{"id":259516,"date":"2025-10-29T21:59:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T21:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/259516\/"},"modified":"2025-10-29T21:59:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T21:59:10","slug":"robert-griffin-iii-calls-byus-bear-bachmeier-a-heisman-candidate-deseret-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/259516\/","title":{"rendered":"Robert Griffin III calls BYU’s Bear Bachmeier a Heisman candidate \u2013 Deseret News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bear Bachmeier<\/a> has already emerged as one of college football\u2019s breakout stars in 2025.<\/p>\n

But should he be in the Heisman Trophy conversation?<\/p>\n

According to Robert Griffin III, absolutely.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Special Collector’s Issue: “1984: The Year BYU was Second to None”<\/p>\n

Get an inclusive look inside BYU Football’s 1984 National Championship season.<\/p>\n

Griffin, a former Heisman winner himself, has been Fox\u2019s color commentator on each of BYU\u2019s past two games, in which time he\u2019s become a major fan of the Cougars\u2019 freshman phenom at quarterback.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Griffin posted his current list of Heisman front-runners to X, with \u201cAir Bear Bachmeier\u201d in the No. 5 spot.<\/p>\n

Top 5 Heisman Front Runners after Week 9<\/p>\n

1. Haynes King QB Georgia Tech
2. Julian Sayin QB Ohio State
3. Ty Simpson QB Alabama
4. Fernando Mendoza QB Indiana
5. Air Bear Bachmeier QB BYU pic.twitter.com\/IOGBVGZ13K<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 29, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis guy is an explosive runner, anything that he can possibly do to go score, he\u2019s gonna do it,\u201d Griffin said on the broadcast of BYU\u2019s contest against Iowa State this past weekend. \u201c(Bachmeier can) jump over guys, juke them, run through them. He leads the Big 12 in rushing touchdowns for quarterbacks, and he\u2019s decisive as a runner and as a thrower of the football.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through eight games, Bachmeier has passed for 1,693 yards and 11 touchdowns, adding another 408 yards and nine scores on the ground.<\/p>\n

Listed ahead of Bachmeier on Griffin\u2019s list were four other quarterbacks: Haynes King (Georgia Tech), Julian Sayin (Ohio State), Ty Simpson (Alabama) and Fernando Mendoza (Indiana).<\/p>\n

Compared to the other members of Griffin\u2019s list, Bachmeier has fewer passing yards and touchdowns than everyone except King, who in turn has more rushing yards and touchdowns than Bachmeier.<\/p>\n

Oddsmakers aren\u2019t currently as bullish on Bachmeier as Griffin. According to FanDuel, he\u2019s currently tied for the 12th-best Heisman odds.<\/p>\n

But given the context of starting 8-0 as a true freshman and winning four true road games already, Bachmeier\u2019s performance has been plenty good enough to hang around the other dominant quarterbacks in the sport, and Freshman All-America honors could be on their way eventually.<\/p>\n

\"\"BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) takes pictures with fans after the game against the Portland State Vikings at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News