Bear Bachmeier powers No. 8 BYU past Iowa State, 24-10

Provo, Utah (AP) — BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier connected for a season-high 329 passing yards and tossed two touchdowns to lead the No. 8 Cougars to a 24-10 triumph over Iowa State on Friday night. Bachmeier's 300-yard performance marked his fourth career game of that magnitude. He also ran for a career-best 109 yards, contributing to BYU's victory despite the absence of running back LJ Martin.

Jaylen Raynor led Iowa State with 98 passing yards and a touchdown, while Aiden Flora added 86 rushing yards. Bachmeier finished the game 4 of 4 on BYU’s opening drive, adding a 26-yard run to score the Cougars' first touchdown. A crucial 63-yard pass from Bachmeier to Roger Saleapaga set up the second scoring drive, leading to BYU's 14-3 halftime lead.

The Cougars' defense held strong, allowing Iowa State just six total yards in the second quarter, averaging 0.5 yards per play. With Iowa State's offense struggling to threaten a comeback, Bachmeier threw a 75-yard touchdown to Legend Glasker with just 1:09 remaining in the third quarter, extending BYU's lead to 21-3. Iowa State's offense faltered, recording only 49 yards before halftime and failing to move the ball effectively on three consecutive second quarter drives.

With Martin out, seven BYU players each contributed at least one carry, resulting in a combined 177 yards on the ground for the Cougars.