 yard attempt went through the uprights with 1:54 left in the game to put the Cougars up 24-10.

The Cyclones went three-and-out on their final drive, with Tanuvasa stopping a quarterback rush up the middle and Clifton pushing Raynor out of bounds short of the line to gain on third-and-10. On fourth-and-2 from the Iowa State 33-yard line, Raynor’s pass fell incomplete, and BYU took over on downs with 1:08 remaining.

Bear Bachmeier kneeled out the game, with the Cougars closing in victory formation for the fifth time this season to defeat the Cyclones 24-10.

Up Next

No. 8 BYU will host No. 3 Notre Dame at Lavell Edwards Stadium on Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m. MDT. Should the rankings hold, it will be the first matchup between two Top-10 teams in Provo, in BYU program history.  The game will be broadcast on ABC with live play-by-play coverage from Greg Wrubell on BYU Radio.