What Takeaways Are Sustainable From BYU's Blowout Win Over Utah Tech?

FCS games are hard. It’s fun to watch your favorite team dominate, but when your team's sixth running back starts averaging 7 yards per carry, it’s fair to start asking if we really learned anything besides your opponent being bad. With BYU’s matchup with Arizona looming days away, it's fair to ask yourself what we really know about BYU and what can be sustained against a fringe top-25 team like the Wildcats. We are going to try and parse through that.

In doing so, we will leave out the obvious. We know guys like Bear Bachmeier, LJ Martin, and Evan Johnson are stars. Saturday did nothing to teach us that, even if their performance reinforced it. Instead, we want to focus on things we saw for the first time in week one. Here are our takeaways of what is and is not sustainable headed into Big 12 play.

Sustainable: Bear Bachmeier’s measurables

BYU QB Bear Bachmeier against Utah Tech | BYU Photo

Don’t look now but Bear Bachmeier might have moved his NCAA skill sliders to the right this offseason. Coming into the night, the longest pass Bachmeier had ever thrown in terms of air yards was a 50-yard strike to Chase Robert to open the West Virginia game last year. Against Utah Tech, Bachmeier heaved a 60-yard pass downfield to Reggie Frischknecht. Don’t let the fact that that pass fell incomplete fool you. If that is the kind of arm strength Bear Bachmeier is bringing into year two, it changes the calculus of what BYU can do down the field this season, especially with the deep threats BYU’s offense offers.

I know it’s Utah Tech.

But it does seem that Bear Bachmeier’s top end speed and acceleration have gotten better from last year. pic.twitter.com/GbUNiJy52l
— Ben Criddle (@BenCriddleShow) September 6, 2026

Not only is Bachmeier stronger, but faster. Coming into the season, Bachmeier is listed five pounds lighter than last season, and he appeared to be a step or two faster escaping the pocket against Utah Tech. With the improved traits, I expect Bachmeier to add a more explosive element to his game than we saw last season.

Sustainable: The size and skill level at wide receiver

BYU wide receiver Legend Glasker against Utah Tech | BYU Photo

Not to disappoint, but Legend Glasker probably won’t score three touchdowns on five touches against Arizona. However, I do think his route-running, physicality and playmaking demonstrated against Utah Tech will translate against a revamped Arizona secondary. Same goes for the other receivers and tight ends at BYU, but where BYU has a real advantage is size. Of the 10 defensive backs listed on Arizona’s two-deep, only two are taller than 6’0. None are taller than 6’1. All eight BYU pass-catchers are listed at 6’1 and above with five listed at least 6’4.

Wasted no time in the 2026 Debut🤯

Bear Bachmeier Highlights vs. Utah Tech🎥#Big12FB | @BYUfootball pic.twitter.com/kvo0XFr5tO
— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) September 6, 2026

Not only are they big, but they can move. Glasker’s traits pop off the screen, but Kasper showed unbelievable fluidity for a player his size. Lyons and Saleapaga both can move and made contested catches over smaller defensive backs Saturday. Phillips caught a touchdown and Frischknecht was the only recipient of a go ball. That should tell you everything about what coaches think of his speed and skillset. I think we saw enough, albeit against lesser competition, to say that BYU has she sheer athletes to hang with an Arizona secondary that gave up nearly 70% completions against an FCS foe.

Sustainable: BYU’s offensive line moving furniture

Highest Graded Offensive Line from Week 1:

🔵 BYU: 95.6@BYUfootball pic.twitter.com/jRk54V5WFQ
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 8, 2026

We get it, it’s Utah Tech, but lots of teams played FCS opponents in week one, and none looked as good as BYU’s offensive line. BYU was PFF’s number one offensive line in week one after allowing just one pressure, a 5.13 time to pressure rate, and the nation-leading 88.2 run blocking grade. I think this BYU offensive line is legit. I don’t think it’s best-in-the-country legit, but I think top 10-15 is in play with the depth of talent here. In week one, BYU had four players graded in the top 13 linemen at their positions including Bott Muitalo and Paki Finau ranking fourth and fifth, respectively. Bruce Mitchell was the nation's second best center and Trevin Ostler earned the third best amongst guards. While Utah Tech is not exactly 2025 Texas Tech, they at least have P4 bodies on their D-line, averaging 6’2 304 lbs. Arizona averages around 6’3 269 lbs. While Arizona’s defensive line will be far more skilled, I think BYU has shown they can move the kind of bodies Arizona will throw at them.

