No. 8 BYU Hosts Arizona State as Cougars Seek Bounce-Back Win

No. 8 BYU returns to Provo on Saturday afternoon to host the Arizona State Sun Devils at LaVell Edwards Stadium, looking to shake off its first loss of the season. The Big 12 matchup kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET and is broadcast nationally on FOX.

BYU enters the contest with a 6-1 overall record and a 3-1 mark in conference play. The Cougars were ranked No. 2 nationally before suffering a 39-31 double-overtime defeat against UCF in Orlando last week. That setback dented their conference title aspirations, creating an urgent need for a rebound performance in front of their home crowd.

The Cougars are heavily favored by oddsmakers, sitting as 16.5-point favorites with an over/under set at 48 points. BYU's offense is anchored by quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who has recorded 1,514 passing yards and 11 touchdowns alongside 321 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground. Reliability has been a hallmark for bettors backing BYU, as the team holds a 6-1 record against the spread this season.

In contrast, Arizona State arrives at 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the Big 12 under head coach Kenny Dillingham, dealing with major turmoil in its quarterback room. Cutter Boley began the year as the starter but was benched during a loss to Texas Tech. Mikey Keene subsequently started against Kansas State but exited late in the first half with a knee injury, leaving him questionable.

With injuries mounting, Arizona State is expected to turn to true freshman Jack Fette to make his first career start on the road in a hostile environment. Fette has seen limited action, completing 3 of 6 passes for 45 yards in relief during the previous game.

Despite the offensive instability, the Sun Devils found success on the ground last week behind running back Cardae Mack, who rushed for 159 yards and four touchdowns during a 28-17 comeback victory over Kansas State. Arizona State also won the most recent meeting between the two programs, defeating BYU 28-23 in Tempe during the 2024 season.

Mild and mostly cloudy conditions with temperatures around 56 degrees are expected in Provo for the afternoon kickoff. As both teams battle for positioning in the competitive Big 12 standings, BYU aims to prove its previous loss was merely a temporary setback while keeping its College Football Playoff aspirations alive.