After a 3–0 start, the TCU Horned Frogs now sit at 6–3, an even 3–3 in Big 12 play. It’s been a frustrating campaign at times following such a promising start, but hope is far from lost. TCU’s three losses
have come by a combined 19 points, underscoring that the Horned Frogs have been competitive in every matchup. No opponent has looked truly out of reach.
That said, the BYU Cougars present TCU’s most difficult test of the season. BYU enters at 8–1, its only blemish coming last weekend against fellow one-loss contender Texas Tech. The Cougars remain firmly in the College Football Playoff hunt, and every game from here on out carries heightened stakes.
Ahead of the much-anticipated showdown in Provo, we caught up with Calvin Barrett of Lawless Republic to break down BYU’s season to this point, the rise of true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier, the impact of standout running back LJ Martin, and the Cougars’ postseason outlook.
Frogs O’ War: How would you evaluate BYU’s season to this point? Is an 8–1 record in line with what you anticipated, or has the Cougars’ stellar record exceeded expectations?
Lawless Republic: Optimistic BYU fans looked at the Cougars’ schedule at the dawn of the season and said, “7-2 through the weekend of Texas Tech would be amazing!” After all, the team choked down the stretch last season (except for a whooping at the Alamo Colorado would rather forget), and were entering this year with a baby-faced freshman quarterback who joined the team in the Spring. Many projected back-to-back losses against Iowa State and Texas Tech after a gut-check Holy War with Utah. BYU has been resilient, winning close games (even when they probably shouldn’t have), and looking every bit the part of a top-15 team. Unfortunately, this season’s at-large window may close at 10 if the ACC doesn’t shape up.
Frogs O’ War: How impressed are you with true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier? What would you say are his biggest strengths and weaknesses?
Lawless Republic: Oh, Bear Bachmeier, how my heart sings for you. I’d write a ballad, a sonnet, or even a memoir about how fantastic Bear has been for the Cougar offense this year. He’s the best freshman quarterback in the nation, and you can tell that directly to Malik Washington over at Maryland. Not even the most optimistic fans expected him to assume the mantle of QB1 at a Power Four school with as much poise and confidence as Bear has displayed to this point.
He’s careful with possession, he runs like a fullback, and most of all, he is the steady hand that cuts the head off the defense game in, and game out… except for Texas Tech.
Look, Bear struggled against the Red Raiders—every non-defensive player did—and when the run game slows down as it has without a healthy LJ Martin, BYU’s offense isn’t entirely built to blow the top off of the opposing secondary. Bear is capable of making big passes, but OC Aaron Roderick doesn’t ask him to. If the TCU run defense stuffs BYU early, you may see the lesser side of Bachmeier.
Frogs O’ War: How important is a healthy LJ Martin to BYU’s offense? Is he the Cougars’ most impactful offensive weapon? If not, who is?
Lawless Republic: I touched on this a bit before, but LJ Martin is the locomotive of the BYU offense. The team’s flow runs through the ground game, and if the mighty running river has no path to carve, it disperses and carries only a fraction of its potential power. Did that make any sense?
He hurt his shoulder against Iowa State, and he was clearly uncomfortable against Tech, playing as more of a decoy than a viable threat to break through the defense. If LJ isn’t in the game, BYU has to get it done through the air. They proved capable of winning via the right of Bear’s arms, but BYU would much rather grind down the defense on the ground before slinging it downfield.
Frogs O’ War: Statistically, BYU defends both the run and pass well. But schematically, where do you think the defense is most vulnerable?
Lawless Republic: This is a challenging question because frankly, this BYU defense at large may be even better than the numbers suggest. Led by a linebacking corps of Jack Kelly (fresh off the train to Santa Fe, no less) and Isaiah Glasker, the Cougs are laser-focused on ruining any quarterback’s day by penetrating the backfield during one play and slipping into passing angles the next.
But the defensive line has always given me some fits, as they can struggle to make quarterbacks uncomfortable in a typical pass rush. Jay Hill, the Cougars’ DC, likes to bring the heat through the blitz in enough exotic packages to baffle an Amazon delivery driver. Still, when left alone, the defensive line has been a quarterback’s best friend, giving him plenty of time to go through his progressions, read a magazine, file his nails, and deliver a decisive strike downfield completely unbothered.
Frogs O’ War: With the Cougars in playoff contention, how should success be defined at season’s end? Is a CFP berth the new standard, or is a quality bowl result still a step forward?
Lawless Republic: I like this question a lot, because it’s a tough one to answer. In my eyes, the CFP may never be the standard for a team in the Big 12 Conference. A reasonable goal? Sure. But the expectation? Not in this SEC, B1G-dominated climate (unless the Texas Tech reign of terror is more than a fad). BYU has been and always will be on the outside looking in when pining for a seat at the grown-ups’ table, simply because the powers that be tend to value brand over substance.
Who can blame them? What’s going to get more eyes during the first round, BYU vs Ole Miss, or Texas vs Notre Dame? In spite of this, I’m an advocate for rewarding teams on their body of work—their accomplishments—with the schedule that was placed before them. Will Ohio State be punished for playing Wisconsin, Purdue, Northwestern? No, so neither should BYU, Utah, TTU, nor TCU be put at fault for an apparently weaker Big 12 schedule. I am cursed with a vision of a greater tomorrow that will never come.
But to answer your question simply, a 10+ win season is a tremendous success for BYU in subsequent seasons, regardless of how well they played the year before. Stay relevant, build that brand, and enjoy the Pop-Tarts Bowl, right?
Frogs O’ War: What’s your prediction for BYU vs. TCU? Who wins? What’s the final score?
Lawless Republic: Last season, BYU opened the year 9-0, ranked 6th in the CFP rankings, and fell flat on their face, dropping a home game against giant-slaying Kansas (seriously, what was their deal beating ranked Big 12 teams in three consecutive weeks and missing bowl season?) and then falling two yards short on a Hail Mary throw on the road at ASU. They finished the season ranked 13th, and it was brutal to accept that they had come so close to CFP glory, but vomited all over themselves in crunch time.
After losing the first game of the year to Texas Tech, BYU understands that they cannot lose again before Arlington. Period. The Horned Frogs are walking into the first BYU home game since October 18, nearly a month ago. The environment will be buzzing, and LaVell Edwards Stadium already has a reputation as one of the toughest places to play in the nation—especially at night. Given the stakes, the setting, and the BYU coaching staff’s experience in this exact situation, TCU is entering a hornet’s nest just begging to be provoked. I think BYU wins convincingly, though not comfortably, as TCU may be the most underrated team in the conference. Give me BYU 31, TCU 23.
A special thanks to Calvin for providing terrific insight ahead of TCU’s matchup against BYU. For all things Cougars, be sure to check out Lawless Republic.
