Jay Drew
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BYU football beat writer and general assignment/commentary sportswriter for the Deseret News and Deseret.com. Email is jdrew@deseret.com.
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Articles by Jay Drew
Analysis: No. 8 BYU doesn’t look the part of a nationally ranked team in 27-20 win over mediocre Arizona State Original
Whether or not No. 8 BYU is still an elite football team, or just a great one, was debated over the airways in Utah throughout the week after the Cougars suffered a devastating road loss at unranked UCF last week. The answer came Saturday in a slugfest against 17-point underdog Arizona State in front of 63,332 fans at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo. It is this: None of the above.
No. 8 BYU determined to not let a devastating loss turn into another Saturday against the Sun Devils Original
Jolly and affable, BYU offensive lineman Bruce Mitchell slightly altered his demeanor when the Cougars’ 28-23 loss to Arizona State two years ago in Tempe was brought up after practice on Tuesday. “That sucked when they stormed the field,” Mitchell recalled. “That certainly leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
Well-traveled BYU assistant QBs coach Tyler Hughes is home again, helping Bear Bachmeier soar
New BYU assistant quarterbacks coach Tyler Hughes has lived in so many different places that he's lost track of the exact number. "It's a lot," he said last week. "To give you an accurate number of (residences) is hard. It is at least 15, probably more." This man and his family have kept moving companies in business from coast to coast.
Well-traveled BYU assistant QBs coach Tyler Hughes is home again, helping Bear Bachmeier soar
New BYU assistant quarterbacks coach Tyler Hughes has lived in so many different places that he’s lost track of the exact number. “It’s a lot,” he said last week. “To give you an accurate number of (residences) is hard. It is at least 15, probably more.” Cougars on the air ASU (4-3, 2-2) at BYU (6-1, 3-1) Saturday, 1:30 p.m. MDT At LaVell Edwards Stadium TV: Fox Radio: 102.7 FM/1160 AM This man and his family have kept moving companies in business from coast to coast.
Injuries haven’t slowed Cougars’ deep offensive line, a candidate for the Joe Moore Award Original
It is starting to look like 2024 all over again for the BYU offensive line. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, thanks to steps the Cougars have taken to bolster the depth throughout their entire roster.
Is it time to worry about BYU’s defense after 2OT loss to previously punchless UCF? Original
ORLANDO, Fla. — With ever-improving sophomore Bear Bachmeier at the controls and star running back LJ Martin due back some time in November, BYU’s offense should continue to be a force in the second half of the season.
Analysis: Wild and crazy ending aside, No. 2 BYU was outplayed by middling UCF in loss Original
ORLANDO, Florida — It wasn’t the hangover from the big win over Notre Dame, or the fact that the UCF Knights were more rested and ready after a bye last week. The reason why the No. 2 BYU Cougars saw their undefeated season ruined in front of 45,112 fans at the Bounce House on Saturday afternoon was that they were simply outplayed when it really mattered.
No. 2 Cougars face another big challenge some 2,000 miles away from Provo Original
ORLANDO, Fla. — In Stillwater, Oklahoma, they still call it the “Bedlam Hangover” game. On Nov. 11, 2023, after Oklahoma State celebrated a thrilling 27-24 upset of Oklahoma in an emotional and draining in-state rivalry game the previous week, the Cowboys took their five-game winning streak and top 15 national ranking to Orlando to take on a 4-5 UCF team with just one Big 12 victory to its credit.
Cougars’ secondary is back at full strength, but will be tested against UCF Original
When starting BYU defensive backs Therrian “Tre” Alexander III and Jayven Williams left the game on the same Notre Dame drive toward the end of the third quarter last Saturday, an Irish touchdown seemed somewhat inevitable.
Trickeration tryout: Why WR Kyler Kasper was tabbed to toss the pass to Bear Bachmeier against Notre Dame Original
When 6-foot-6 BYU receiver Kyler Kasper told his teammates and coaches he could throw a pretty good long pass a few weeks ago, they didn’t really believe him. But all it took was one toss by the Oregon transfer to convince gadget-play designer and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick that he had found his man.