Nost Sustainable: Bear Bachmeier’s reliance on play action

For BYU to take its place among college football’s elite, Bear Bachmeier needs to be better as a drop-back passer. Last season, Bear Bachmeier was at his best off play action, completing 63% of his passes for 9.8 yards per attempt, throwing 10 touchdowns to 1 interception. Without play action, it was a different story, completing 65% of his passes for 6.6 yards per attempt with 5 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Against Utah Tech, Bachmeier was excellent and efficient regardless of concept, but BYU’s 55% play action selection likely won’t fly if BYU gets down by multiple scores again against a top-10 team. Arizona has a good, but rebuilding secondary that gave up 8.2 yards per attempt to FCS Northern Arizona last week on 22 non-play-action passes. If Bachmeier can put up the kind of dropback numbers he did against Iowa State against the Wildcats, the narratives around BYU will start to shift from Big 12 good to national good.

Nost Sustainable: BYU’s secondary depth not stepping up

BYU safety Matthias Leach runs out for Pop-Tarts Bowl | BYU Photo

We all know what BYU’s starters can do in the secondary. Evan Johnson, Tre Alexander, Cannon DeVries, and Faletau Satuala were targeted a combined 8 times and recorded more interceptions (2) than completions allowed (1). Behind them, though, BYU needs its depth to step up against a potent Arizona passing attack. Jayven Williams, Matthias Leach, and Crew Clark are listed as the primary back-ups at the corner positions and allowed 7 catches on 7 targets for 79 of Utah Tech’s 135 passing yards, and had 3 of the 4 lowest PFF coverage grades on the team. That won’t fly should Johnson or Alexander need a breather. Fortunately, the safety depth with Raider Damuni’s injury appears to be ok, with Kennan Pula, Tommy Prassas, and Jarinn Kalama grading out as 3 of the top 4 coverage guys on Saturday. While it could just be a function of Utah Tech being bad, you’d rather have them look good than not.

Not Sustainable: Living on short fields generated from special teams

BYU kick returner Cannon DeVries against Utah Tech | BYU Photo

Cannon DeVries looked like an absolute superstar on Saturday. In fact, his performance was the best single performance by a BYU kick returner since 1989 when Stacey Corley returned two kickoffs for touchdowns against Air Force. A 57-yard average and a touchdown on three returns is so historic that it cannot be sustainable. BYU will face better kickers and punters that will generate more hang time and better special teams athletes that will not allow DeVries to start with as much space as he did against Utah Tech. All that is to say I wouldn't bet on BYU having four drives per game that start in plus territory because of returns again this year, even if I do think we see a few more explosives at some point.

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't: BYU’s running back depth

BYU RB Devaughn Eka against Utah Tech | BYU Photo

With Sione Moa already out with injury, BYU’s running back depth will be tested early. Early returns though are promising. BYU had 5 running backs average at least 6 yards per carry with 4 averaging more than 7. In fact, Sione Moa had the lowest yards per carry average of any of the running backs that played at just 3.7. From an eye-test perspective, Preston Rex, Journee Tonga, and Devaughn Eka sure looked the part, with each averaging 4.2 yards after contact. Rex looked fluid, Tonga looked explosive, and Eka hurdled 2 players in 8 carries while running through 2 others. All 3 scored touchdowns. That’s exactly what good running backs should do against lesser competition. That said, when every running back is doing that, you start to question how much of it is just the quality of opponent. We will say the jury is still out on this group, but I am certainly more confident in life after LJ with the performance of this group.

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