BYU Football Depth Chart For Pop-Tarts Bowl Against Georgia Tech
Dec 23, 2025, 6:15 PM
BYU football depth chart has tidbits along the offensive line in preparation for the Pop-Tarts Bowl against Georgia Tech. (Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)
(Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)
The BYU football depth chart for Saturday’s Pop-Tarts Bowl against Georgia Tech is out.
BYU enters what the Pop-Tarts Bowl brands itself as “The People’s National Championship,” with a No. 12 ranking in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings, and an 11-2 overall record.
BYU football’s depth chart for the 2025 Pop-Tarts Bowl against Georgia Tech. pic.twitter.com/EDzqcdk44Y
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 23, 2025
BYU football depth chart: Pop-Tarts Bowl Week notes
The 14th and final depth chart of the 2025 BYU football season gets everyone ready for Saturday’s Pop-Tarts Bowl against the No. 22 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Significant changes at running back
BYU star running back LJ Martin and backup Sione Moa are not on the depth chart. Head coach Kalani Sitake noted that Martin had undergone surgery and would be unavailable.
Moa played in the Big 12 Championship Game but is not on the depth chart this week. The sophomore, who will still have three years of eligibility remaining after this season, is with the team this week in Orlando. Typically, when BYU players are not listed on the depth chart for a given week, it’s not a positive sign that they will play.
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said today at practice that RB LJ Martin will not be playing in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Martin had surgery on his shoulder that he injured at Iowa State in October.
The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year rushed for 1,305 yards in 13 games played this… pic.twitter.com/BsisqWo1P0
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 23, 2025
The first name listed atop the running back depth chart is senior Enoch Nawahine. Still, after his name are ‘ORs’ with Jovesa Damuni and Preston Rex following him.
Those three running backs have combined this season for 40 carries and 143 rushing yards.
Competition at wide receiver?
BYU captain Chase Roberts is preparing for his final game in Cougar Blue. He will be starting at one of the receiver spots.
Where the intrigue resides on this week’s depth chart is behind Roberts for the second-string spot.
BYU quietly put an “OR” between Tei Nacua and Reggie Frischknecht.
Nacua has primarily held that spot without an “OR” this season, despite playing fewer snaps than Frischknecht this season, according to Pro Football Focus’ snap totals.
Notes along the offensive line
Kaden Chidester holds down the backup left tackle position behind Isaiah Jatta. Entering the Big 12 Championship Game, Chidester was a co-backup with Jake Griffin. Since the conclusion of the Big 12 title, Griffin announced his intentions to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal in January.
Also of note along the offensive line, Austin Leausa is no longer listed at right guard. He was a co-starter with Kyle Sfarcioc. This week, Leausa is the backup at right tackle, while Sfarcioc is the lone starter at right guard, with Sonny Makasini backing him up.
Ace Kaufusi is not on the depth chart
Backup ROVER linebacker Ace Kaufusi is not listed on the Pop-Tarts Bowl depth chart. Kaufusi is the backup to star Jack Kelly at that ROVER spot. Instead of Ace, his cousin, Maika Kaufusi, is listed as the backup.
Young cornerback makes his debut on the depth chart
True freshman cornerback Jordyn Criss is on this week’s depth chart for BYU. Criss is listed behind Evan Johnson and Jayden Dunlap.
The Arlington, Texas native is a player to watch next season as Dunlap and Mory Bamba are both preparing for their final games at BYU this weekend.
Criss could be an early contender to be in the top four at cornerback in 2026, along with Johnson and Therrian Alexander III, who have eligibility remaining. The BYU football official Instagram page featured a picture of Criss in their post from Tuesday’s practice.
BYU Football Depth Chart: Game-by-Game, 2025 Season
Portland State | Stanford | East Carolina | Colorado | West Virginia | Arizona | Utah | Iowa State | Texas Tech | TCU | Cincinnati | UCF | Big 12 Championship (Texas Tech) | Pop-Tarts Bowl
Quarterback
Bear Bachmeier
McCae Hillstead -OR-
Treyson Bourguet
Emerson Geilman
Running Back
Enoch Nawahine
-OR- Jovesa Damuni
-OR- Preston Rex
Wide Receiver
Chase Roberts
Tei Nacua
-OR- Reggie Frischknecht
Wide Receiver
Parker Kingston
Tiger Bachmeier
Wide Receiver
Jojo Phillips
-OR- Cody Hagen
Tight End
Carsen Ryan
Keayen Nead -OR-
Ethan Erickson -OR-
Noah Moeaki
Left Tackle
Isaiah Jatta
Kaden Chidester
Left Guard
Weylin Lapuaho
Sonny Makasini
Center
Bruce Mitchell
Trevor Pay
Right Guard
Kyle Sfarcioc
Sonny Makasini
Right Tackle
Andrew Gentry
Austin Leausa
Defensive End
Bodie Schoonover -OR-
Viliami Po’uha
Nose
Keanu Tanuvasa
Anisi Purcell
Kaufusi Pafoke
Tackle
John Taumoepeau
Justin Kirkland
Ulavai Fetuli
Outside Edge
Logan Lutui
Hunter Clegg -OR-
Tausili Akana
Orion Maile-Kaufusi
SAM
Isaiah Glasker
Nusi Taumoepeau -OR-
Maika Kaufusi
MACK
Siale Esera
Miles Hall
Pierson Watson
ROVER
Jack Kelly
Maika Kaufusi
Strong Safety
Faletau Satuala
Talan Alfrey
Jarinn Kalama
Free Safety
Tanner Wall
Raider Damuni
Matthias Leach
Nickel
Jonathan Kabeya
Tayvion Beasley
Tommy Prassas
Cornerback
Evan Johnson
Jayden Dunlap
Jordyn Criss
Cornerback
Therrian Alexander III
-OR- Mory Bamba
Punter
Sam Vander Haar
Fuller Shurtz
Kickoffs
Will Ferrin
Matthias Dunn
Place Kicker
Will Ferrin
Matthias Dunn
Holder
Sam Vander Haar
Fuller Shurtz
Long Snapper
Garrison Grimes
Ty Smith
Kick Returner
Cody Hagen
Tiger Bachmeier
Punt Returner
Parker Kingston
-OR- Tiger Bachmeier
No. 12 BYU vs. No. 22 Georgia Tech
2025 Pop-Tarts Bowl
Date: Saturday, December 27, 2025
Location: Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. (MST)
TV: ABC
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM) — Extended pregame begins at 10 a.m.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
