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BYU's Evan Johnson makes an interception in the end zone in the final seconds against Georgia Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Here’s what’s going on inside Darnell’s Head.

Man, I forgot how good a hot Pop-Tart tastes. Better put those things away for a while, though. They are pretty additive.

Going into Saturday’s Pop-Tarts Bowl against Georgia Tech, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the Cougars. With key injuries and a couple of weeks of coaching distractions, it was like starting the season over again.

That’s kind of what what we got, wasn’t it? A sloppy, disjointed, mistake-filled game where the effort was there but the execution was not. Trailing 21-10 at halftime, BYU was not playing well and Cougar-haters were taking victory laps on social media.

Then we saw what we saw from this BYU team all season long: They just know how to put together a good comeback. For the fifth time this season, we saw the Cougars rally from a double-digit deficit to pull out a win.

It’s the culture that Kalani Sitake has built in Provo, a culture that paid off handsomely in 2025 with a 12-2 record. BYU had every reason to go down with a loss, playing without its best offensive player (LJ Martin), its best defensive player (Jack Kelly) and its freshman quarterback hobbled. The Cougars were inefficient in the red zone most of the game but scored twice in the fourth quarter on long drives. BYU had a hard time tackling and catching up to the speedy Georgia Tech receivers but held the Yellow Jackets without a score in the second half.

Even when Georgia Tech completed a 68-yard pass in the final minute to threaten to win the game, Evan Johnson redeemed himself with an interception in the end zone to seal the victory.

That’s football. You make a mistake but you keep grinding because you’ll nearly always have an opportunity to make another play.

Sitake told ABC at halftime that winning the game was going to require pain.

“Physical pain and mental stress,” Sitake clarified after the game.

Believe it, Kalani, Cougar Nation was right there with you.

Now it’s time for Perfectly Rational Overreactions (PROs).

PRO No. 1: This is BYU’s best team since the 14-1 Cotton Bowl season.

I would argue this team is even better simply because the level of competition is higher than it’s ever been. If Cincinnati wins its bowl game, the Cougars will have played eight teams with eight or more wins, and beaten seven of them. BYU played six of those teams consecutively (including Cincinnati) during the regular season and won five of those games, losing only at Texas Tech. Comparing teams across decades can be tricky. But I would take the 2025 Cougars right now.

PRO No. 2: Bear Bachmeier is the toughest quarterback in BYU history.

Bachmeier reinjured his gimpy ankle early in Saturday’s game and was robbed of one of his greatest strengths. Unable to really run the ball himself, Bachmeier finished 27 of 38 passing for 325 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The stats say he had just one carry for zero yards but his two-point conversion in the fourth quarter was nothing but pure guts, putting his head down and carrying a defender forward to break the plane of the end zone.

PRO No. 3: BYU’s defense will be nothing without Jay Hill.

This column was written Sunday afternoon and Hill may very well be a member of Kyle Whittingham’s Michigan coaching staff by the time you read it.

Hill has been terrific at BYU, helping to create a Big 12-worthy defense. But you can see his dilemma, and that of any Cougar coach who Whittingham may entice to Ann Arbor.

On one hand, you have a culture you helped build in Provo and a head coach who went to bat for you just last week to get you a big raise and job security.

On the other hand, you also know if you were coaching at Michigan and the Wolverines were 11-1 in the regular season (as the Cougars were) you would be in the College Football Playoffs, no question. Plus, Big Ten money is Big Ten money.

BYU was able to lock in Sitake last week with a long-term deal. You’ll just have to trust that he can find a decent replacement at defensive coordinator or for whatever position coaches decide to jump to Michigan.

And finally, PRO No. 4: Winning the Pop-Tarts Bowl will provide a springboard for 2026.

I guess. I mean, it’s better than NOT winning, but I sometimes think too much is made about winning to end the season. It’s a positive, for sure, and may influence AP voters to put the Cougars in the Top 25 next season. There still has to be an emphasis from the coaching staff and captains (and there will be, believe me) that nothing is every given, everything has to be earned. The margin between victory and defeat can be the difference of inches (or as pointed out in the ABC broadcast, the length of a Pop-Tart) and all that is really determined during the hard work in January and the summer.

Who Carried the Boats and the Logs?

Bachmeier was named the game’s MVP, and he was deserving. But the thing about this game is so many players stepped up in crucial moments. Tight end Carsen Ryan was amazing with eight catches for 120 yards and added a good push that helped Enoch Nawahine into the end zone in the fourth quarter. Parker Kingston, Chase Roberts and JoJo Phillips all made big catches. The offensive line overcame an injury to Isaiah Jatta to have a strong game. Johnson, Tanner Wall and Isaiah Glasker all made key veteran plays. Young members of the Cougar secondary struggled in the first half but found their footing in the second. Nawahine and Jovesa Damuni combined for just 60 rushing yards but both got into the end zone on really good, tough running late in the game.

Point is, this game is a loss without every single player making a key contributions at the right time.

Putting up a barrier

Georgia Tech scored touchdowns on three straight possessions in the first half. In the second half, the Yellow Jackets did this: fumble, blocked field goal, punt, punt, interception. BYU’s defense gave up yardage but shut Tech out of the end zone in the second half.

This guy

NBC College Football Insider Nicole Auerbach on social media after the game: “HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE KALANI SITAKE?”

Among those who responded to Auerbach’s message was Sitake’s wife, Timberly: “Right!!???”

Sitake is beloved, no doubt, and he also said this about his players and coaches on the ABC postgame: “These guys are great spiritual men. They have a testimony and a belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We get to celebrate Christ’s birth around this time. I’m thankful I get to be around faithful men. These guys have taught me a lot and I’m still learning.”

That’s all for now, but for this: I’ve been a professional sports journalist for more than 25 years. Someone out there vividly remembers something I wrote that I have completely forgotten. And there are plenty of words or phrases I’ve written that I think are excellent and profound that nobody but me will ever remember.

Thanks for reading what’s in my head during what has been a most enjoyable football season.

Happy holidays.