No. 11 BYU defeated Colorado State 41-23 on Saturday night in Fort Collins, Colorado, marking the Cougars' fourth consecutive season start at 3-0. Running back LJ Martin was a key player in the victory, rushing for 176 yards and three touchdowns, including a 56-yard run early in the game. This win also represents the 20th time BYU has started a season 3-0, with six of those starts occurring under current coach Kalani Sitake. The Cougars' performance in this true road game continues a trend, securing their ninth straight such win under Sitake.
Martin's explosive performance largely occurred in the first half, where he accumulated 173 of his 176 rushing yards. He carried the ball only once in the second half, as BYU had established a significant lead. The game itself faced a 37-minute kickoff delay due to a thunderstorm. Despite the delay, the Cougars' offense delivered, accumulating 559 total yards by the game's end.
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier contributed 227 yards passing, though he also threw an interception. Freshman receiver Legend Glasker made notable plays, catching five passes for 131 yards and adding a rushing touchdown to BYU's score.
For Colorado State, the game resulted in their first loss under coach Jim Mora, bringing their record to 2-1. The Rams faced significant challenges throughout the game, particularly at quarterback, where they were reduced to their third-string player in the fourth quarter due to injuries.
Starter Hauss Hejny threw for 80 yards and a touchdown before sustaining an injury late in the first quarter. Backup K'saan Farrar then stepped in, contributing 70 yards and an interception before he was also injured early in the fourth quarter and required medical attention. Darius Curry then took over for the remainder of the game, throwing a late touchdown.
Following the game, Colorado State issued an apology to BYU regarding derogatory chants from its student section. BYU is identified as the flagship school for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In a statement, Colorado State addressed the incident, saying, "Mocking anyone's faith has no place at CSU." The school further stated that such behavior "runs counter to our community's values and to who we are. BYU's players, coaches and fans deserved better. We are addressing this with our students."
The loss also continued Colorado State's streak of defeats against ranked teams, now standing at 28 consecutive games. Their last victory over a ranked opponent was against No. 7 Colorado in 2002. Looking ahead, BYU is scheduled to play at TCU on October 3, while Colorado State will face UTSA next Saturday.