‘I feel great about that group’: Loss of star running back LJ Martin hasn’t slowed No. 2 BYU’s efficient offense Original
A lot of unsung heroes emerged in BYU’s statement-making win over then-No. 2 Notre Dame last Saturday, complementing the incredible and unforgettable performances of quarterback Bear Bachmeier and linebacker Cade Uluave. Tuesday, the sophomore from Murrieta, California, was named the Associated Press National Player of the Week, and Uluave was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.
Mississippi State transfer Jayven Williams has given Cougars’ secondary experience and maturity
When redshirt senior Jayven Williams and his wife, Elleanna, arrived in Provo last winter after the defensive back played in 13 games for Mississippi State of the SEC in 2025, they were pleasantly surprised to learn that Jayven wouldn’t be the only married man on the BYU football team in 2026. Far from it, actually.
That bytes: Humans like No. 2 BYU Cougars more than computers do Original
Mention the words “eye test” and most BYU football fans will cringe. The past two years, BYU has just missed out on making the College Football Playoff, and one of the most prominent reasons given from members of the CFP selection committee is that the Cougars didn’t pass the eye test.
‘Keep the rat poison away from the boys’: No. 2 BYU not dwelling on rankings, big upset of Notre Dame Original
BYU football coach Kalani Sitake doesn’t have time to talk about the national college football rankings. Not at this point of the season, anyway.
Controversial ending aside, BYU’s win over Notre Dame was transformational moment for the football program Original
Proof that these aren’t your grandfather’s BYU Cougars, or even your father’s, or even the plucky bunch from the last two seasons — in terms of national perception — came about 15 hours after No. 8 BYU toppled No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday night.
Big 12 statement: Replay crew erred, should have put 1 second back on clock in BYU’s 28-24 win over Notre Dame
After No. 8 BYU held on to defeat No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 Saturday night in Provo, the Big 12 issued a statement acknowledging that the game clock should have had one second left following the first-down incomplete pass thrown by Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr. The conference said its replay center was wrong to have not intervened. Seconds after the football sailed over the head of an Irish receiver, BYU fans stormed the field to celebrate the win.
Analysis: ‘Disrepected’ 8th-ranked BYU shamrocks No. 2 Notre Dame, makes case to be ranked No. 1 Original
Forty-two years after a series of fortunate events throughout the 1984 college football season — surprising upset losses by teams ranked ahead of them in the polls — enabled the upstart BYU Cougars to win their first and only national championship, history is starting to repeat itself. There’s a long, long way to go, but midway through the 2026 season, coach Kalani Sitake’s 11th team is right on track, maybe even ahead of that 1984 team.
‘Relationships matter’: How BYU’s long-standing kinship with Notre Dame enabled Saturday’s top-10 showdown
In what the school considers its first season of intercollegiate football, Brigham Young University went 1-5 in 1922, and failed to score in four of those six contests. To remedy the bleak situation, then-BYU athletic director Eugene L. Roberts invited legendary Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne to visit Provo in 1923 and conduct a coaching clinic, of sorts, for BYU head coach Alvin Twitchell and other coaches.
‘Relationships matter’: How BYU’s long-standing kinship with Notre Dame enabled Saturday’s top-10 showdown
In what the school considers its first season of intercollegiate football, Brigham Young University went 1-5 in 1922, and failed to score in four of those six contests. To remedy the bleak situation, then-BYU athletic director Eugene L. Roberts invited legendary Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne to visit Provo in 1923 and conduct a coaching clinic, of sorts, for BYU head coach Alvin Twitchell and other coaches.
No. 8 Cougars’ national standing, and the Big 12’s reputation, on the line in Provo Original
The notion that Saturday’s 5:30 p.m. MDT showdown with No. 2 Notre Dame is the most important regular-season college football game in BYU history has been cemented the past month and a half as both squads have performed as expected when the season began. A case could be made that it is also the most important game of the season for the power conference to which BYU belongs, the often-disrespected Big 12, a case the Deseret News made in early September.
Could a win over mighty Irish put Bear Bachmeier into Heisman discussion? Original
According to a poll of Heisman Trophy voters conducted by On3.com after Week 6 of the college football season, neither Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr nor BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier are serious contenders for college football’s most prestigious individual honor, despite the fact that both QBs are leading undefeated, top-10 teams.
