No. 11 BYU vs. Colorado State: Game day preview plus score prediction
Sep 19, 2026, 12:06 AM | Updated: 9:28 am
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — BYU vs Colorado State is a renewal of an old WAC and Mountain West Conference rivalry.
The two regional programs haven’t met since 2010, when they were in the Mountain West together.
📍 Fort Collins, Colorado pic.twitter.com/Rp5LErtDdm
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 19, 2026
BYU and CSU scheduled this series in the summer of 2024, and it’s the first of a two-game series that will see the Rams return a visit to Provo in 2029.
Both teams enter the primetime matchup at 2-0.
BYU is preparing for its first appearance on network CBS since the 1997 Cotton Bowl. A primetime, national showcase window awaits a team knocking on the door of the Top-10 in the AP Top 25 rankings.
Saturday will mark the 70th meeting all-time between BYU and Colorado State. The Cougars hold the all-time series lead at 39-27-3. BYU has won the last seven meetings in the series.
No. 11 BYU vs. Colorado State
Location: Canvas Stadium
Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. (MDT)
TV: CBS
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM) – Coverage begins with Extended Pregame from Fort Collins at Noon.
Three gameday thoughts
1. Don’t inflict mistakes on yourself
The first month of a college football season can create some unexpected results, especially on the road. It can be a stage for some sloppy play.
Over the past two weeks, BYU has mostly avoided that. You would expect that for an experienced team that returned 15 starters from last year’s team that won 12 games.
BYU has committed zero turnovers. They’ll need to maintain that in today’s game, as CSU is second nationally in turnover margin.
One area where BYU will look to avoid mistakes is penalties. They have averaged six per game in the first two weeks, both at home. Does that number go up in what is expected to be an energized crowd at Canvas Stadium?
2. Feed LJ Martin early
It was inexcusable by BYU last week to only give four rushing attempts in the first half against Arizona. BYU head coach Kalani Sitake made it a priority to return to the team’s identity with a physical ground attack, led by the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in Martin.
Martin finished with 20 carries in the win over the Wildcats.
Get the senior ball carrier rolling early in this game.
Last week, Colorado State’s defense allowed Southern Utah to rush for 206 yards.
3. Colorado State hasn’t defeated a Top 25 team in Ft. Collins since 1993
BYU fans look at the Colorado State football program with respect. In the late 90s and early 2000s, Colorado State was one of the toughest teams to take down in the WAC/Mountain West Conference.
It was always a signature weeknight game on an ESPN network when the two were in the MWC together.
So it comes as a big surprise that Colorado State hasn’t defeated a Top 25 team in Fort Collins since 1993. That’s more than three decades ago.
You have to go back to 2002, when the Rams defeated No. 7 Colorado, to find the last time CSU beat a nationally ranked team.
Are they due? They feel they are trending up, but BYU will have other plans.
BYU-Colorado State returns for the first time in 16 years this Saturday.
What are some of your memories from this old WAC & Mountain West rivalry?@kslsports pic.twitter.com/Bmu654yDHA
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 18, 2026
Two BYU vs Colorado State questions
1. How much does Jim Mora impact this game for Colorado State?
When facing the Group of Six, it’s usually a young, up-and-coming coach. Jim Mora was a splashy hire for the Rams, plucked away from UConn, where he restored the Huskies to respectability.
Mora has found success at various levels in the NFL and Power Five, including his time at UCLA, where he beat BYU in Kalani Sitake’s home debut as head coach in 2016.
With that extensive of a coaching resume, how big of an X-factor does that provide to the Rams tonight? It doesn’t hurt that one of Mora’s staffers, Passing Game Coordinator Matt Mitchell, worked on BYU’s staff over the last handful of years and can provide valuable intel on how BYU’s offense operates.
BYU has the better roster than CSU, but I’d be surprised if the Rams aren’t prepared for this game with Mora coaching them up.
2. Will BYU’s secondary cause “HAVOC” on aggressive CSU QB Hauss Hejny?
Colorado State quarterback Hauss Hejny has been impressive through the first two weeks of the season. The former TCU and Oklahoma State signal-caller has accounted for 10 touchdowns, with nine coming through the air. That’s the second-most in college football so far in the young season.
When you watch Hejny, you can tell he’s aggressive. Last week, the Rams had four completions through the air that were at least 33 yards or longer, including a 68-yard completion.
Will Hejny have that same level of aggressiveness against BYU’s talented secondary?
Beware if that happens because BYU’s secondary, with Evan Johnson, Therrian Alexander III, Mississippi State transfer Jayven Williams, and safety Faletau Satuala, won’t be fazed. In fact, they’d probably invite that kind of action in their area.
BYU’s defense has 43 total interceptions since the start of the 2024 season. They already have four interceptions in the first two weeks.
Colorado State has picked off its opponents five times this season.
One score prediction for BYU vs Colorado State
BYU overwhelms Colorado State at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and takes care of business with the wide zone rushing attack led by LJ Martin.
Bear Bachmeier finds his way into the endzone for some scores, and BYU gets out of Fort Collins with a comfortable victory, keeping the undefeated record intact heading into the bye week.
Score Prediction: BYU 34, Colorado State 13
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL 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.
