BYU beats Cincinnati to get to 10 wins on the season.
From left, BYU linebacker Jack Kelly (17), defensive lineman Tausili Akana (13), safety Faletau Satuala (11) and linebacker Siale Esera (54) celebrate as they run off the field after a turn over on downs during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Cincinnati, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cincinnati • BYU’s leader opened the week trying to calm down the most restless corners of his team’s fan base.
BYU sits on the cusp of a College Football Playoff bid, and some fans were eager to see the Cougars win their final major test of the regular season in style.
This was the moment to show the committee why BYU deserved an at-large bid.
Head coach Sitake had a slightly different perspective.
“I know what style points are. I want to win. That is the key,” he argued. “People running up the score is what style points are. I understand that whole concept. But you have to win the game first.”
Turns out, there was room for both Sitake and those fans to get what they wanted.
BYU went into Cincinnati and slowly bludgeoned the 7-3 Bearcats en route to a methodical win. It wasn’t flashy, but Sitake’s group ran for over 250 yards to grind out a 26-14 victory that was never truly in doubt.
“Wasn’t perfect, but we’ll take the result,” Sitake said afterward.
A 12-point margin of victory may not seem massive, but it was better than the 2.5-point favorite BYU came into the day as.
On top of that, No. 11 BYU now has a clear path to the Big 12 title game. If it beats UCF next Saturday in Provo, it will punch its ticket to Arlington.
“There is a lot riding on these games at the end of the year, especially when you are playing teams that are in the mix,” Sitake said.
To finish off BYU’s last major hurdle of the regular season, Sitake turned to his best offensive weapon.
The Cougars handed the ball off to LJ Martin time and again as he rushed for 222 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick gave him the ball 32 times, a career-high, and he broke off six runs of 10-plus yards.
None was more critical than on BYU’s opening drive of the fourth quarter. Martin broke multiple tackles for a 16-yard gain to get inside the 30-yard line. Two plays later, he barreled through defenders to get into the end zone and extend the lead.
Martin averaged nearly 7 yards a carry.
“We kept giving it to the hot hand. Keep feeding it to him,” Sitake said of Martin. “We just needed him to rest a little bit. There’s times that he was pushing [backup running back] Enoch [Nawahine] and everybody else out to stay in the game. So I know he’s not 100% but, man, when he plays with that mindset, it’s hard for everybody.”
On the defensive side, BYU mixed a series of stops with Cincinnati miscues.
The Bearcats missed three field goals, all within 50 yards. In the fourth quarter, BYU turned Cincinnati away from the 22-yard line after forcing a fumble. Cougars safety Tanner Wall added an interception to open the second half, which BYU turned into points.
Cincinnati was inside the 30-yard line four times without points.
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier took 16 hits, including one to his shoulder, in the win. He finished 15-of-25 passing for 127 yards in the air. He added 13 carries for 46 rushing.
“I’m really impressed with his ability to take care of the football,” Sitake said of his quarterback. “He made a lot of checks, made a lot of audibles, and I think he put us in the right position.”
BYU iced the game after the Bearcats added a late touchdown thanks to Martin and Bachmeier churning out first downs — with Martin breaking a 33-yard score with less than a minute to play to add to the Cougars’ style points.