Bear Bachmeier threw for 236 yards and a touchdown to lead No. 8 BYU to a 27-20 victory over Arizona State on Saturday in Provo, Utah.
The Cougars (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) scored the first ten points of the fourth quarter after Arizona State tied it up in the third quarter. The Sun Devils’ Carson Smith converted a 44-yard field goal with 57 seconds left, but his onside kick was recovered by BYU.
Matthias Dunn put BYU ahead for good on a 45-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. Then Sione Moa punched the ball in from a yard out to seal the victory with 2:09 left. Bachmeier converted two fourth downs on Moa’s second rushing touchdown of the game to keep the drive alive.
Cardae Mack had 170 all-purpose yards, including 123 on the ground, to lead Arizona State. Jake Fette threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns. The Sun Devils (4-4, 2-3) lost to a Top-10 opponent on the road for the third time this season.
BYU’s Legend Glasker led all players with 87 receiving yards.
Fette had a rough beginning to his first career start.
The true freshman fumbled while being sacked on Arizona State’s opening drive. Isaiah Glasker pounced on the ball at the Sun Devil 29.
BYU cashed in on the turnover six plays later, going up 7-0 when, ironically, Sione Moa recovered Bachmeier’s fumble at the goal line and punched it in from a yard out.
After an exchange of field goals, the Cougars extended their lead to 17-3 going into halftime on Bachmeier’s first touchdown pass. He threaded the ball through traffic to Kyler Kasper, who took it in for a 13-yard score.
BYU allowed just 93 yards in the first half and registered six sacks before halftime.
Arizona State found new life on offense in the third quarter.
The Sun Devils converted three third downs, the third one coming on a 20-yard touchdown catch by Omarion Miller, to make it a one-score game.
On BYU’s third play of the ensuing drive, Owen Long stripped the ball from Kasper at the BYU 39 and Adrian Wilson recovered to give Arizona State the ball deep in Cougar territory.
Arizona State turned the takeaway into a second touchdown on a 1-yard catch from Anthony Miller Jr. that tied it at 17-17. The Sun Devils converted two fourth downs on the drive, including Derek Eusebio hauling in a ball batted at the line of scrimmage for a four-yard catch.