PROVO, Utah — Bear Bachmeier threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns to rally No. 15 BYU to a 28-17 victory over Arizona on Saturday.
Bachmeier also ran for a touchdown to help the Cougars (2-0, 1-0 Big 12) earn their first conference victory of the season. LJ Martin led BYU on the ground with 98 yards on 20 carries. The Cougars improved to 6-0 against Arizona under coach Kalani Sitake.
Noah Fifita threw for 230 yards and a touchdown and ran for another to lead the Wildcats. Arizona (1-1, 0-1) was shut out after halftime after scoring on three of its first six drives.
Bachmeier threw a pair of short touchdown passes to Kyler Kasper to help BYU take a 28-17 lead with 6:10 left. Arizona had a shot at a go-ahead score following Kasper’s first TD, but Rodney Gallagher III was tackled short of the marker at the BYU 17 on 4th down.
Fifita completed 6 of 7 passes on Arizona’s opening drive and capped it by scrambling 11 yards for a touchdown. BYU tied it on a 6-yard run by Bachmeier after Cade Uluave returned an interception to the Arizona 9-yard line.
The Cougars took their first lead at 14-10, early in the second quarter when Reggie Frischknecht took a short pass over the middle 25 yards for his first career collegiate TD.
The Wildcats moved back in front 17-14 before halftime when Fifita found Shane King on a 16-yard pass.
