Welcome to Too Optimistic Tuesday! This weekly column reminds BYU fans why they should count their many blessings and have an abundance of hope. Every season in every sport is full of both ups and downs. This column will amplify the "ups" and help fans quickly recover from the "downs". So put on your blue-tinted goggles and just enjoy your BYU fandom for a moment.
Freshman QB Bear Bachmeier looked outstanding in his debut
Freshman Bear Bachmeier made history against Portland State by becoming the first freshman to ever start Week 1 of a BYU football season. That's a remarkable fact in and of itself, given BYU's long history and penchant for finding talented quarterbacks. And while BYU was playing a clearly overmatched opponent in the Vikings, Bear flashed the potential Cougar fans were hoping to see.
In just one half of play, he accounted for five touchdowns -- three passing and two rushing -- in leading BYU to a 49-0 halftime lead and calling it a day. Bear Bachmeier hasn't really been tested yet, but BYU fans should be over the moon with what they saw last Saturday from their freshman signal caller.
Future QB Ryder Lyons is like no high school talent BYU has ever signed
Speaking of outrageous potential in a young quarterback, BYU commit Ryder Lyons is lighting the high school football world on fire right now. His first two performances this year have solidified his five-star status and No. 21 national ranking among all high school football players.
In his first game, televised on ESPN, he threw for 408 yards and accounted for five touchdowns. This past week he threw for 386 yards, ran for 48 yards, and produced seven touchdowns to move Folsom (CA) to 2-0. He's already a national sensation to the point he needs a police escort just to leave the stadium - in high school!
Ryder Lyons needed a police escort just to exit the campus of his high school game.
— Ave (@AveCope) August 31, 2025
Genuine superstar stuff. BYU didn’t used to get dudes like this… pic.twitter.com/eGvMfl6U0y
Keanu Tanuvasa is going to be a problem
While traditional offensive and defensive stats get all the love in BYU's 69-0 win over Portland State, there was one seemingly small but incredibly important stat that emerged from the Cougars first game that should make BYU fans smile:
Highest Pressure Per Pass Rush among FBS DTs, Week 1:
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) August 31, 2025
1) Keanu Tanuvasa, BYU: 40.0%
2) Xion Chapman, FIU: 35.7%
3) Auckland Asiata, Fresno State: 33.30%
4) Damonte Smith, MTSU: 31.8%
5) Demeco Kennedy, Purdue: 30.0%
6) CJ Nunnally IV, Purdue: 28.6%
7) Byron Turner Jr., Tulsa:…
BYU's interior defensive line has struggled for years to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Utah transfer Keanu Tanuvasa was a game wrecker in the middle of the defensive line for the Utes, and he has kept that going in his first appearance as a BYU Cougar. Having a dominant defensive tackle like Tanuvasa can elevate BYU's defense to heights previously unknown.
BYU should be ranked
Kalani Sitake's squad was essentially ranked No. 26 in the preseason poll. No. 25 Boise State was blown out by unranked South Florida and two other ranked teams had less-than-impressive performances in No. 17 Kansas State (38-35 over North Dakota) and No. 20 Indiana (27-14 over Old Dominion), so the Cougs should be ranked in the Top 25 this week.
If you're wired like I am, it brings me joy to see a top 25 number next to BYU's name as college football news scrolls across ESPN's crawler.
Happy Tuesday, BYU fans.
Let's be optimistic about what's happening in Provo this week.