Utah defeats BYU 28-20 as Bear Bachmeier throws four interceptions

Bear Bachmeier Left Heartbroken After Four-Interception Rivalry Loss to Utah

Bear Bachmeier sat in the Rice-Eccles Stadium locker room Saturday with a broken heart, carrying the heavy burden of a rivalry defeat that pushed BYU’s conference championship ambitions to the brink.

No. 3 Utah defeated No. 9 BYU 28-20 on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, in front of the seventh-largest crowd in Rice-Eccles Stadium history, as reported by The Salt Lake Tribune. The loss left the Cougars at 7-2 overall and 4-2 in Big 12 play, leaving their College Football Playoff hopes to the brink.

Bachmeier finished the afternoon completing 21 of 35 passes for 272 yards with one touchdown while adding a team-high 59 rushing yards. Yet the sophomore signal-caller also threw four costly interceptions, culminating in a game-sealing turnover hauled in by Nate Ritchie, the senior safety from Cedar Hills.

Bear Bachmeier Throws Costly INT Late in 4Q of BYU vs. Utah

Inside the Locker Room After the Rivalry Clash

Bachmeier wasn’t available to the media following the game. Instead, his teammates described a solemn scene inside the locker room as head coach Kalani Sitake worked to keep the squad focused on the remaining schedule.

I think he’s hurt. You know, his heart’s broken. He lays his heart on the line for this team, said Keanu Tanuvasa, the former Utah defensive tackle who recorded five tackles and three tackles for loss in his first game at Rice-Eccles Stadium wearing a blue jersey. He loves Cougar Nation, and he feels like he let them down. It’s not his fault — but he’s definitely hurt.

Sitake defended his young quarterback while accepting responsibility for the team’s slow start. Utah capitalized early, jumping out to a 14-3 lead across just two drives to continue a trend where the Utes have outscored their opponents 103-9 in the first quarter through their first nine starts.

Utah defeats BYU 28-20 as Bear Bachmeier throws four interceptions

“Bear’s being really hard on himself, and I think it’s OK,” Sitake told reporters. “You know, this defense is one of the best defenses in the country, and the scheme and the system works really well.”

A Second-Quarter Surge That Fell Short

BYU found its rhythm in the second quarter, outgaining the hosts 149 yards to 42 during a 17-0 spurt that erased the early deficit. Bachmeier connected smoothly with targets like Legend Glasker and Walker Lyons, who combined for 215 receiving yards, giving the Cougars a 20-14 halftime advantage.

DISASTER FOR BYU 🤯 Utah PICKS OFF Bear Bachmeier at the GOAL LINE | ESPN College Football

Glasker caught seven of his 10 targets for 107 yards, including a 74-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Lyons stepped into an expanded role with tight end Roger Salepaga out, pulling in seven receptions for 97 yards.

However, Utah quarterback Devon Dampier answered with 177 passing yards and two touchdowns while adding 87 rushing yards and two more scores on the ground. The win moved the Utes to 9-0 for the first time in nearly two decades, capitalizing on a 4-2 edge in the game’s turnover margin.

Utah PICKS OFF Bear Bachmeier for the 4th time to seal the Holy War victory 🤯 | ESPN CFB

The Road Ahead in the Big 12

The defeat puts BYU two games behind the Utes in conference play, but only one behind Texas Tech in a mass of four teams at 4-2 in the league. The Cougars return home to face Baylor next week at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

“Just keep loving each other,” running back Sione Moa said after totaling 10 carries for 37 yards. “Tough game, but we’ve just got to stay more connected now than ever, and get at it this week and get ready for the next game.”