What We've Learned About BYU Football Through 3 Games

The BYU football program is 3-0 heading into the bye week. The Cougars cracked the top 10 of the AP Poll on Sunday, and they will get back on the road and play at TCU after a week off. In this article, we are breaking down what we've learned about the BYU football program after three games.

1. This team is capable of accomplishing its lofty goals - and that's a good thing for the Big 12

BYU came into this season with lofty preseason expectations. The Cougars, who won 23 games from 2024-2025, have been the most consistent program in the new-look Big 12. It's not a secret that BYU's goal in 2026 is to break through and win the Big 12.

In three games, we have learned that BYU is accomplishing its lofty goals this season. This is the most talented roster of the Kalani Sitake era. There is talent and depth across the roster, and there isn't a team on BYU's schedule that they can't beat. It doesn't hurt that it Texas Tech appears to have have taken a big step back in 2026.

That doesn't mean BYU will accomplish its goals - the Cougars will still need a few bounces to go their way. After three weeks, however, BYU's most lofty goals are within reach. That's good news for the Big 12 at large. This conference has not had one of its title favorites live up to the preseason hype and it's damaged the reputation of the league.

In 2025, Arizona State, Kansas State, and Iowa State were the three highest-ranked Big 12 teams in the preseason polls. None of them finished ranked. In 2024, Utah and Oklahoma State were viewed as the clear favorites to win the league. The Utes and the Cowboys finished near the bottom of the Big 12 standings that season.

BYU went into the season as one of the two Big 12 favorites and BYU has only helped its odds.

2. This offense is one of the most explosive in college football

Some fans may not realize that BYU is one of the most explosive offenses in college football right now. When we run our custom database, we prefer to exclude garbage time. Garbage time includes kneel downs or situations where the game is out of hand. Think of it as excluding the data when an offense is not trying to score or when the starters aren't in.

When BYU's starting offense has been on the field together, few offenses in college football have been better. BYU ranks first nationally in offensive success rate, second in yards per play, and seventh in explosive play rate. Through three weeks, the only thing that has stopped BYU has been penalties. More on penalties in a moment.

Offensive and defensive success rate | BYU On SI

College Football Playoff teams are usually elite on at least one side of the ball. BYU was good, not great, on both sides last year. It's still early, but BYU's offense is showing signs of being elite in 2026. It remains to be seen if BYU's offense can maintain its explosiveness against better defenses.

Explosive play rate by Big 12 offenses | BYU On SI

3. Two wide receivers have emerged for BYU

Coming into the season, the wide receivers were one of the biggest question marks. Through three games, two wide receivers have emerged as the top pass-catchers for BYU's offense: Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper and true freshman Legend Glasker.

Glasker, who is BYU's leading receiver, has exceeded the lofty preseason expectations and Kyler Kasper has shown what he is capable of when healthy.

Glasker and Kasper have combined for 386 receiving yards. No other BYU wide receiver has more than 50 receiving yards this season.

4. BYU's pass rush hasn't progressed as much as we thought it would

BYU has stockpiled star talent along the defensive line. For that reason, we were bullish on BYU's chances to improve its pass rush in 2026. While there have been signs of improvement, the pass rush has not progressed as much as much as we thought it would.

BYU ranked 89th in PFF pass rush grade last season. The Cougars rank 67th through three games this season.

BYU hasn't been able to pressure the quarterback consistently, and we don't believe conservative playcalling is to blame. Against Colorado State, BYU generated pressure on 17% of dropbacks despite blitzing 35% of snaps. It was better against Arizona when BYU generated pressure on 26% of Noah Fifita's dropbacks.

The primary reason why BYU hasn't progressed as much as we anticipated? A consistent, star pass rusher has not emerged.

There are 374 FBS players that have generated at least five quarterback pressures this season, and none of them play for BYU. Isaiah Glasker and Hunter Clegg have the most quarterback pressures generated with four each. The players that have rushed the pass more than 40 times, Keanu Tanuvasa, Anisi Purcell, and Bodie Schoonover, have combined for just four quarterback pressures.

