Story byBYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) warms up before the game against Utah at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret NewsJackson PayneThu, January 8, 2026 at 2:49 AM UTC·1 min readUnsurprisingly, Bear Bachmeier is staying put in Provo. BYU’s star freshman quarterback is returning to the Cougars in 2026, he announced Wednesday via social media. The first true freshman quarterback to start a season opener in BYU history, Bachmeier led the Cougars to a 12-2 campaign with a Big 12 championship game appearance and Pop-Tarts Bowl victory. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBachmeier threw for 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns, adding another 527 yards and 11 scores on the ground. Bachmeier joins Faletau Satuala, Parker Kingston, Keanu Tanuvasa and a number of other BYU players who have already announced their returns in 2026.
