BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier climbs to No. 5 in CBS rankings
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The gist
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier rose to No. 5 in CBS Sports' quarterback power rankings after beating Notre Dame.
The win lifted BYU to 6-0 and No. 2 in the AP poll.
Background
Bear Bachmeier is BYU's starting quarterback, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound sophomore from Murrieta, California, who wears No. 47. As a true freshman in 2025 he was Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, passing for 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns while adding 527 rushing yards and 11 scores. His national profile jumped after BYU's 28-24 upset of then-No. 2 Notre Dame on Oct. 17, 2026, a game in which he threw, ran and caught a touchdown pass. The win moved BYU to 6-0 and No. 2 in the AP poll, and CNN profiled the team's surge.
How it unfolded
- 2025 seasonAs a true freshman, Bachmeier threw for 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns and ran for 527 yards and 11 scores, earning Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year as BYU went 11-2.
- Oct 17, 2026BYU beat then-No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 in Provo; Bachmeier threw for 224 yards and a touchdown, ran for two more and caught a pass for a fourth score.
- Oct 18, 2026Bachmeier said Notre Dame disrespected him and his family "pretty badly" coming out of high school and that he kept the receipts.
- Oct 19, 2026He was named Associated Press National Player of the Week, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and a Davey O'Brien Great 8 selection.
- Oct 20, 2026Bachmeier was named Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week; ESPN's Pete Thamel reported UCF would start Keyone Jenkins at quarterback instead of the injured Alonza Barnett III against BYU.
- Oct 22, 2026Bachmeier stood 8th in Heisman Trophy odds, a list he was not on before the Notre Dame game, and fifth in CBS Sports' quarterback power rankings.
- Oct 23, 2026He rose to No. 5 in CBS Sports' national quarterback power rankings as BYU reached No. 2 in the AP poll.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- CBS Sports' David Cobb wrote that Bachmeier "doesn't look like a normal quarterback" at 6-2 and 230 pounds in No. 47, calling him "the heart and soul of the nation's No. 2 ranked team."
- Caution
- BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said the team is taking it "a week-to-week type of deal" and that "the work doesn't care what number you are ranked."
- Support
- BYU running back Preston Rex said "if you come to our house, we're gonna defend it" and "we can play with anyone in the nation."