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BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) leaps into the end zone for a touchdown against TCU in a Big 12 football game at Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday, October 3 ,2026.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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BYU running back Preston Rex (12) carries the ball against TCU in a Big 12 football game at Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday, October 3, 2026.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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Daily Herald sports writers Darnell Dickson and Brandon Gurney debate and pontificate on the hot BYU sports topics of the week.

1. What kind of game do you expect from BYU football after a sloppy performance last week at TCU?

DICKSON: While coaches and players were happy to get the program’s first win in Fort Worth in 20 years, nobody was as thrilled with the offensive execution and general sloppiness against TCU. A lot of blame was placed on the weather but the group also has to take responsibility for mistakes we usually see in Week 1, not the fifth week of the season. The Cougars are also going to have to overcome the loss of some really key players in running back LJ Martin and linebacker Isaiah Glasker, who are out this week due to injury but could return for the Notre Dame game. It’s an opportunity for others to step up and don’t be surprised if you are checking your program for the jersey number of somebody you don’t know much about. BYU has been very, very good in night games on ESPN so the Vampire Cougars are on high alert.

GURNEY: I expect Friday’s game to be much, much cleaner, to state the obvious. Weather conditions affecting play is often overstated, but I was there at TCU, and it was very apparent that the conditions hampered Bear Bachmeier’s effectiveness considerably. He couldn’t grip the football and could not, subsequently, present much of a threat of downfield passing. Those conditions won’t exist come Friday, and given Bachmeier’s tendency to prove resilient, I’m going to predict a 300+ yard passing performance from him. My astute and unsolicited recommendation to Bear? Hey, your tight ends are really good. Target them.

2. If LJ Martin is not available, which running back will get the most carries against Iowa State?

GURNEY: I’m going with Journee Tonga. It was very notable that Tonga was the running back the team leaned on during the final touchdown drive versus TCU, and the freshman responded. Tonga holds the most extraordinary running ability amongst the trio of DeVaughn Eka and Preston Rex, and I think that ability wins him the nod over the other two. Of course a lot of the reps will be parsed out due to how reliable each of the three are in pass pro and checks, and that’s why Rex probably sees the most overall reps. But that wasn’t the question, and as for who garners the most rushing opportunities, I believe that player will be Tonga.

DICKSON: Nobody in the program has a similar skill set as Martin, which may have been an oversight by BYU coaches not addressing that need the portal in the off-season. Tonga is super quick and so is Preston Rex but the Cougars will need somebody to run between the tackles. With 220-pound Sione Moa still out, what about redshirt freshman Logan Payne (215) or 195-pound freshman Devaughn Eka? I’ve really been impressed by Eka when he was given the chance to carry the ball early in the season. He’s got some real pop to his game. More than likely, we’ll get some quick hitters from Tonga and Rex. This might be a game where Bear Bachmeier has to take over both through the air and on the ground. He is capable, for sure.

3. What’s the biggest obstacle for BYU football to overcome on Friday against Iowa State?

DICKSON: Gurney graciously left me the “no LJ Martin” angle, so let’s examine that a bit. Even with the bad weather in Fort Worth the offense stalled even when Martin was available. The timing seemed off and Gurney said from the press box it was clear receivers weren’t getting open. Eventually, Bachmeier was able to engineer a drive but that was just one in a 60-minute game. Without Martin, this team needs to find a way to move the ball consistently. That might me relying more on the passing game or running Bachmeier more. Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick has said he wanted to run his quarterback less this season but he might have no choice if the running game can’t get going with Tonga and Rex. And the receivers have to step up and give Bachmeier a reason to throw the ball into tight windows. Honestly, at this point I don’t know if this offense will score 14 points or 40 points. Based on last week and Martin’s injury, it could be a problem.

GURNEY: Iowa State presents big-play ability with running back Aiden Flora proving to be one of the more exciting and diverse offensive players in the country. I mean, the dude ran for three touchdowns last time out, but also threw for two more. BYU hasn’t faced that kind of threat from an opposing offense to this stage of the season, and it could prove a big obstacle come Saturday. So yeah, the Cougar defense has proven stout, but has yet to take on the type of player Flora is, which makes it a somewhat sneaky potential obstacle.

4. What are your impressions of the BYU men’s and women’s basketball teams after getting a glimpse at Marriott Madness?

GURNEY: I’m really, really intrigued by Kailey Woolston. I was a bit set back during BYU’s media that she had been struggling to get over compartment syndrome in her arm, and her practice time has been necessarily limited as a result. But during Tuesday night’s event, she looked fantastic. Woolston could go a long way in diverting at least some attention away from star Delaney Gibb and  her uspide is very high. So yeah, I’m bullish on this women’s basketball team and feel that Woolston could be a huge component to the team’s overall success.

DICKSON: Since Gurney covered the women’s team, let me discuss the men. Aside from Bruce Branch III and Collin Chandler participating in a short shooting game, we still haven’t seen much of this team together. There have been a few highlights on social media but not enough to form an opinion. The dynamic of this team fascinates me because last year was so isolation heavy to get AJ Dybantsa the ball. This group, at least in theory, is going to shoot the ball better from the outside. As we’ve said before, everything pretty much hinges on whether Jaxon Kohler is going to be eligible. Every week there seems to be contradicting reports over whether the 5-in-5 guys will get to play. This is still Rob Wright’s team but Kohler can make them special if he gets to play.

5. After a troubling shutout loss to Utah State on Sept. 10, the BYU women’s soccer team is 3-0-1. What’s been going right for the Cougars?

DICKSON: Jennifer Rockwood’s teams have always leaned heavily into ball possession and lots of shots on goal. Eventually, that pressure breaks loose. Unfortunately, the Cougars had a stretch where they had possession and shots but not a lot of scoring. That’s soccer. BYU scored nine goals in the first eight matches but have put in seven in the past three. I think the Cougars are starting to feel more comfortable in their roles and more aggressive and confident in their shots. That’s a good combination as they head into the heart of the Big 12 schedule.

GURNEY: What’s going right for this team is Jennifer Rockwood. I don’t know if I’m smart enough with the soccer to diagnose what adjustments she’s made, but I do know Rockwood’s track record in putting together resilient and high-performing teams through the years. She’s not going to be easy to replace and this season’s remarkable turnaround attests to that fact. I’ll be honest in stating that I assumed BYU was ticketed for an underwhelming final season under Rockwood’s direction following the Utah State loss, but that same head coach is making certain that isn’t going to be the case.