Bear Bachmeier and the BYU Cougars have already proven they can win consistently, with a 12-2 record in 2025. The focus shifts to whether Bachmeier and his team can sustain that success when expectations rise, and the games carry even greater significance.
Why Is Bear Bachmeier Hyped as the Best QB in the Big 12?
ESPN analyst Trevor Matich shared high praise for Bachmeier’s upside entering the 2026 season.
“Last year as a freshman, he did a lot of near miraculous things, and he didn’t even really know what he was doing,” Matich said. “He got a lot of praise from his coaches and teammates about learning the playbook and implementing the playbook at a much more advanced level than you would expect a freshman to be able to do.
“But still, he wasn’t elite at applying the playbook in the way that he will be as his career progresses. So I consider him a guy that will pick up where he left off last year and only get better, and so I could consider him being possibly even the best quarterback in the Big 12 by the end of the season. Certainly, he’s got the ability to compete for that position.”
On Tuesday, ESPN’s David Hale released a quarterback tier ranking for all 138 FBS programs heading into 2026, and Bachmeier landed in Tier 5 alongside Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and Bryce Underwood. Hale described the group as quarterbacks who flashed elite potential as true freshmen in 2025, but each still showed inconsistencies, leaving some questions about their long-term development.
According to ESPN, only 19 Power Four/Power Five quarterbacks over the past two decades have recorded at least 3,000 passing yards, 500 rushing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 or fewer turnovers in a single season. Four of those players won the Heisman Trophy, three finished as runners-up, and six eventually became first-round NFL Draft picks.
Bachmeier joined that exclusive list during his true freshman season in 2025 and closed the year with an 84.2 score in the PFSN College Football QB Impact.
BYU has yet to win a Big 12 title or make a deep College Football Playoff push, but the program finally reached the conference championship game last season before suffering a 34-7 loss to Texas Tech. However, expectations remain high for head coach Kalani Sitake and the Cougars heading into 2026, with Bachmeier leading the offense.
Former ESPN analyst David Pollack also expressed confidence in Bachmeier on the “See Ball Get Ball” podcast.
“Bear could get them there,” Pollack said. “They’re already going to be what? Extremely physical, extremely tough, not going to beat themselves, great special teams in a league where it’s going to be decided by margins. Bear is a dude.”
Bachmeier chose to stay at BYU, which boosted the Cougars’ potential for 2026. Some analysts are even confident that Bachmeier and LJ Martin are the best quarterback and running back duo in the Big 12.
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