BYU Versus Arizona Preview
No. 16 BYU Enters Week 2 Favored Against Rival Arizona in Big 12 Showdown
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Key Points
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BYU’s 63-7 season-opening win over Utah Tech featured an interception on the first play, four forced turnovers, five rushing touchdowns by different players and a 100-yard kickoff-return touchdown by Cannon DeVries.
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Bear Bachmeier had an efficient debut, completing 16 of 20 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns while adding a rushing score. Freshman receiver Legend Glasker scored on each of his first three touches, becoming the first BYU receiver to score three times in a game since Puka Nacua in 2022.
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Arizona improved from 4-8 in 2024 to 9-4 in 2025 under Brent Brennan, helped by the nation’s top-rated pass defense. However, the Wildcats lost the star defensive backs who powered that unit, contributing to their uncertain position in the Big 12’s crowded middle tier.
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Arizona’s most recent victory over BYU came in the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl, a 31-21 Wildcats win. Arizona also won nine of the first 15 meetings before BYU reversed the series momentum and took the all-time lead.
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The Athletic’s projected game script calls for Noah Fifita to throw three touchdown passes and give Arizona a fourth-quarter lead before Bachmeier responds with a decisive touchdown drive featuring freshman Legend Glasker; BYU is projected to win 24-21.
BYU enters Week 2 as a clear favorite over Arizona, with the No. 16 Cougars favored by 7.5 points in Provo on Saturday. PrizePicks projects a close Cougars win at 24-21, while Tony's Picks expects BYU to claim a comfortable victory. The matchup pits Bear Bachmeier's high-flying offense against Noah Fifita's return to face his former rival.
This underrated rivalry carries real weight. BYU holds a 14-12-1 all-time edge and has won five straight meetings, though four came by one possession. Last year's double-overtime thriller set the stage for another tight contest between two Big 12 teams trending in opposite directions.
BYU's Dominant Opening Blowout Signals Offensive Power
BYU demolished Utah Tech 63-7 in Week 1, showcasing an offense firing on all cylinders. Sports Yahoo reported the Cougars forced an interception on the first play. Five different running backs scored touchdowns, while Cannon DeVries added a 100-yard kickoff-return score for good measure.
Bear Bachmeier looked sharp in his debut, completing 16 of 20 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns. Freshman receiver Legend Glasker scored on each of his first three touches—a feat last accomplished by Puka Nacua in 2022. This firepower gives Arizona's defense serious problems to solve.
Arizona's Defensive Weakness After Star Players Departed
Arizona improved from 4-8 last year to 9-4 in 2025 under Brent Brennan. The Wildcats built that turnaround on the nation's top-rated pass defense. But they lost the star defensive backs who powered that unit, leaving major gaps against Bachmeier's efficient passing attack.
Noah Fifita returns as Arizona's quarterback after winning their first matchup in 2008. The Athletic projects Fifita to throw three touchdown passes and build a late fourth-quarter lead before Bachmeier responds with a game-winning drive featuring Glasker. The script reads 24-21, BYU.
Five Straight Wins Show BYU's Series Momentum
BYU and Arizona have split 26 all-time meetings in an underrated rivalry. Arizona won nine of the first 15 games, including a 31-21 victory in the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl. But the Cougars have flipped the script, winning the last five matchups and taking the all-time lead 14-12-1.
Four of BYU's last five wins came by one possession, keeping Arizona competitive each time. PrizePicks and oddsmakers expect that pattern to continue Saturday. The 7.5-point spread suggests a comfortable Cougars win, but the teams' history says otherwise—expect another tight contest in Provo.
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