Iowa State's poised for ‘physical’ challenge against No. 11 BYU

AMES — He’s big. He’s strong. He’s faster than he looks.

BYU true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier checks all the boxes as a competitor and elite performer — oh, and he can calmly and precisely complete downfield throws, too.

“The tough ones are like (Bachmeier), where they can run it and throw it, and they’re throwing strikes down the field,” said Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock, who hopes to bottle up 11th-ranked BYU’s potent and diverse offense in Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. homecoming football game (Fox) at Jack Trice Stadium. “And because they run it so well, obviously you have to get extra hats in the game, and then the play-action pass has become where they try to strike you.

“So we’re gonna have to be really good.”

It’s hard for any of the Cyclones (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) a flaw in the Cougars (7-0, 4-0) — and that’s why head coach Kalani Sitake’s team has won 18 of its past 20 games dating back to last season.

“I’ve talked about Kalani before and my respect for him,” said ISU head coach Matt Campbell, whose team seeks to snap a two-game skid. “If my own son could play for anybody in college football, I would want my son to play for him. That’s how much I think of him and how he leads a football program and a team and you see it.

“They play for each other. They play really great complementary football and they play great team football, so all the things that when we’ve been at our best, and when we’re at our best, there (are) some similarities in terms of how we want to play the game.”

That’s fast and free. That’s with great “precision and detail.” And that’s with great trust among the players — from leaders to lightly-used role players alike.

“We’ve gotta be ready to be physical with those guys,” said Cyclone safety Marcus Neal, who leads his team with 45 tackles. “They can run the ball over there and that’s what they’re gonna do. We’ve gotta show that we can stop it.”

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Bachmeier and his top tailback, veteran LJ Martin, have proven to be almost impossible to stop for BYU, which has won seven of its past eight one-score games. Bachmeier’s rushed for a team-best eight touchdowns. Martin’s already eclipsed his career high in rushing yards with 774.

“They fall forward for four yards,” Heacock said of the Cougars’ rushing attack, which is tied for fourth nationally in gains of 10-plus yards with 54. “I mean, it’s on every videotape. They’re running the ball downhill.”

And when BYU’s not slashing through opposing defensive fronts with chunk plays on the ground, Bachmeier’s finding standout wide receivers such as Chase Roberts and Parker Kingston downfield. The Cougars also are tied for fourth nationally in passing plays spanning 70-plus yards with two — and Roberts and Kingston each have one.

“We know we have a big opportunity this week with an undefeated team — a really good team that’s gonna come and smack us in our face,” ISU cornerback Tre Bell said. “We’ve gotta be ready for it, and I feel like it’s just a challenge that we’re ready for, so we’ve just gotta go play our solid ball.”

Las Vegas oddsmakers agree. The Cougars opened as 1.5-point road favorites, but the Cyclones were favored by 2.5 points as of Tuesday afternoon. So expect another tightly-contested game at sold-out Jack Trice Stadium, where ISU has won nine of its past 10 games — with three coming by one score.

“Very excited,” Neal said. “And we’re back in the Jack, so that’s pretty nice.”

INJURY UPDATE

Campbell said starting kicker Kyle Konrardy is “in a really good spot” for the first time since injuring his hip four games ago.

“My expectation is Kyle will play,” Campbell said of Konrardy, who’s missed the past three games.

The same holds true for tailback Carson Hansen, who sat out the Colorado loss because of a concussion. Campbell said safety Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman also could be back after missing two games, but the status of star nose guard Domonique Orange is murkier.

“We lost Dom early at Colorado,” Campbell said. “I think his ability to be back, I think we’ll see a little bit more as the week goes (on).”

Comments: robgray18@icloud.com