Kalani Sitake faced Notre Dame 32 years ago today — as a freshman fullback for BYU Original
The late and legendary LaVell Edwards picked up 257 wins in his 29-year head coaching career, but a victory that stands out a little more than most of the others occurred on this day 32 years ago. Cougars on the air No. 2 Notre Dame (6-0) at No. 8 BYU (5-0) Saturday, 5:30 p.m. MDT At LaVell Edwards Stadium TV: ABC Radio: 102.7 FM/1160 AM On Oct.
BYU sophomore running back Sione Moa cleared to play, could get some carries against Notre Dame Original
Help could be on the way in BYU’s depleted running backs room. After practice Tuesday night, BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick said sophomore RB Sione Moa has been cleared to play against Notre Dame on Saturday (5:30 p.m. MDT, ABC) and practiced fully for the first time since early September. Moa sustained a knee injury in the first quarter of BYU’s opener, an eventual 63-7 win over Utah Tech, and has not played since.
6A Boys Golf: Lehi captures its first state championship, Lone Peak’s Blake Brown repeats as medalist Original
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The young Lehi boys golf team, officially known as the Pioneers, became trailblazers on a rainy, cold Tuesday at TalonsCove Golf Club. With three sophomores and three juniors in the lineup, Lehi won the school’s first-ever state golf championship, rolling past perennial powerhouses Corner Canyon and Lone Peak on the way to the 2026 title.
Because his brother, Hank, played for Boise State and he liked the Broncos’ blue turf, BYU QB Bear Bachmeier grew up a Broncos fan Original
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier was raised in the Catholic faith, and his grandfather was a “diehard Notre Dame fan” who would have loved to have seen his grandsons play for the Irish. Cougars on the air No. 2 Notre Dame (6-0) at No. 8 BYU (5-0) Saturday, 5:30 p.m. MDT At LaVell Edwards Stadium TV: ABC Radio: 102.7 FM/1160 AM However, Bear grew up cheering not for his grandpa’s favorite team, or for BYU, a school he knew very little about.
‘Sense of urgency ramps up’: BYU eager for the opportunity that lies before it as No. 2 Notre Dame visits Original
Saturday’s long-awaited nonconference encounter with No. 2 Notre Dame is obviously not just another game for the No. 8 BYU Cougars. Credit head coach Kalani Sitake and the three players who represented the team in Monday’s weekly press briefing — Keanu Tanuvasa, Bear Bachmeier and Viliami Po’uha — for being willing to say just that, rather than downplay it in any form or fashion.
Is undefeated BYU ready to put its perfect season, lofty ranking on the line against No. 2 Notre Dame? Original
Hours after No. 8 BYU improved to 5-0 with a workmanlike 24-10 win over Iowa State on Friday night, football coach Kalani Sitake celebrated his 51st birthday on Saturday by eating a lot, in his own words, and watching his next opponent bury another overmatched foe. What Sitake saw was a Notre Dame team that is absolutely embarrassing opponents, and ruined a lot of parties.
Analysis: Injury-riddled BYU handles its business in win over Iowa State, sets up epic battle with Notre Dame Original
BYU’s defense held a high-scoring Iowa State offense to 200 yards and 10 points, nobody got seriously injured for once and Bear Bachmeier put up Heisman-like numbers in improving to 17-2 as a starting quarterback. Everybody dressed in blue or white at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Friday night — a season-high 64,632 souls — got exactly what they wanted out of this one, right? Right?
No. 8 BYU vs. Iowa State: Cyclones’ visit is another reminder of how far Cougars have come in the Big 12 Original
The headlines told the story back then in what was Kalani Sitake’s 100th game as Big 12 newcomer BYU’s head football coach. “BYU again shows it isn’t ready for Power Five football,” noted the Deseret News. “Embrace the nightmare: Iowa State embarrasses BYU 45-13 in Provo,” screamed the Daily Universe. “Cougars have questions after getting manhandled by Iowa State,” wrote The Salt Lake Tribune. After blowout losses on the road at West Virginia and Texas, BYU returned home on Nov.
How will No. 8 BYU deal with the loss of star running back LJ Martin for the next 4-6 weeks? Original
When BYU’S preseason training camp began in early August, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick told the Deseret News that a late addition to the BYU running backs room was going to have an impact on the Cougars’ offense at some point this season.
Name game: Why is BYU’s Bear Bachmeier quoting Mary Poppins?
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier spoke to local reporters for the first time in more than a month on Tuesday, addressing last Saturday’s 17-10 win over TCU and looking ahead to Friday’s Big 12 showdown with Iowa State.
