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Bear Bachmeier on one of his 15 rush attempts during BYU's 24-21 win over Colorado

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU players celebrate after a home run during the Big 12 game against Arizona at Gail Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, March 29, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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FORT WORTH, Texas — BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier has been named to the preseason watch list for the prestigious Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, a list that includes 30 of the nation’s top returning college quarterbacks.

The Davey O’Brien Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The preseason watch list candidates were selected based on previous career performance as well as expectations heading into the 2026 college football season.

In 2025, Bachmeier was named a semifinalist for both the Davey O’Brien Award and the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year. He was also named to the Davey O’Brien Award weekly Great 8 list twice and was a candidate for the Manning Award.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound sophomore from Murrieta, California, completed 251 of 387 passes (64.9 percent) for 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2025. He averaged 216.6 yards per game passing and was second on the team in rushing, with 147 carries for 527 yards and 11 scores.

Bachmeier was honored as conference freshman of the week seven times in 12 weeks during the 2025 regular season, on his way to earning the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year Award and being named Big 12 Honorable Mention. As an offensive co-captain, Bachmeier helped lead No. 12 BYU to an 11-2 record in 2025, a trip to the Big 12 Championship and an invitation of the Pop-Tarts Bowl.

Recently, Bachmeier was named to the preseason watch list for the 2026 Maxwell Award, presented annually by the Maxwell Football Club to the most outstanding player in college football. He was also named Preseason All-Big 12 by Phil Steele and Pro Football Network.

The 2026 Davey O’Brien QB Class will be officially announced on Nov. 10 with semifinalists named a week later on Nov. 17. The Davey O’Brien Foundation will then announce the three finalists on Nov. 24 with the winner of the 2026 Davey O’Brien Award unveiled live on ESPN on Dec. 11, during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show.

The 50th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner honoring the 2026 winner will be held Monday, March 8, 2027, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

BYU Hall of Fame quarterback Jim McMahon won the inaugural Davey O’Brien Quarterback Award in 1981. Since then, two other BYU signal callers have won the prestigious award, including Steve Young (1983) and Ty Detmer (1990 and 1991). Only Oklahoma, with five, has won more Davey O’Brien Awards than BYU. Detmer is one of only four players to have won the award more than once.

Late goal pushed Wisconsin past No. 9 BYU

MADISON, Wis. – No. 9 BYU women’s soccer (1-1, 0-0 Big 12) dropped a 1-0 decision on the road to Wisconsin Wednesday night.

Wisconsin was awarded a penalty kick in the 80th minute. Although initially saved by BYU goalkeeper Chelsea Peterson, the Badgers crashed the box and found the back of the net to take the late 1-0 lead.

Despite outshooting the Badgers 12-8, BYU could not overcome Wisconsin’s late penalty-kick goal.

Freshman Brynnli Tolbert led BYU with three shots, while Ellie Walbruch and Bella Woods added two each.

The Cougars controlled most of the possession through the first six minutes before the Badgers broke through the BYU backline for a chance on goal, but the Cougar defense halted the attack and cleared the ball.

BYU’s first shot of the match came in the 14th minute with a rocket from outside the 18-yard box by Lucy Kesler, fired high over the crossbar.

Wisconsin quickly countered with a corner kick that was initially cleared, but a second-chance ball was sent into the box and found the head of a Wisconsin player. The header bounced off the crossbar and was pushed into the net. After a quick review by the referee, the goal was ruled offside, and the score remained 0-0.

The Cougars earned their first corner kicks of the game in the 32nd and 34th minutes, with both cleared by the Wisconsin backline.

In the final three minutes of the first half, Tolbert drove the ball down the right side twice, getting off a cross and a shot, both of which were blocked by Wisconsin defenders.

BYU had the first shot of the second half in the 50th minute when Walbruch turned with the ball at the top of the box and fired a shot that was scooped up by the Wisconsin goalkeeper. A minute later, Walbruch got her head on a ball in the box, but the header went straight into the goalkeeper’s hands.

After clearing the ball from their defensive third, the Cougars found Walbruch running up the middle of the field in the 53rd minute for a chance on goal, but a Wisconsin defender thwarted the attack just outside the box. BYU forward Sophie Sivulich had a shot three minutes later that narrowly missed the frame.

The Badgers countered immediately, beating the BYU defense for a shot from in front of the net that sailed high over the crossbar.

Both teams battled back and forth for the next 20 minutes, with neither able to maintain possession.

In the 80th minute, Peterson collided with a Wisconsin forward, resulting in a penalty kick for the Badgers. Peterson saved the initial shot, but Wisconsin followed up on the rebound and found the back of the net to take a 1-0 lead with just under 10 minutes remaining.

Unable to break through the Wisconsin defense, BYU could not find an equalizer before the final whistle, falling to the Badgers 1-0 for the first time in program history.

The Cougars (1-1-0) return to Provo for their home opener against USC at 7 p.m. MT Saturday, Aug. 22. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

Cougars release 2027 Big 12 softball schedule

In conjunction with the Big 12, BYU softball released its 24-game conference schedule for 2027 on Thursday afternoon.

The Cougars welcome Baylor, Arizona, Utah and Oklahoma State to Provo next season, with road trips to Arizona State, Kansas, UCF and Iowa State.

BYU will also receive a second-week Big 12 bye for the third consecutive season. The Cougars won’t face Texas Tech or Houston in 2027.

League play will run from March 11 through May 8, with the Big 12 Softball Tournament presented by Allstate scheduled for May 13-15 at OGE Field at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

The tournament will once again feature an eight-team, single-elimination bracket, with the bottom three teams at the end of the regular season eliminated from contention.

The Cougars, who return 10 student-athletes from 2026 and welcome 15 newcomers to the squad, will look to return to both the conference tournament and NCAA Tournament after missing the conference tournament last year and the NCAA Tournament the last five seasons.

View the full Big 12 schedule at the league’s website. BYU’s non-conference schedule, broadcast plans and ticket information will be announced at a later date.

Seven Cougars named to Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Watch List

HONOLULU — The 2027 Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Watch List includes seven members of the BYU football team — Tausili Akana (defensive end), Raider Damuni (safety), Paki Finau (offensive line), Jaron Pula (receiver), Faletau Satuala (safety), Keanu Tanuvasa (defensive tackle) and Cade Uluave (linebacker).

The Award is presented annually to the outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry that epitomizes great ability and integrity both on and off the field. The 2026 watch list is composed of 69 players from 36 different FBS schools. BYU leads all college football teams with seven candidates, followed by Oregon with six and Hawaii with five. Candidates for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award are selected based on past performance and future potential. Additions to the list may be made as the 2026 season progresses.

Finalists for the 2026 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award will be unveiled on Dec. 8, with the winner being announced on Dec. 15. The presentation of the Award will be held during the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Celebration Dinner on Jan. 16, 2027, and will also be recognized during the Polynesian Bowl on Jan. 15.

Former BYU All-American and current New Orleans Saints quarterback, Zach Kapono Wilson, received the award in 2020 after leading the Cougars to a 11-1 record and a No. 11 final ranking. The junior passed for 3,692 yards and 33 touchdowns, while completed 73.4 percent of his passes — good for a new BYU record, eclipsing the previous mark held by NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young.

BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake was inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame on Jan. 19, 2025, at an enshrinement ceremony held at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawai’i.