The BYU Cougars will kick off the 2026 season in 47 days against Utah Tech. As we count down the days until kickoff, today we will profile the player who wears No. 47 - sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier.
Bear Bachmeier's background
While it might have felt to some that Bear Bachmeier came out of nowhere last year to lead BYU to a 12-2 season, the reality is he was an elite high school prospect in the class of 2025. As a high three-star prospect with an 88 grade from 247 Sports, the bluest of the bluebloods wanted a piece of the Bear.
Offers flooded in from Alabama, Oregon, Miami, and Notre Dame, among others. Bachmeier ultimately committed to Stanford. But to BYU's fortune, a coaching change at Stanford prompted him to decommit and re-open his recruitment. In May 2025 he committed to BYU, and the rest is history.
Bear Bachmeier's past and present with BYU
If you care enough about BYU football to be reading this article, you already know what an incredible season Bear had in his first year in Provo. He was unexpectedly thrust into the starter's role after incumbent starter Jake Retzlaff withdrew from school instead of facing a lengthy suspension. All Bachmeier did was elevate BYU's offense as the Cougars emerged as one of the best teams in the country.
Last year the dual-threat quarterback was sensational. He threw for 3,033 yards while completing 64.9% of his passes. He tossed 15 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. But he also did damage with his legs. He ran for 527 yards with 11 more touchdowns. He was poised, smart, and clutch. He looked more like an NFL product than a teenager.
Now a sophomore, there's a clear path for him to emerge as a Heisman contender.
First, he has name recognition and cultural appeal. "Bear" is such a memorable name, and football fans tend to love a hard-nosed quarterback wearing No. 47 and steamrolling defenders.
BYU should be ranked high to start the season, making him part of the national conversation. And then the Cougars schedule is perfect to propel Bear Bachmeier straight into the Heisman conversation.
In Week 2 BYU plays a massive Big 12 conference game against Arizona when many Top 25 teams are playing meaningless nonconference games against lesser opponents. A resounding win by BYU with a good performance from its quarterback could get Bachmeier some early buzz from the national media.
Then in Week 6 BYU hosts Notre Dame in what could be a primetime matchup against two Top 10 teams. If both the Cougars and the Irish are undefeated and Bear Bachmeier has a big game in leading BYU to a huge win, he will undoubtedly rise up the Heisman leader board. He has a golden opportunity against the golden domers to show why he deserves to be counted among the best players in the country.
And that is a realistic scenario for what should be a very, very good BYU team this year.
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