Arizona State heads to Provo for an Arizona State vs BYU preview that finds the Cougars looking to answer their first loss in six weeks. BYU, ranked No. 8 and sitting at 6-1, hosts the 4-3 Sun Devils on Saturday, Oct. 31, at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Fox.
The Cougars had won five straight before falling 39-31 in double overtime at UCF on Oct. 24, a result that snapped their momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season. Arizona State arrives having alternated wins and losses over its last five games, including blowout defeats to Baylor and Texas Tech sandwiched around victories over Hawai’i and Kansas State.
Arizona State Vs BYU Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 31
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
- TV: Fox
- Weather: 60 degrees, 47% chance of precipitation
By The Numbers
- Points per game: BYU 33.1, Arizona State 30.9
- Total yards per game: BYU 414.3, Arizona State 411.6
- Passing yards per game: Arizona State 267.4, BYU 220.6
- Rushing yards per game: BYU 193.7, Arizona State 144.1
- Third-down conversion rate: BYU 54.65%, Arizona State 30.11%
- Sacks allowed per game: Arizona State 2.7, BYU 0.6
- Total takeaways: Arizona State 10, BYU 6
- Interceptions thrown: BYU 4, Arizona State 5
BYU’s third-down number stands out above anything else in this data set. Converting at a 54.65% clip compared to Arizona State’s 30.11% suggests the Cougars have been far better at sustaining drives and keeping their defense off the field, even in a loss to UCF.
Arizona State Outlook
Quarterback Cutter Boley has thrown for 1,360 yards and 13 touchdowns against five interceptions, and the Sun Devils lean on him heavily, averaging 267.4 passing yards per game. That aerial production comes at a cost. Arizona State has allowed 2.7 sacks per game, nearly 22.4 sack yards lost per contest, a problem that showed up in the 53-25 loss at Texas Tech on Oct. 17.
Running back Cardae Mack has carried 55 times for 400 yards and six touchdowns, giving the offense a complementary ground threat, while receiver Reed Harris has hauled in 47 catches for 800 yards and eight scores. The Sun Devils’ 30.11% third-down rate will need to improve against a BYU defense that has forced 12 sacks and 32 tackles for loss on the season. Boley is expected to start under center.
BYU Outlook
BYU’s offense is built around efficiency rather than volume. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier has completed 116 of 184 passes for 1,514 yards, 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions, and the Cougars’ 54.65% third-down conversion rate reflects a unit that moves the chains consistently. Running back LJ Martin has gained 344 yards on 44 carries with three touchdowns, part of a rushing attack averaging 193.7 yards per game.
Receiver Legend Glasker leads the passing game with 28 catches for 498 yards and four touchdowns. BYU’s offensive line has allowed only 0.6 sacks per game, giving Bachmeier time that Boley has not enjoyed on the other side. Bachmeier is projected to start after helping BYU reach 6-1 before the UCF setback.
Key Matchup
BYU’s offensive line against Arizona State’s pass rush will shape how much time Bachmeier gets to find Glasker and the rest of the receiving corps. The Cougars have surrendered just 3.4 sack yards lost per game this season, a sign of an offensive line that has protected its quarterback well. Arizona State’s defense has recorded 14 sacks on the year, and generating pressure without surrendering the big plays that defined the Texas Tech and Baylor losses will be critical.
On the other side, Arizona State’s third-down offense, converting at just 30.11%, will be tested by a BYU defense that has posted 32 tackles for loss through seven games. If the Sun Devils cannot sustain drives on third down, Boley’s big-play passing numbers may not translate into points.
Cutter Boley, QB, Arizona State
Boley has thrown for 1,360 yards and 13 touchdowns this season but also carries five interceptions and has absorbed heavy pressure, with Arizona State allowing 2.7 sacks per game.
Bear Bachmeier, QB, BYU
Bachmeier has completed 62.8% of his passes with 11 touchdowns against only three interceptions, directing an offense that ranks among the nation’s more efficient third-down units at 54.65%.
LJ Martin, RB, BYU
Martin has rushed for 344 yards and three scores on 44 carries, giving BYU balance behind a line that has limited sack yardage all season.
What To Watch
BYU enters as the No. 8 team in the country and will look to show the UCF loss was an aberration rather than a trend as it manages the rest of its schedule. Arizona State, at 4-3, is trying to find consistency after lopsided losses to Baylor and Texas Tech wedged around solid wins over Hawai’i and Kansas State. The Sun Devils’ turnover margin, with 10 takeaways against 10 giveaways, will factor heavily against a BYU team that has protected the ball with only four interceptions thrown all season.
Arizona State’s recent trip to Lubbock produced one of its worst performances of the year, detailed in Total Apex Sports’ coverage of the Texas Tech rout, and the Sun Devils will try to avoid a similar outcome against a ranked opponent. Arizona State’s earlier matchup with Baylor is broken down in Total Apex Sports’ preview of that game.
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