‘Really Proud,’ ‘We’ll Learn From This’ — Kalani Sitake Praises Defense, Eyes Fixes as BYU Moves to 5-0 With Win Over Iowa State

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

No. 8 BYU held Iowa State to 200 total yards in a 24-10 win Friday night in Provo, Utah, a week after the Cyclones piled up 577 yards against West Virginia.

The Cougars improved to 5-0 and 3-0 in the Big 12, and Iowa State fell to 3-3 and 1-2. Pro Football Network’s College Football Playoff Meter gives BYU a 55.3% chance to make the College Football Playoff, as of Oct. 10, ahead of the full weekend slate of college football’s Week 6.

BYU Defense Limits Iowa State to 200 Total Yards in Win

The Cyclones had thrown for 312 yards and run for 265 in their 45-42 win over West Virginia, but managed 98 passing yards and 102 rushing yards against BYU. Their 49 first-half yards were their fewest in a half since 40 second-half yards against TCU on Oct. 28, 2017, and the 200 total yards were their fewest since 2018.

Running back Aiden Flora, who ran for 212 yards and three touchdowns against West Virginia, had 11 rushing yards at halftime and finished with 86 on 17 carries. Flora’s PFN Impact grade of 86.1 through Week 5 ranks 15th of 369 graded and qualified FBS running backs.

“I know there were some mistakes in all three phases, but really proud of how the team played and with how the defense played, especially,” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said. “We put a lot on them, and I thought they responded the right way.”

BUILD THE CFP FIELD:PFN’s Free CFB Playoff Predictor

“Outstanding defense from BYU,” Jay Drew, a BYU football beat writer for the Deseret News, wrote at halftime. “Cougars left some points off the board.”

BYU outgained Iowa State by a whooping 506 yards to 200 but went 0-for-3 on fourth down, failing twice near the goal line. Sitake said the offense’s efficiency was not good enough and that he wants aggressive calls to turn into points.

Iowa State’s only touchdown, a 1-yard pass from quarterback Jaylen Raynor to Christian Greenlaw, came early in the fourth quarter after punt returner Tiger Bachmeier muffed a punt at the BYU 49.

Quarterback Bear Bachmeier completed 22 of 30 passes for 329 yards, with touchdown throws of 5 yards to Kyler Kasper and 75 to Legend Glasker. With running back LJ Martin out, Bachmeier also ran nine times for 109 yards, becoming the first BYU quarterback since Taysom Hill with 300-plus passing and 100-plus rushing yards in a game.

Iowa State coach Jimmy Rogers said Raynor was on the run a lot and credited BYU’s defensive front. “They move the front a bunch, creating communication issues up front with how they stem and move and then the noise of it all here.”

Rogers said the Cyclones’ headsets went out in the third and fourth quarters and that his staff did not coach well enough, though he believes his team is better than it showed.

“Honestly, Iowa State was probably fortunate to lose only 24-10,” one fan wrote. “Credit BYU. The Cougars were clearly the better squad tonight.”

Raynor completed 16 of 29 passes for 98 yards, and Iowa State converted 2 of 13 third downs. BYU had three sacks and broke up 10 passes.

“I’ve been saying this defense, since I’ve been here, is the best defense I’ve ever played on,” cornerback Therrian Alexander III said. “Honestly, I feel like this secondary is immensely talented.”

BYU Reaches 5-0 as Big 12 Title Odds Take Shape

BYU is 5-0 for the third straight season, a first in program history. As of Oct. 10, PFN’s College Football Playoff Meter gives BYU a 37.1% chance to win the Big 12. It gives Texas Tech a 31.0% chance and Utah a 30.9% chance to make the Playoff, both behind BYU’s Playoff chance.

Drew wrote in a Deseret News analysis that BYU is not dominating opponents the way Notre Dame and Utah are, and that the 14-point margin left many fans frustrated.

CHECK YOUR TEAM’S ODDS:PFN’s CFB FPM

Another fan, torn between Utah and BYU as the Big 12’s best team, called BYU’s Nov. 7 game at Utah “possibly a playoff play-in game.”

PFN’s College Football Playoff Meter, as of Oct. 10, gives BYU a 50.5% chance to win that game. A victory would lift its Playoff chance to 71.6%, and a loss would drop it to 38.6%.

Looking Ahead in Week 7 to Notre Dame

BYU hosts No. 3 Notre Dame on Oct. 17 in a Week 7 game on ABC. If the rankings hold, it will be the first meeting of two top-10 teams in Provo in program history.

PFN’s College Football Playoff Meter, as of Oct. 10, gives the Cougars a 32.6% chance to beat the Fighting Irish. A win would raise their Playoff chance to 70.0%, and a loss would drop it to 48.2%.

“We’ll learn from this,” Sitake said. “If we can keep getting better and keep progressing, I’ll be really excited about what we can accomplish next week and ready for the game by the time Notre Dame comes into town.”

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos