No. 18 BYU survives in the Desert in double OT, 33-27

No. 18 BYU’s matchup with Arizona had just about everything — momentum swings, sloppy mistakes, and a dramatic finish that tested the Cougars’ resilience.

After blowing an early double-digit lead and battling through injuries, turnovers, and rain delays, BYU found a way to gut out a 33–27 double-overtime victory in Tucson on Saturday night and preserve its perfect season.

It marks the first time in program history that the Cougars have opened back-to-back campaigns with a 6-0 record.

BYU’s first half against Arizona was a tale of two very different quarters.

The Cougars came out strong, looking firmly in control. After an early three-and-out, they struck first, building an early 14-0 lead behind an LJ Martin 28-yard run and a 75-yard touchdown connection from Bear Bachmeier to Parker Kingston.

But the second quarter quickly turned the tide. A one hour, 14-minute rain delay reset the momentum entirely.

BYU’s offense sputtered, managing just 78 total yards, with drives ending in a missed Will Ferrin field goal and a failed fake punt on 4th and 9 in BYU territory.

Things only got worse on the personnel front.

Transfer defensive lineman Keanu Tanuvasa was ejected early in the quarter for targeting, leaving a noticeable gap in the middle of the defense. Star linebacker Jack Kelly was already out with an injury from last week’s game against West Virginia, and safety Raider Damuni went down in the first quarter after a collision with Esera, apparently injuring his ribs.

Arizona took full advantage, scoring 17 unanswered points while BYU’s offense struggled.

The Cougars’ final possession before halftime ended with an interception, capping a second quarter that erased nearly all the momentum they had built.

By halftime, BYU had gone from a team in control to one trailing 17–14.

BYU’s offensive struggles carried over into the third quarter.

The Cougars’ opening drive of the period ended in a three-and-out, but the defense kept BYU within striking distance. Isaiah Glasker made a critical play, intercepting a pass in the end zone on 4th-and-goal to prevent Arizona from extending its lead.

BYU responded with an eight-play drive that moved the ball into Arizona territory. However, the drive stalled when quarterback Bear Bachmeier threw an interception off a snap that sailed over his head, halting any sense of momentum and leaving BYU stuck on 14.

Countless mistakes continued to give Arizona life, and early in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats would deliver a gut punch by way of a 36-yard Kedrick Reescano touchdown run to extend the lead to 24-14.

BYU responded with a field goal on the following possession to cut the deficit to seven, but the long drive had taken a toll. The 15-play series consumed seven minutes off the clock, putting BYU’s defense in a must-stop situation.

The defense delivered, forcing Arizona into a three-and-out. A 31-yard punt return by Parker Kingston then gave BYU excellent field position in Arizona territory, setting up a chance to tie the game.

Up to that point, Bachmeier was having the worst game of his young collegiate career. Yet the freshman showed remarkable poise, leading a clock-draining drive with his legs and finishing it with a two-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 24–24 with just seconds remaining in regulation.

What had seemed like a nightmare for BYU suddenly flipped into an opportunity heading into overtime.

Both defenses held strong in the first overtime, limiting each team to just a field goal.

In the second overtime, BYU opened with the ball and once again leaned on Bachmeier’s legs. On his 22nd rushing attempt of the night, the freshman capped the drive in spectacular fashion, hurdling an Arizona defender on his way into the end zone to give the Cougars a 33–27 lead.

A failed two-point conversion kept the margin at six.

Once again, BYU’s defense found itself in a must-stop situation. After Arizona converted an early fourth down to keep their second-overtime drive alive, the Wildcats faced another — this time, 4th-and-7 just outside the 10-yard line. Arizona had been nearly automatic in those moments, converting four of five fourth-down attempts to that point.

But the Cougar defense stood tall when it mattered most. Quarterback Noah Fifita’s flip to the end zone was broken up by cornerback Evan Johnson, sealing BYU’s dramatic 33–27 double-overtime victory.

After the game, coach Kalani Sitake praised his team’s resilience.

“We just kept the faith. No panic,” Sitake said. “I’ll take it any way we can get it, but we shouldn’t make it so interesting next time.”

When asked what changed down the stretch, Sitake kept it simple: “We got physical. We should do that more often.”

For BYU, coming off its most physically and emotionally draining game of the season, the focus now shifts to its most important week yet — a showdown with Utah in Provo on Saturday.