BYU faces TCU in Saturday Big 12 matchup

No. 10 BYU (3-0, 1-0 Big 12) will open its season at Amon G. Carter Stadium against TCU (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) at 5 p.m. MDT on Saturday. The game will be televised on ESPN and streamed via ESPN’s online platform and Disney+. Radio coverage is available on KSL 1160 AM/102.7 FM, BYU Radio, and Sirius XM 143.

BYU enters the contest with a 42-point per-game average offense and allows just 15.7 points on defense, while holding a +4 turnover margin. The Cougars have not won in Fort Worth since 2006, though they defeated TCU 44-11 last season. TCU, meanwhile, averages 29.3 points while conceding 12.5, but has been penalized heavily, drawing 30 flags in four games. The Horned Frogs have struggled early, falling to 2-2 after losses to UNC and UCF.

Key storylines include BYU’s performance after a week-long bye, as the team has sometimes started slowly in similar situations. TCU’s defense has limited opponents to 76 rushing yards per game, a stark contrast to BYU’s near-200-yard average, setting up a potential ground-game showdown. TCU has also fumbled nine times this season, giving BYU’s defense opportunities to exploit ball security issues.

Quarterback Bear Bachmeier, a sophomore who has yet to face a Big 12 road test, will look to maintain his strong passing numbers. On the offensive line, freshman tackle Bott Mulitalo steps into a larger role after veteran Andrew Gentry’s ankle surgery, marking his first extended playing time.

"We feel like our guys accomplished what we wanted to get done last week for the bye. We were ready to play a game. We just didn’t play one, but the guys put in time and they put in a lot of work, and we got some bodies healed. ... We are looking forward to seeing them play this weekend," said BYU head coach Kalani Sitake.

"We’re disappointed, we’re hurt, but we realize if we sit around and pout about it, that’s not going to make it better ... We’re evaluating every aspect of our program, trying to figure out why we’re not playing as well as we need to win games. ... We have to win the turnover battle and limit penalties and mistakes," said TCU head coach Sonny Dykes.

The result will set the tone for both programs as they continue their conference schedules, with BYU next facing Iowa State on Oct. 9 and TCU traveling to Baylor on Oct. 17.