Provo • BYU coordinator Jay Hill kept saying his defense would be even better than a year ago.
Even as the Cougars lost key playmakers from an 11-2 team like Marc Collins, Jakob Robinson and Tyler Batty, Hill believed he made the right additions to replenish his roster.
Through the first two weeks of the season, Hill’s prognosis looks right.
BYU has yet to give up a touchdown as the Cougars breezed past Stanford 27-3. The win comes on the heels of the 69-0 beatdown of Portland State in the opener.
Hill’s group largely carried the Cougars on a night when the offense struggled. BYU generated three turnovers, three sacks, and a safety to keep the Cardinal at bay. Stanford mustered fewer than 200 yards and had negative-18 rushing yards well into the third quarter.
Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier was inconsistent — throwing for 175 yards on 17-27 passing, but BYU’s defense kept gifting him opportunities.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brigham Young quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) throws the ball for the Cougars, in football action between the Brigham Young Cougars and the Stanford Cardinal, at Lavell Edwards Stadium on Saturday Sept. 6, 2025.
Up 6-0 in the first half, safety Raider Damuni came up with an interception and ran the ball back to the 18-yard line. On the next possession, Jack Kelly forced a fumble and the Cougars recovered the ball on the Stanford 5-yard line.
Both times, though, the offense stalled out and was held to a field goal.
Then, Hill’s unit took matters into its own hands with a safety. Faletau Satuala drove Stanford’s running back into the end zone on a screen pass. It gave BYU a two-touchdown advantage. Satuala added an interception to his tally by the end of the night.
“Some games, the defense needs to do more than the offense and special teams,” head coach Kalani Sitake said. “Just happy about the win.”
BYU struggled to truly separate even as the defense gave up under three yards a play.
LJ Martin ran for 110 yards, but the Cougars didn’t find much offense outside of him.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brigham Young Cougars safety Faletau Satuala (11) brings Stanford Cardinal receiver Marcus Brown (25) down for a safety, in football action between the Brigham Young Cougars and the Stanford Cardinal, at Lavell Edwards Stadium on Saturday Sept. 6, 2025.
Bachmeier struggled with pressure and took three sacks. When he was on target, wide receiver Chase Roberts dropped a would-be touchdown and another score from Parker Kingston was wiped away with a holding call. Bachmeier missed Kingston open in the back of the end zone with a ball that sailed out of bounds.
“We just had some misfortunate when it comes to killing drives. Holding penalties and stuff like that,” Sitake said. “We have to clean it up. But this was a little bit different than last week. I thought we were really clean this week, just a lot of mental errors.”
Both of BYU’s touchdowns came on the ground from a Bachmeier rush and a Sione Moa carry. Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick seemed more comfortable keeping the ball on the ground than in the hands of his new quarterback.
BYU ran the ball 38 times compared to just 27 throws.
The Cougars move on to a bye week and then travel to East Carolina to finish nonconference play.