The good news for BYU is there is still time for a star pass rusher to emerge. Tausili Akana had 2.5 sacks against Arizona. That was one of the better pass-rushing performances of the last decade, but Akana hasn't been as consistent in other games. If he can develop a little more consistency, Akana could become that go-to pass rusher.

Nusi Taumoepeau, who had the best pass rush rate on the team last season at 29.4%, has a pressure rate of just 2.9% this season. Taumoepeau had an offseason surgery and he got banged up in Fall Camp. It's pretty clear that Taumoepeau is not fully healthy. Perhaps the bye week can allow Taumoepeau to get healthy and return to his 2025 form.

Hunter Clegg is knocking on the door of becoming a star pass rusher as well. Clegg has generated pressure on 13.3% of pass rush snaps this season, he has just been a step away from finishing with sacks.

5. Bear Bachmeier has added a new layer to his game

Bear Bachmeier was excellent as a true freshman. If there was one glaring weakness in his game last season, it was his ability to beat defenses over the top. Bear Bachmeier has improved his arm strength this season and, most importantly, has added the ability to throw deep balls with great accuracy and beat defenses vertically.

WHAT A CATCH BY LEGEND GLASKER 😳 @BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/tKMfOwRfbA
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) September 20, 2026

Against Colorado State, Bachmeier completed a 70-yard pass to Legend Glasker. That was the third-longest throw of Bachmeier's career (in terms of air yards). The three longest throws of Bachmeier's career have come over the last three weeks. Forcing a defense to respect the long ball will open up the run game for BYU.

Bear Bachmeier's longest career attempts | BYU On SI | Data Credit: Sports Info Solutions

6. Penalties haven't burned BYU yet, but they could in the future

BYU ranks 81st in penalty yards per game. The Cougars haven't been burned by penalties yet, but they could be burned by penalties in the future. Over the last two weeks, penalties have ended BYU drives and extended drives of BYU's opponents.

Penalties have been the only thing that can stop BYU's offense this season. In three games, BYU has 24 non-garbage offensive drives. Of those, 9 did not end in a touchdown (7 punts, 1 missed FG, 1 made FG).

Among those 9 non-TD drives, 7 included at least one penalty on BYU's offense. Those penalties were mostly holding penalties, false starts,delay of game fouls, and one illegal formation. Getting BYU's offense has been nearly impossible to do unless BYU puts itself behind the chains.

Cleaning up the penalties has to be a top priority during the bye week.

7. This offensive line is dominant

We expected the BYU offensive line to be good in 2026 and they have exceeded those expectations. BYU's offensive line has been dominant this season. What stands out about this offensive line is its ability to dominate in both the run game and the passing game. PFF grades are far from perfect, but directionally speaking, they do a pretty good job.

The BYU offensive line ranks second nationally behind only Georgia in run blocking grade and 18th in pass blocking grade. Four BYU offensive linemen are among the 20 highest-graded offensive linemen in college football. Bott Mulitalo, a reserve offensive lineman, is the highest-graded offensive lineman in college football which speaks to the depth of this unit.

The offensive line is BYU's most elite position group.

8. BYU has turned a glaring offensive weakness into a core strength

Last season, BYU was one of the best offenses in college football at moving the ball between the 20's. BYU ranked 16th in drives that reached scoring position (drives that reached the opponent's 40 yard-line or better)

Once BYU got into scoring position, things broke down. BYU ranked 66th in touchdown rate per quality drive and 73rd in red zone touchdown rate. Improving in the red zone was a point of emphasis for BYU during the offseason and so far, it has paid off.

Through three games, BYU ranks fourth nationally in touchdowns per scoring position drives and first nationally in red zone touchdown percentage. 15 non-garbage time drives have entered the red zone and BYU has scored touchdowns on all 15 of them.

If that trend holds and BYU continues to be elite at punching the ball into the end zone, BYU will be very tough to beat.

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