FORT WORTH, Texas — The Davey O’Brien Foundation has named BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier to the Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2026. Each member of the elite class is now officially a candidate for the 2026 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award.
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 2025 Davey O’Brien QB Class features 16 seniors, nine juniors and five sophomores. Bachmeier was also named to the Davey O’Brien QB Class in 2025 and was later named a semifinalist for the prestigious award.
Bachmeier, a 6-2, 230-pound sophomore from Murrieta, California, has led CFP No. 10 ranked BYU to a 7-2 record. Through nine games, he has completed 156-of-249 passes (62.7 percent) for 2,022 yards and 13 touchdowns. Bachmeier is averaging 224.7 yards per game passing, with an efficiency rating of 141.7. In addition, he leads the team in rushing, with 88 carries for 395 yards (4.5 yards per carry) and seven additional touchdowns.
Earlier in the year, Bachmeier was named Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week for his performance in BYU’s 28-24 win over then-No. 2 Notre Dame on Oct. 17. Bachmeier completed 23-of-36 pass for 224 yards and a touchdown in the win. He also ran for 45 yards and two rushing touchdowns, while catching a pass for a fourth score, on his way to being named Davey O'Brien QB of the Week, AP National Player of the Week and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week.
Bachmeier became the first BYU quarterback to record a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game since consensus All-American quarterback Steve Young accomplished the feat against Missouri in the 1983 Holiday Bowl.
Semifinalists for the Davey O’Brien Award will be named on Nov. 17. The foundation will then announce three finalists on Nov. 24. The winner of the 2025 Davey O'Brien Award will be unveiled live on ESPN on Dec. 11, during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show. For the sixth straight year, fan voting on social media will earn players bonus selection committee votes during the semifinalist and finalist voting periods.
The 50th Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held March 8, 2027, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas. For additional information visit daveyobrienaward.com.
The Davey O’Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National 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.