Instant takeaways from No. 11 BYU’s blowout road win at Colorado State
Sep 19, 2026, 9:29 PM
BYU football running back LJ Martin against Colorado State. (Courtesy of BYU Photo)
(Courtesy of BYU Photo)
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — BYU football cruised to a dominant 41-23 victory over former WAC and Mountain West rival Colorado State.
The No. 11 Cougars crushed CSU in the first half and didn’t look back.
Here are some takeaways from BYU’s blowout win.
Faced a hostile crowd and didn’t flinch to open the game
The last time BYU faced Colorado State, many of the college students now attending CSU probably weren’t old enough to attend elementary school. It had been 16 years since BYU last visited the “Choice City.”
But that didn’t slow the hatred CSU holds for BYU.
BYU players were greeted with derogatory chants during pregame warmups.
What could have been a moment to flinch at the hostile road crowd became an early lead after two plays, and the offense kept rolling from there.
LJ Martin absolutely ‘mogged’ the Colorado State defense
The kids these days love talking about “mogging.” If you’re not up to date on TikTok slang, it means being physically imposing over someone. It’s a perfect term for LJ Martin on Saturday night against Colorado State.
LJ Martin became the first BYU football player since Taysom Hill in 2014 against Texas to rush for three touchdowns in one quarter. He did that in the opening 15 minutes against the Rams.
You knew it was going to be Martin’s night on the second play of the game; he popped off a 56-yard touchdown run. But it didn’t stop there. The reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year rushed for 173 yards in the first half on 14 carries for an eye-popping average of 12.4 yards per carry.
That’s mogging your opponent.
It was enough of a mogging that BYU could rest Martin for the rest of the game at the midway point of the third quarter.
Martin rushed for 176 yards on 15 carries. He also had one reception for nine receiving yards.
Hauss Hejny’s hamstring injury took away any hope of CSU trying to keep pace with BYU
Colorado State quarterback Hauss Hejny entered Saturday’s game second in the nation in passing touchdowns with nine through the first two games. After the first CSU offensive drive of the game, he was up to 10 touchdown passes, as he guided them to a quick score.
Then on CSU’s second drive, on a third-and-3 pass that was broken up by BYU cornerback Evan Johnson, Hejny came up limping. He was nursing his right hamstring, so he went to the medical tent. He surprisingly returned for CSU’s third drive, but looked ineffective, leading to Jim Mora to sideline Hejny for the remainder of the game and bring in UConn transfer QB K’saan Farrar.
Farrar didn’t have the arm or explosive playmaking ability like Hejny. The Rams had a slim chance to spring an upset over BYU with Hejny; any hope of hanging on closed when he went out.
Cade Uluave is elite from sideline to sideline
The former Cal linebacker arrived at BYU as the No. 1 transfer portal linebacker in the 2026 portal cycle. He had big accolades attached to his name, and he’s lived up to every bit of that high praise.
Uluave was unblockable and showed why he’s the heart and soul of this BYU defense. He had five tackles in the first half.
As he came off the field in the first half, CBS’ Jordan Giorgio interviewed him, and he made sure to highlight teammates like LJ Martin, calling him the best running back in the nation.
Uluave is one of the top linebackers in the Big 12, but he’s quick to highlight his teammates. The sign of a strong leader in the BYU locker room.
BYU’s offensive line had a new face, but didn’t skip a beat
BYU starting guard Kyle Sfarcioc was out with an undisclosed injury. Senior Trevin Ostler filled in for Sfarcioc and did an excellent job.
Coming into the season, Ostler was one of the top reserves for BYU’s offensive line. It’s another example of the quality depth BYU has on the roster: when the “next man up” is called, the performance doesn’t skip a beat.
BYU’s offensive line got a strong push throughout the game and overwhelmed Colorado State’s defensive front, which showed signs of issues against FCS Southern Utah last week.
The one knock on BYU’s offensive line was a holding penalty from Colorado native Andrew Gentry in the third quarter that negated a Journee Tonga touchdown run. That drive later resulted in Bear Bachmeier’s first interception of the season.
Hunter Clegg showed off the wheels on an interception
BYU sophomore defensive end Hunter Clegg came up with an interception at the end of the first half. It was a key takeaway as Colorado State was on the move, looking to score, and would receive the ball to open the second half. Scoring could have created some momentum for the Rams going into the halftime locker room.
Once Clegg picked off Farrar, he then showed off his athleticism by running for 20 yards on the interception return.
Sloppy play from BYU football to close it out
BYU had back-to-back offensive plays that resulted in interceptions. One from Bear Bachmeier in the red zone, and the next one was by Treyson Bourguet on a tipped ball.
The turnovers were BYU’s first giveaways of the season. They opened the year with no giveaways through the first two weeks, the first time that happened since 2021.
Then sloppy penalties amplified the giveaways. One was an unnecessary roughness on Tausili Akana, which aided in Colorado State’s second-half touchdown.
Journee Tonga continues to show glimpses of his talent
When LJ Martin left the game midway through the third quarter, it opened the way for Preston Rex, Journee Tonga, and Devaughn Eka. Rex found the endzone for a touchdown, his second of the season.
Then Journee Tonga got some work in the fourth quarter, and he popped off a 38-yard run, showing some shifty moves against a defender to get BYU into Colorado State territory.
While Sione Moa continues to recover from an MCL/PCL injury, has Tonga emerged to where he could earn a few carries behind Martin each week?
BYU improves to 3-0 overall on the season, heading into a bye week. The Cougars play next on Saturday, October 3, at TCU. Kickoff for that game is expected to be announced on Monday.
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.