Name game: Why is BYU’s Bear Bachmeier quoting Mary Poppins?
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier spoke to local reporters for the first time in more than a month on Tuesday, addressing last Saturday's 17-10 win over TCU and looking ahead to Friday's Big 12 showdown with Iowa State.
No. 8 Cougars aren’t panicking over their pedestrian passing numbers Original
No power conference football team in the country has fewer passing yards this season than BYU, which has only 719 yards through the air through four games. Does that mean it is time to panic in Provo?
Meet Braxton Lindsey, No. 8 BYU’s ‘other’ key freshman contributor Original
Receiver Legend Glasker has easily been the most impactful true freshman on No. 8 BYU’s football roster through four games, giving the Cougars some much-needed explosiveness in the 2026 season. “I ultimately came here because of the culture. We’re trying to get each other’s jobs, get after it every day, make each other better. At the same time, we just love each other.
Can ‘a committee of guys’ step in for injured LJ Martin and lift No. 8 BYU past explosive Iowa State? Original
When No. 8 BYU hosts Iowa State on Friday in a late-night special (8:15 p.m. MDT, ESPN) at LaVell Edwards Stadium, the best running back on the field quite likely will not be playing for the Cougars, believe it or not. With reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year LJ Martin looking “doubtful” to play for BYU after sustaining a lower leg injury in the 17-10 win over TCU, according to head coach Kalani Sitake, the best RB in Provo could be Iowa State’s Aiden Flora.
Injuries put a damper on now-No. 8 BYU’s conquest of gritty TCU Original
FORT WORTH, Texas — After now-No. 8 BYU held off TCU 17-10 at misty Amon G. Carter Stadium Saturday night, Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake said there was a lot to like about the way his team played.
Analysis: BYU’s offensive struggles become Bear’s burden in sloppy win over longtime nemesis TCU Original
FORT WORTH, Texas — BYU could have defeated TCU by a single point in triple overtime and it wouldn’t have mattered to the thousands of Cougar fans who descended on soggy and foggy Amon G. Carter Stadium Saturday evening. Any win over the now-Big 12 rival Horned Frogs, especially those that occur in Fort Worth, have been proven so difficult to come by for BYU over the years that the 17-10 conquest engineered by quarterback Bear Bachmeier and a determined defense feels like a 50-point shellacking.
Can the No. 10 Cougars solve their Fort Worth woes? Original
FORT WORTH, Texas — As No. 10 BYU has prepared the last two weeks to put its undefeated season on the line against TCU on Saturday, coaches have delivered one history lesson after another to the 3-0 Cougars. Cougars on the air No. 10 BYU (3-0,1-0) at TCU (2-2, 0-1) Saturday, 5 p.m. MDT At Amon G. Carter Stadium TV: ESPN Radio: 102.7 FM / 1160 AM Generally, BYU’s experiences at Amon G.
Fractured foot hasn’t kept safety Faletau Satuala from picking up where he left off last year Original
Junior safety Faletau Satuala was running a shuttle drill with some of his teammates at BYU’s Indoor Practice Facility last June when he felt something pop in his right foot. “At first, I thought it was no big deal,” he said. “I thought I had just stepped funny. And then I tried to take another step, and I was like, ‘Oh, it’s kind of a weird feeling.’” Cougars on the air No. 10 BYU (3-0,1-0) at TCU (2-2, 0-1) Saturday, 5 p.m. MDT At Amon G.
Could a season-altering surgery be Cougars’ undoing at TCU? Original
Well after most of their BYU football teammates had left the practice field Tuesday afternoon, offensive tackles Bott Mulitalo and Siosiua Latu-Finau continued to work out together, under the direction of a graduate assistant coach. Cougars on the air No. 10 BYU (3-0,1-0) at TCU (2-2, 0-1) Saturday, 5 p.m. MDT At Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Texas TV: ESPN Radio: 102.7 FM / 1160 AM Why?
‘Nice to have a home game’: Tony Finau on playing in Bank of Utah Championship, his struggles in 2026 Original
As one of the most popular golfers on the PGA Tour, Utah’s Tony Finau draws large crowds almost every time he plays. The number of people following the 37-year-old father of six could break records this week, however, as Finau plays in the PGA Tour’s Bank of Utah Championship in the St. George area for the first time in the event’s three-year existence. “It is nice to have a home game,” Finau said Wednesday morning at the Black Desert Resort in Ivins.
