BYU’s unblemished record has vanished, but a beatdown only counts as one loss.
The No. 12 Cougars will attempt to bounce back from a 22-point setback when they host TCU on Saturday night in Big 12 play at Provo, Utah.
BYU (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) didn’t look like one of the nation’s better teams last weekend in a 29-7 loss to then-No. 8 Texas Tech during a conference showdown at Lubbock, Texas. The Cougars were held to a season-low 255 yards and committed three turnovers.
“I hate losing,” Cougars tight end Carsen Ryan said Tuesday. “We had an opportunity to do something special this year and go 12-0, and we lost that chance. … Our destiny’s still in our hands. We’ve just got to go out and perform and bounce back as an offense, especially.”
The loss means the Cougars likely need to win each of their final three regular-season games — and probably win impressively — to land a spot in the College Football Playoff. BYU missed out last season when it was 10-2 on the selection day before finishing with victory in the Alamo Bowl.
“We don’t care about the eye test,” Cougars receiver Chase Roberts said. “We’ve just got to take care of the next three games. That’s what we have got to do when you have critics out there that don’t respect BYU.”
The Cougars are 1-1 against ranked teams this season, having beaten then-No. 23 Utah at home on Oct. 18. Next week, BYU visits No. 25 Cincinnati before hosting UCF to finish the regular season. The Bearcats also are 5-1 in Big 12 play, while Texas Tech leads the league at 6-1.
BYU coach Kalani Sitake isn’t caught up in scenarios. He wants to let things play out on the field.
“We’ll circle the wagons, get back to work and figure this thing out,” Sitake said. “That’s the remedy. We’ve got to get back to work and figure this thing out.”
The Cougars have lost five straight games — four by 25 or more points — against TCU, most recently falling 44-11 in 2023 at Fort Worth, Texas. BYU last beat the Horned Frogs in 2007 when both programs were in the Mountain West.
TCU coach Sonny Dykes sees a stout BYU squad that will be a stern test for his team.
“They’re a big, physical team. It’s a typical BYU team,” Dykes said Tuesday. “They’re always built up front. That’s always been their history.”
TCU (6-3, 3-3) is in the middle of the pack in the Big 12 after falling 20-17 to visiting Iowa State last weekend.
Horned Frogs star quarterback Josh Hoover has thrown just eight interceptions, but two were against the Cyclones. He also isn’t happy that the offense scored just three first-half points and has failed to score a touchdown in the opening quarter in four of its six Big 12 games.
“That’s something we’re focused on this week, starting fast and being completely ready and tuned up from the jump, not wasting drives,” said Hoover, who has passed for 2,690 yards and 23 touchdowns this year. “It’s a different time in college. We’ll have nine possessions on Saturday, and you can’t waste any of those.”
Bud Clark had two interceptions against Iowa State to move into a tie for fourth place in TCU history with 15 picks. He is tied with fellow safety Jamel Johnson for this season’s team lead with four.
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier has been intercepted just four times. He has thrown for 1,881 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding nine scores on the ground.
