Bear Bachmeier leads No. 8 BYU to 27-20 win over Arizona State

The No. 8 BYU Cougars took care of business late with a 27-20 win over Arizona State on Saturday.

Bear Bachmeier threw for 236 yards and a touchdown to lead the Cougars' to victory back home in Provo. The game was tied at 17 going into the fourth quarter before BYU ended up pulling away.

The Cougars (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) shut out the Sun Devils throughout most of the fourth quarter to secure the win. After Matthias Dunn put BYU ahead for good on a 45-yard field goal, Sione Moa punched it in from a yard out to seal the victory with 2:09 left.

ASU had a 45-yard field goal from Carson Smith with 57 seconds left. But they failed to recover the ensuing onside kick and BYU ended the game. Bachmeier was huge in BYU's final scoring drive, converting two fourth down attempts before Moa’s second score. As a whole, the Cougars were 3-of-4 (75%) on fourth down conversions.

“They made things difficult for us and made it interesting, especially at the end,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “That third quarter was tough. A lot of plays for our defense.”

Moa led the Cougars with eight carries for 20 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Sun Devils (4-4, 2-3) lost to a Top-10 opponent on the road for the third time this season. Cardae Mack had 170 all-purpose yards to lead Arizona State. Jake Fette threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns.

Arizona State struggled to find a consistent passing game. Being one-dimensional kept the Sun Devils stranded in the second half. It was clear BYU had a clear game plan and didn't need many second-half adjustments. The Cougars' defense registered six sacks and forced a turnover before halftime.

“The team was all for it,” Sitake said. “That was a good moment for us. There was no hesitation from anyone: offense, defense, special teams, and even the sideline. They were all for it. I can be convinced pretty easily.”

The Cougars' final drive was a killer, going 95 yards in 11 plays to seal the win. This was the type of win Bachmeier needs to regain a bit of confidence. Not having LJ Martin available has become more noticeable as the season moved on into the final weeks. The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year adds an extra punch to BYU's offense. He's expected to be back next week.

BYU travels to Utah next Saturday for the latest edition of the Holy War (Noon ET, ABC or ESPN).