Tony Finau’s entrance into PGA Tour’s Bank of Utah Championship gives event a big boost Original
IVINS, Utah — Ashley Dove, newly named executive director of the Bank of Utah Championship, allowed herself to do a little wishful thinking a few weeks ago when she was asked what the PGA Tour event needs in order to attract more golf fans to Black Desert Resort this week. “Big names,” Dove said. “The fans want big names.
What the Big 12 and Pac-12 said after the Protect College Sports Act passed the U.S. Senate Monday night Original
The Protect College Sports Act cleared a major hurdle late Monday night, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the legislation designed to overhaul college athletics is certain to be passed. Far from it. The PCSA passed a full U.S. Senate vote 77-23 and now heads to the 435-member House of Representatives, where the going figures to be much more difficult for the legislation mainly authored by Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and Eric Schmitt and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell.
Injury bug continues to bite the No. 10 Cougars ahead of showdown with old rival TCU Original
If there’s been a downer to BYU’s football season so far, it has been that the No. 10 Cougars can’t seem to stay entirely healthy. Cougars on the air No. 10 BYU (3-0,1-0) at TCU (2-2, 0-1) Saturday, 5 p.m. MDT At Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Texas TV: ESPN Radio: 102.7 FM / 1160 AM The latest starter to get bitten by the injury bug is senior right tackle Andrew Gentry, who suffered a lower leg injury in BYU’s 41-23 win over Colorado State on Sept.
Well-rested BYU will be facing an angry TCU team coming off a loss at UCF Original
While the BYU Cougars were enjoying their only week off in the 2026 college football regular season, their next two opponents were sustaining devastating losses. The TCU Horned Frogs, who will play host to BYU on Saturday in Fort Worth, fell 21-13 on the road to the UCF Knights. Meanwhile, the rebuilding Iowa State Cyclones, who will visit BYU on Oct. 9, were downed 31-17 at home by the Utah Utes, who are No. 13 in the new Associated Press Top 25 poll.
Is the Protect College Sports Act good or bad for BYU and Utah? Original
As a bill that would dramatically shape the future of college athletics is expected to get a vote in the U.S. Senate next week, then move on for debate in the House of Representatives, college sports fans throughout the country are naturally wondering how the legislation would affect their favorite schools and programs.
BYU women’s golf team captures prestigious tournament at Texas Tech Original
For the first time since April 2025, BYU’s women’s golf team has won a major college golf tournament. The Cougars shot a 2-under 286 in the final round of the Red Raider Invitational on Wednesday and finished at 5-over 869 in the 54-hole event to beat host Texas Tech by two shots. New Mexico was third and Abilene Christian was fourth at The Rawls Course in Lubbock, Texas. It was BYU’s first win since it claimed the USF Invitational in April 2025.
What we’ve learned about the No. 9 Cougars through 3 games Original
And just like that, the first quarter of the most anticipated season in BYU football history is over. The Cougars have already played three of their 12 regular-season games. Sure, it is early still. But the Cougars to this point are living up to preseason expectations as a contender for the Big 12 title and berth in the College Football Playoff. Cougars on the air No. 11 BYU (1-0, 3-0) at TCU (0-0, 2-1) Oct. 3, TBD At Amon G.
Kalani Sitake says No. 9 Cougars will use early bye week to their advantage Original
Last year, BYU had a bye during the third week of the season, but folks didn’t complain too much because the Cougars got another week off in early November before traveling to play No. 9 Texas Tech. Cougars on the air No. 11 BYU (1-0, 3-0) at TCU (0-0, 2-1) Oct. 3, TBD At Amon G.
‘We are exactly where we want to be’: No. 9 BYU on a nice roll heading into a bye week Original
FORT COLLINS, Colorado — After the Cougars dominated the Pac-12’s Colorado State 41-23 on Saturday night in front of 38,759 fans at Canvas Stadium, BYU coaches are “feeling good” about how the starters and key backups are playing a quarter of the way through the season, in the words of head coach Kalani Sitake. Cougars on the air No. 11 BYU (1-0, 3-0) at TCU (0-0, 2-1) Oct. 3, TBD At Amon G.
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