Legend Glasker with a touchdown for BYU
On a Friday night in Provo, BYU beat Iowa State to start 3-0 in Big 12 play!
#6 BYU 24, Iowa State 10
BYU came out of the gate throwing the ball. They didn’t take deep shots every play, but let the short and intermediate passing game open up the offense. Journee Tonga punched it in from six yards out as BYU started the game with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took 6:08 off the clock. Couldn’t have had a better start for BYU.
ISU got on the board with a field goal. BYU answered with a 70-yard drive in eight plays, but the Cougars failed on fourth down inside the Iowa State five. The BYU defense forced a three-and-out and got the ball back to Bear Bachmeier and the offense, but the offense turned it over on downs again after handing off from the shotgun on fourth and one. The Cougar defense forced another punt, and this time BYU paid it off in four plays for 71 yards. Bachmeier to Kyler Kasper, who had a drop early in the game, connected for a touchdown. BYU would lead 14-3 at the half.
Second Half
Four plays into the second half, BYU forced an Iowa State punt. BYU would go on a long, time-consuming drive and, for the third time, would go for it on fourth and short, and for the third time, they’d fail to get the first down. 12 plays and 97 yards by BYU, but nothing to show for it. That said, I like the aggressiveness from Kalani Sitake and the Cougars. I don’t like that they didn’t try to run Bear Bachmeier on a single one of their fourth-down attempts in this game. BYU would force another ISU punt, and this time they’d make up for it.
Bear Bachmeier would find Legend Glasker for a 75-yard touchdown catch-and-run. Glasker would beat the double coverage, catch a perfect Bear Bachmeier pass almost in stride, and give BYU a 21-3 lead. A third BYU punt-return fumble would keep ISU in the game. BYU had struggled to field punts all night, and early in the fourth quarter they’d mishandled another one; this time, the Cyclones would get the ball back. Iowa State would score and cut the lead to 21-10. ISU would threaten one last time, but with 3:47 left, they missed a field goal. Mathias Dunn would get a late field goal for BYU, capping the scoring at 24-10 in the Cougars’ victory.
Champion Cougars
BYU would count on their stars to carry them. With LJ Martin out, that would be Bear Bachmeier and Legend Glasker on offense. On defense, it was Keanu Tanuvasa and Faletau Satuala. Tanuvasa had four tackles, two tackles for a loss, and two passes deflected. He was also a disruptive force all game long that kept ISU from getting anything going. Satuala had seven tackles and a pass defended. BYU’s safety was all over the field, affecting the Iowa State offense. BYU’s offense was helped tremendously by freshman Legend Glasker. Glasker had six touches for 114 total yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier once again stole the show. Bachmeier was 22 of 30 for 329 yards and two touchdowns passing the ball and had nine carries for 109 yards rushing the football, too.
Up Next, Notre Dame
It doesn’t look good for next week’s game against Notre Dame. When your running backs have 17 carries for 54 yards and one touchdown against Iowa State, who gave up 291 rushing yards and 142 yards and two touchdowns to running back Cam Cook last week, it doesn’t bode well for going up against Notre Dame. Notre Dame will pressure Bachmeier more than anyone in his young career, and their secondary will make any miscues painful. BYU will need everything to go right, near perfection, to upset the Irish, including another 300 yards passing and 100 yards rushing from their star quarterback.
