Bear Bachmeier throws 3 TDs as No. 15 BYU beats Arizona 28-17

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PROVO, Utah (AP) — Bear Bachmeier threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns to rally No. 15 BYU to a 28-17 victory over Arizona on Saturday.

Bachmeier also ran for a touchdown to help the Cougars (2-0, 1-0 Big 12) earn their first conference victory of the season. LJ Martin led BYU on the ground with 98 yards on 20 carries. The Cougars improved to 6-0 against Arizona under coach Kalani Sitake.

Noah Fifita threw for 230 yards and a touchdown and ran for another to lead the Wildcats. Arizona (1-1, 0-1) was shut out after halftime after scoring on three of its first six drives.

“I thought the guys settled down and played a lot more assignment sound in the second half and then we were able to make some plays, and get some sacks and get some disruption,” Sitake said. “I thought there was a good return to our basics.”

The Wildcats totaled only 87 yards and averaged 4.4 yards per play after halftime.

“You gotta be able to play a complete game and we haven’t done that offensively,” Fifita said. “I take the blame for that. I gotta be more consistent in the second half.”

Bachmeier threw a pair of short touchdown passes to Kyler Kasper to help BYU take a 28-17 lead with 6:10 left. Arizona had a shot at a go-ahead score following Kasper’s first TD, but Rodney Gallagher III was tackled short of the marker at the BYU 18 on 4th down.

The Cougars only needed four plays to get Kasper's second score after Bachmeier hit Legend Glasker with a 61-yard pass on the second play of the drive.

“We just knew it was an opportunity to finish off the game,” Martin said. “Just had them where we wanted them.”

Fifita completed 6 of 7 passes on Arizona’s opening drive and capped it by scrambling 11 yards for a touchdown. BYU tied it on a 6-yard run by Bachmeier after Cade Uluave returned an interception to the Arizona 9-yard line.

The Cougars took their first lead at 14-10, early in the second quarter when Reggie Frischknecht took a short pass over the middle 25 yards for his first career collegiate TD.

The Wildcats moved back in front 17-14 before halftime when Fifita found Shane King on a 16-yard pass.

BYU had more success after halftime with limiting short quick passes as a playmaking option for Fifita.

“There was a ton of great plays that guys made around the ball,” Uluave said. “Flying to the ball and just getting there.”

Fifita was efficient at moving the chains throughout the first half. He made clean reads and enough big plays to keep BYU’s defense off balance. The Wildcats held the ball 21 1/2 minutes in the first half while mounting two long scoring drives totaling 22 combined plays.

BYU dialed up the defensive pressure as the game progressed. The Cougars allowed minus-2 rushing yards after halftime and had back-to-back sacks on Fifita in the fourth quarter.

Trailing 21-17 midway through the fourth quarter, Arizona drove from its own 25 to the BYU 21. Wildcats coach Brent Brennan passed up a field goal and decided to go for it on 4th-and-4. Fifita completed a short pass to Gallagher, but he did not reach the first-down marker.

The officiating crew initially gave Arizona a first down before overturning it following a review. BYU scored four plays later to push the lead to double digits.

“I just have a lot of faith in Noah, and he delivered a strike, but BYU made a great play, a great tackle in space and stopped us short of the sticks,” Brennan said.

Arizona: hosts Northern Illinois next Saturday.

BYU: at Colorado State next Saturday.

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