BYU opened up conference play earlier than usual with a Saturday matchup at LaVell Edwards Stadium where the No. 15 Cougars muscled their way past Noah Fifita and the Arizona Wildcats 28-17.
A true tale of two halves, the game wasn’t pretty for either team in each half. Arizona came out swinging in the first half with Fifita completing 80% and throwing for almost 150 yards. After some adjustments at halftime however, the BYU defense shut down the Arizona offense, who finished with minus-two rushing yards in the second half.
“Arizona’s a really good team,” said Kalani Sitake. “We had to make some adjustments and change some things, but the truth is, it was because Arizona was putting us on our heels and I’m glad we were able to pivot.”
In a game full of momentum swings, it came down to multiple pivotal moments for BYU, which started in the first quarter with an interception by Cade Uluave. Pinned deep in its own territory, BYU’s front seven brought the pressure on Fifita and managed to execute on it, something they struggled to do throughout the first half.
“The pick was awesome,” said Uluave, who almost ran the ball back for a touchdown. “A lot of people didn’t realize but what made the play was Isaiah Glasker coming off the edge and he smoked the quarterback. Just absolutely smoked him.”
Uluave’s interception set up Bear Bachmeier on the 6-yard line, where he scored a rushing touchdown minutes later. Bachmeier and the offense were stagnant at times throughout the game and struggled to establish LJ Martin as a running threat. At the end of the first half, BYU had only 41 rushing yards.
The passing game for BYU was what helped the Cougars stay in, and eventually win, the game. Wide receiver Kyler Kasper scored two touchdowns, both in the second half, and led the team with four receptions for 51 yards.
Bachmeier finished the game 16-of-26 for 217 yards and three passing touchdowns. After his performance, Bachmeier is now tied for first in the FBS with the most games (9) in which a quarterback has both a passing and rushing touchdown.
Despite the big play early in the first quarter on defense, BYU continued to struggle on multiple levels. Linebackers Siale Esera and Uluave both entered the injury tent during the first quarter and only Uluave returned to the field. Esera’s absence was felt as the team struggled to put pressure on Fifita and tackle in the open field.
Down 17-14 at the half, BYU came out looking like a completely different team in the second half, a pattern that has persisted, it seems, since last season.
“You could just tell we were controlling the line of scrimmage a little bit more on both sides,” Sitake said. “For some reason when the line is being physical on both sides, you get comfortable.”
In the opening drive, the Cougars marched down the field and scored, relying heavily on Martin. In the nine play, 75-yard drive, Martin had three carries for 20 yards and a 23 yard reception that set up a touchdown for Kasper.
The rest of the third quarter, however, was disastrous for both teams plagued with penalties. Self-inflicted wounds by BYU killed drives and gave Arizona opportunities to pull ahead. But, a pivotal overturned call is what gave BYU the chance to capitalize.
In the fourth quarter, Arizona had driven the ball deep into BYU territory. On a pivotal fourth down, Arizona’s Rodney Gallagher III caught a short pass from Fifita which was initially ruled a first down.
“This is a game of inches and that was a big momentum swing for us,” said Sitake.
“It was definitely a game-changing moment and it just kept on building momentum and it worked out for us,” added Uluave.
After the pivotal ruling, and resulting turnover on downs, Bachmeier connected with Legend Glasker on a 61-yard deep ball that set BYU up for a score and sealed the game.
Given another chance to win in the final minutes of the game, Arizona set out trying to replicate its first half success. However, Cannon DeVries and Tausili Akana decided to impose their will on the Wildcats.
Akana had two back-to-back sacks on Fifita on the final drive and was aided on another by Keanu Tanuvasa. BYU finished the game with three sacks, a notable feat.
In the last two matchups, BYU has recorded just one sack on Fifita.
After seeing little time in the first quarter and finishing it with zero tackles, DeVries led the team with nine tackles by the end of the game, including a punishing hit that broke up Fifita’s pass to Chris Hunter. The hit and pass breakup was the final nail in the coffin for Arizona, who punted the ball and did not see the field again.
Kneeling in victory formation, BYU survived the Arizona test and further solidified its spot as a top team in the Big 12 conference.
However, new questions have come up for the Cougars, questions that they will need to find answers to before next week, whenthey play Colorado State on the road in Fort Collins, Colorado.