{"id":456617,"date":"2026-10-05T02:44:29","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T02:44:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/456617\/"},"modified":"2026-10-05T02:44:29","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T02:44:29","slug":"game-notes-vs-tcu-rain-blotted-pages-from-an-ugly-week-5-win-in-fort-worth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/456617\/","title":{"rendered":"Game Notes vs TCU: rain-blotted pages from an ugly Week 5 win in Fort Worth"},"content":{"rendered":"

No, we didn’t have an especially fun time watching the Cougars snap their losing skid in Fort Worth<\/a>, but a win is a win, and BYU football<\/a> has opened the season with a 4-0 record for the third straight season.<\/p>\n

When you’re positioning for a spot in the 12-team CFP bracket, that’s the only statistic that really matters.<\/p>\n

But if you’re interested in details that only sort of matter in the grand scheme of things, I’m opening up my notebook and doing something incredibly bold: sharing the scribblings of my internal dialogue with strangers on the internet.<\/p>\n

Let’s get into it.<\/p>\n

Ground ‘n’ Pound<\/p>\n

ESPN Insights highlighted BYU’s non-existent passing attack when they shared that Bachmeier’s 62 passing yards is the second-fewest in a win in program history.<\/p>\n

The last time the Cougars won a game while passing for fewer than 100 yards was when Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters won the New Mexico Bowl in his first and only career start, where he threw for just 47 yards on 12 attempts, but used his legs to push his hobbled comrades past SMU in a 24-23 final.<\/p>\n

No. 10 BYU had 62 pass yards in their 17-10 win over TCU on Saturday, the second-fewest for the Cougars in a win in program history.<\/p>\n

Prior to Saturday, the last time BYU won a game when throwing for fewer than 100 pass yards was the 2022 New Mexico Bowl. pic.twitter.com\/flaavVArOp<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) October 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Despite the final score reading just 17-10<\/a>, the situation wasn’t quite as dire in Fort Worth. On a rainy, gloomy day, Aaron Roderick opted to play the game safe, avoid handing TCU free momentum in a game where it came at a premium, and take care of the football.<\/p>\n

And it worked beautifully, especially considering how well BYU’s defense played. They were the difference-makers, and TCU made the game’s fatal error when the ball cruised over the intended receiver on 4th and 4 and landed gently in Faletau Satuala’s awaiting arms.<\/p>\n

Awkward games happen. Great teams control and win those game.<\/p>\n

Injuries aplenty<\/p>\n

The rain was a significant factor toward that awkwardness, yes, but BYU was also without a significant number of starters on the road.<\/p>\n

They were without veteran Andrew Gentry on the offensive line.<\/p>\n

LJ Martin hurt his ankle in the first quarter and was unavailable for the remainder of the game. His backup, Sione Moa, got hurt in Week One against Utah Tech, so BYU was forced to feed Preston Rex and Journee Tonga — whose tenacious running style has impressed me through this point in the year.<\/p>\n

Isaiah Glasker, Cannon DeVries, Raider Damuni, and Siale Esera were all absent on the defensive end. And considering the state of this defense’s second unit when they entered the game against Colorado State, holding the Horned Frogs to 10 points in Fort Worth is applaudable — who cares if TCU is a 2-3 team?<\/p>\n

BYU playing without:
Andrew Gentry
LJ Martin
Isaiah Glasker
Brody Laga
Cannon DeVries
Raider Damuni
Siale Esera<\/p>\n

And up by 10 on the road over TCU.
Such a gutty drive for Bear Bachmeier.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Hans Olsen (@GBSHansO) October 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Kalani suggested that there might have been some “disconcerting signals” from TCU that contributed to BYU’s false starts, but said he wasn’t going to dwell on it.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Jay Drew (@drewjay) October 4, 2026<\/a>BYU is Playing Big 12 Defense<\/p>\n

Through two games of Big 12 competition, BYU has allowed 13.5 points per game and only 3 total points in the second half — which came in TCU’s final drive.<\/p>\n

When Noah Fifita tore BYU apart in the first half of their Week 2 meeting, Arizona led their hosts at halftime. That was the moment where the overreactors began to panic about Kelly Poppinga’s direction of the defense. Clearly, those concerns have been overblown — and BYU is faring much better to this point than Jay Hill’s team in Ann Arbor (real ones know that Michigan is 1-3 right now).<\/p>\n

This team terrorized TCU’s offense all evening. If the conditions were better and BYU wasn’t left with scraps of their first-string unit, this likely would have been a completely dominant win.<\/p>\n

dancin’ in the rain pic.twitter.com\/0hoOPkeM0u<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) October 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

We’ll get a true sense of this defense’s identity when they face off against a Notre Dame team that is currently ranked 3rd in the country. Assuming BYU handles business against Iowa State at LES on Friday, that’ll be a top-10 matchup and likely the site of ESPN College Gameday.<\/p>\n

Good News from the ‘Cats?<\/p>\n

Don’t look now, but Arizona is 4-1 and just stomped a previoulsy undefeated Cincinnati team to the tune of 34-7.<\/p>\n

Yeowch.<\/p>\n

Many propped the ‘Cats as a sleeper contender in the Big 12 Conference when they met BYU in Week 2. Those claims were mocked when Arizona struggled against Washington State a week ago, but have since been reignited. <\/p>\n

Arizona is the 8th team out of the latest AP Top 25 rankings, and continues to make the Cougars look better with every win.<\/p>\n

Arizona CRUSHES previously unbeaten Cincinnati 34-7 \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n

The Wildcats are 4-1 with their only loss coming on the road to BYU. pic.twitter.com\/6hi1h5NnCs<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 CFB Kings (@CFBKings) October 4, 2026<\/a>Bear Bachmeier Wins Games<\/p>\n

It’s something of a minor miracle that Bear Bachmeier has won so many games so early into his career. As a starter at BYU, he’s lost just two games, and that’s fed into his share of the best team-win percentage in program history.<\/p>\n

BYU QB career team-win percentage (min. 15 games started):<\/p>\n

1. Bear Bachmeier 88.9% (16-2)
1. Robbie Bosco 88.9% (24-3)
3. Brandon Doman 87.5% (14-2)
4. Jim McMahon 86.7% (26-4)
5. Marc Wilson 84.6% (22-4) pic.twitter.com\/NUJH5x5tKk<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Greg Wrubell (@gregwrubell) October 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

When a window of opportunity arises, it’s great to know that BYU has a reliable quarterback steering the ship. Who could have predicted BYU would find such poise in a true freshman?<\/p>\n

Dunn and Dunn<\/p>\n

I have no more concerns about BYU’s kicking game after seeing Matthias Dunn drill a 49-yarder like it was nothing.<\/p>\n

Cougs take the lead on a 49YD @matthiasdunn97<\/a> field goal<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa ESPN pic.twitter.com\/o4rZlgtX9L<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) October 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

This proved to be a huge conversion for BYU — especially in a game that finished with just one score separating the two sides.<\/p>\n

Kalani Sitake’s program got very accustomed to reliable field goal kicking behind the reliable leg of Will Ferrin. In Dunn, it seems the Cougars have another steady leg.<\/p>\n

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