BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier injured his left ankle, limiting the freshman’s mobility in Saturday’s 34-7 Big 12 Championship loss to Texas Tech. Bachmeier played through the injury and finished 16-of-27 for 115 yards with two interceptions.
Following the loss to Texas Tech, Cougars coach Kalani Sitake provided an encouraging update on the quarterback’s health a day later as BYU prepares for the Pop-Tarts Bowl clash against Georgia Tech on Dec. 27.
BYU Coach Kalani Sitake Shrugs Off Concerns Over the Extent of Bear Bachmeier’s Injury
Bachmeier’s left ankle injury came at a crucial time for the Cougars, who are fighting for a spot in the college football playoffs. In the middle against the tough Texas Tech offense, his movement was visibly affected, which limited his effectiveness and resulted in two interceptions surrendered to Ben Roberts, one in the third quarter and one in the fourth quarter.
The first of those interceptions led to a touchdown and a two-point conversion, turning a 13-7 deficit into a 21-7 hole as the fourth quarter approached. From there, BYU failed to recover, allowing Texas Tech to score 13 more points and further cement its dominance over the Cougars and the Big 12 Conference as a whole.
A day after BYU’s loss to Texas Tech and missing the football playoffs, coach Sitake joined Deseret News sportswriter Jay Drew on Zoom to update the Cougars’ status three weeks before facing Georgia Tech on Dec. 27 in Orlando, Florida.
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The ninth-year BYU coach was asked about Bachmeier’s status and delivered an encouraging development for Cougars fans. Sitake addressed Bachmeier’s recent ankle sprain, explaining that recovery is progressing well and indicating the quarterback will be in full physical shape going into the bowl game against the Yellow Jackets.
“Yeah, he’s a fast healer. He’ll be fine,” Sitake said.
BYU coach Kalani Sitake is on a Zoom call to discuss the Pop-Tarts Bowl. I just asked the coach for an update on QB Bear Bachmeier. “He’s a fast healer, he will be fine,” Sitake said.
— Jay Drew (@drewjay) December 7, 2025
In 13 games this season, Bachmeier has completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,708 yards, throwing for 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. The 6’2′ signal-caller has also excelled in the running game, racking up 527 yards in 146 carries with 11 TDs. What’s more amazing is that he is just a freshman, meaning he could still improve in the next three seasons.
Bear Bachmeier’s Teammate Questions BYU’s CFP Snub
Bachmeier’s teammate, wide receiver Parker Kingston, questioned the process of the College Football Playoff seedings, which ultimately resulted in the exclusion of BYU and Notre Dame. Kingston argued that the Cougars’ loss to Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship game should not have been decisive enough to end their playoff hopes, yet this loss directly allowed Miami to advance to the knockout rounds instead of BYU.
“It makes you mad. To have the conference championship (result) as the reason why we can’t get in is not right,” Kingston said. “I mean, what is the point of even getting to the conference championship if it is going to hurt your odds of getting into the playoff?”
During Sunday’s unveiling of the Top 12 teams in this season’s CFP, Arkansas Athletic Director and CFP chair Hunter Yurachek addressed concerns raised by BYU and Notre Dame. He explained that Alabama’s win over higher-ranked Georgia in the regular season helped their cause despite having an inferior record.
Similarly, Yurachek pointed out that BYU’s inability to beat Texas Tech twice, both in the regular season and in the Big 12 title game, directly influenced their exclusion from the playoffs. The Cougars’ performances against the Red Raiders were considered subpar, particularly when compared to those of Alabama.
These developments led to BYU dropping in the rankings, which allowed Miami to move up and claim a playoff spot. As a result, Kalani Sitake’s team was relegated to the Pop-Tarts Bowl against Georgia Tech, which replaced their original bowl opponent, Notre Dame, after the Fighting Irish declined participation due to the playoff snub.