BYU wide receiver Kyler Kasper (3) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) AP Photo/Tyler Tate
Jay has covered sports in Utah for more than 30 years and has been writing for the Deseret News since 2019.
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BYU receiver Kyler Kasper said it was easy to pinpoint the most important play of the game after the Cougars fought past Arizona 28-17 at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday afternoon in front of more than 64,000 fans.
Remarkably, it wasn’t one of several that he made, or one made by fellow receiver Legend Glasker that set up his second touchdown catch.
The defensive stop made by BYU’s Tommy Prassas and Cannon DeVries on fourth down in the fourth quarter when Arizona was driving for what appeared was going to be a go-ahead touchdown “was probably the biggest moment in the game,” Kasper said.
“I was beyond excited at that moment, and I knew we were about to go shut the game down.”
Officials spotted the ball, then called the chain crew over for a measurement. It was a first down, by inches. However, after a video review, replay officials ruled that Arizona receiver Rodney Gallagher was a few inches short, and the ball went to BYU.
“I was standing in the middle of the field, and I wasn’t gonna move until they reviewed it,” said BYU coach Kalani Sitake. “I wish I could say I watched it, but it wasn’t until I saw the replay and was like, ‘Yeah, there’s a line right there, you didn’t get it. The ball is in his right hand.”
Noted Sitake: “It is a game of inches.”
In Kasper’s case, it is a game of a lot of inches. The Chicago native who moved to Arizona when he was 13 stands 6-foot-6, and he made his presence felt Saturday for the Cougars, who scored a touchdown in every quarter.
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BYU Cougars wide receiver Reggie Frischknecht (18) celebrates a touchdown with his teammates during a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats tight end Shane King (8) catches the ball for a touchdown during a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars wide receiver Legend Glasker (1) catches the ball during a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats tight end Shane King (8) dances with his teammate Tre Spivey (12) after scoring a touchdown during a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars running back Lj Martin (4) pushes the pile forward as he runs with the ball during a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats tight end Cole Rusk (14) catches the ball during a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (1) throws the ball to his wide receiver Rodney Gallagher III (84) during a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) dives for a first down during a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars running back Lj Martin (4) runs with the ball during a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake speaks into his headset during a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars running back Lj Martin (4) runs with the ball during a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats tight end Cole Rusk (14) is overthrown during a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (1) makes a leaping pass during a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats defensive lineman Leroy Palu (95) sacks BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) during a football game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan encourages his players during a timeout at a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan yells at a referee during a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars defensive lineman Tausili Akana (13) sacks Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (1) during a football game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats tight end Cole Rusk (14) runs with the ball during a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats tight end Cole Rusk (14) runs with the ball during a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (1) throws the ball during a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats defensive lineman Leroy Palu (95) celebrates a sack during a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats running back Quincy Craig (24) is then down by BYU Cougars defensive end Braxton Lindsey (30) during a football game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats running back Kedrick Reescano (3) runs with the ball during a football game against BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars wide receiver Reggie Frischknecht (18) crosses into the end zone during a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars tight end Roger Saleapaga II (2) bobbles a pass during a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars cornerback Therrian Alexander (1) celebrates after defending a reception during a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars tight end Roger Saleapaga II (2) tries to obtain possession of a bobbled catch while defenders prowl to intercept the ball during a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake high-fives fans during the Cougar Walk ahead of a football game against the Arizona Wildcats at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Two girls sit on their father’s shoulders during the Cougar Walk ahead of a football game against the Arizona Wildcats at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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The BYU marching band marches through fans during the Cougar Walk before a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) warms up before a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) warms up before a football game against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
The first touchdown catch of Kasper’s BYU career came after the Cougars had driven to the Arizona 6 with their first possession of the second half. Bear Bachmeier hit him with a 6-yard strike.
“It was amazing,” he said. “Obviously the atmosphere was electric. It was everything I’ve ever dreamed of in the stadium and an awesome experience.”
After the overturned spot that will likely live in Arizona football infamy forever, Bachmeier threw a 61-yard bomb to Legend Glasker.
After LJ Martin’s short run, Bachmeier hit Kasper on a slant for a 12-yard score.
“I think that my length is a huge factor,” Kasper said. “Being able to move at my height and use my length is why I think I’m so effective in the red zone and getting the ball.
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“I am able to run any route I need to run. I think me and Bear’s repetition at practice every day helped that show up today.”
Kasper finished with four catches on nine targets for 51 yards. Glasker had three catches for 74 yards and tight end Walker Lyons caught three balls for 22 yards.
BYU’s receivers have acquitted themselves well through two games after being seen by some as a weakness in 2026.
“It helps when your receiver is 6-foot-6 and can run really fast,” Sitake said of Kasper, the son of former NFL receiver Kevin Kasper. “We have had to defend players like him quite a bit, so I am glad he is on our team because he causes a mismatch.”
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