Cougar Tracks

3-0 feels oh-so-good for BYU football. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper hosts a special postgame reaction show live from Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins after No. 11 BYU overpowered Colorado State 41-23 on Saturday night, moving to 3-0 for a fourth consecutive season and the 20th time in program history. BYU is now 3-0 for the sixth time under Kalani Sitake — and this one was never in doubt. Mitch opens with the performance that had the CBS broadcast crew running out of superlatives. LJ Martin put on a clinic, rushing for 176 yards and three touchdowns on just 15 carries — and 173 of those yards came in the first half. On BYU's second offensive play of the game, Martin broke free for a 56-yard touchdown run to set the tone less than a minute into the contest. He followed it with a 2-yard scoring plunge to make it 14-7, then ripped off an 8-yard touchdown to cap a six-play, 73-yard drive and give BYU a 21-7 lead before the first quarter was over. All three touchdowns came in the opening 15 minutes. The reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year carried the ball just once in the second half with BYU up big.  On the defensive side, Kelly Poppinga's unit held Colorado State to just 302 total yards — more than 200 fewer than the Rams' season average entering the game. CSU managed only 82 rushing yards on 24 attempts, a 3.4-yard average, after coming in averaging 225 per game. The Rams, who had scored 93 combined points in their first two wins over Wyoming and Southern Utah, were limited to just seven points through three quarters. The BYU defense held Hauss Hejny largely in check after CSU's opening-drive touchdown response. Colorado State has now lost 28 consecutive games against ranked opponents — their last win over a ranked team came in 2002 against No. 7 Colorado. Mitch also addresses a segment of Colorado State's student section that directed anti-faith chants toward BYU's players and fans during the pregame. Colorado State issued a public statement after the game: "Mocking anyone's faith has no place at CSU. It runs counter to our community's values and to who we are. BYU's players, coaches and fans deserved better. We are addressing this with our students." Sitake took the high road in his presser, noting that the chants came from a "mostly minority" of the crowd and that his players are "self-motivated" regardless of the environment.  Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football players LJ Martin, Legend Glasker, and Evan Johnson spoke with the media after BYU's 41-23 victory over the Colorado State Rams at Canvas Stadium on September 19, 2026. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake spoke with the media after the Cougars defeated Colorado State 41-23, on September 19, 2026, in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

It's game day eve. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper delivers the comprehensive breakdown of everything you need to know before No. 11 BYU (2-0) travels to Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins to take on Colorado State (2-0) on Saturday, September 19. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. MT on CBS & KSL NewsRadio. Mitch opens with the stat matchup that tells the story of this game — and it starts with two of the most efficient offenses in the country crashing into each other under the lights. BYU is averaging 45.5 points per game (28th nationally) on 443 total yards per game (43rd), while Colorado State is putting up 46.5 points per game (23rd) on a whopping 537 total yards per game (13th). Both teams are averaging 225-plus rushing yards per game. Both teams are elite at protecting the football — BYU's turnover margin of plus-5 is fifth nationally, and Colorado State's plus-7 margin is second in the entire country.  To close the show, Mitch gives his score prediction for the matchup. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

Should No. 11 BYU be on upset watch Saturday night in Fort Collins? KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper opens Thursday's show with the question that nobody in Cougar Nation wants to ask but everybody is quietly thinking about.  Next, Mitch has some fun with the viral story of the week. RotoGrinders published its "Most Handsome College Football Coaches" rankings on Sunday, analyzing 414 images of all 138 FBS head coaches using facial landmark technology that mapped 468 facial landmarks per image against neoclassical facial proportions and Pallett-Link-Lee ratios. Duke's Manny Diaz took the No. 1 spot with a 75.9 out of 100 final score. Indiana's Curt Cignetti landed second. Clemson's Dabo Swinney came in third and had the quote of the week when a reporter told him about the ranking at his Tuesday press conference: "As in good looking? Finally something comes my way. I thought you were gonna say, like, 'most hated guy' or whatever."  In the third segment, Mitch runs through his Week 3 Big 12 picks. It's a loaded slate with 13 games involving Big 12 teams, headlined by the Friday night showdown between No. 22 Houston and No. 13 Texas Tech in Lubbock. Saturday's slate features the inaugural Union Jack Classic at Wembley Stadium in London, where Arizona State takes on Kansas at 10 a.m. MT on FS1, the first Big 12 conference game ever played on foreign soil. Finally, Mitch wraps the show by pivoting to basketball and sharing his takeaways from the 2026-27 Big 12 men's basketball schedule. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

Colorado State's first-year head coach dropped a word this week that tells you how far BYU football has come. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper opens Wednesday's episode with the storyline driving the national narrative around Saturday's game in Fort Collins: Jim Mora called BYU a "powerhouse."    No. 11 BYU will be the highest-ranked team to ever play at Canvas Stadium when the Cougars visit Fort Collins on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. MT on CBS. It's the first meeting between the former WAC and Mountain West rivals since November 13, 2010.   BYU leads the all-time series 39-27-3, including a seven-game winning streak dating back to 2004. Mitch breaks down why the "powerhouse" label matters for BYU's playoff positioning and what it means that opposing coaches are no longer tiptoeing around the compliment. In the second segment, Mitch sits down with Kevin Lytle, the veteran Colorado State athletics reporter for The Coloradoan in Fort Collins. Lytle has covered the Rams for years. Finally, Mitch closes the show with a one-on-one interview with BYU wide receiver Reggie Frischknecht, just days removed from hauling in his first career collegiate touchdown. The 6-foot-4, 207-pound redshirt sophomore from Ephraim, Utah, took a short pass from Bear Bachmeier over the middle and turned it into a 25-yard score early in the second quarter against Arizona, giving BYU its first lead of the game at 14-10. It was a moment that crystallized one of the most unconventional paths to the BYU roster in recent memory.  Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

First-year Colorado State head coach Jim Mora Jr. has coached in the NFL, UCLA, UConn, and now on the Front Range with the Rams. As BYU gets set to travel to Ft. Collins for the first time in 16 years, Mora shared his memories of BYU football over the years. This is a news update that aired on KSL NewsRadio. You can listen to the daily Cougar Tracks updates on KSL NewsRadio at 5:55 a.m., 7:55 a.m, 3:55 p.m., and 5:55 p.m. on 102.7 FM, 1160 AM, and the KSL NewsRadio app. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

Why is BYU football playing at Group of Six Colorado State? Many in Cougar Nation are asking why No. 11 BYU is playing at Group of Six Colorado State as it prepares to take on the Rams in Fort Collins on Saturday. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper unpacks how it got here and why this series is on the books against an old WAC and Mountain West rival. Also in this episode, head coach Kalani Sitake gives an update on injured linebacker Siale Esera and then shares his thoughts on CSU QB Hauss Hejny.  Mitch also talked about BYU basketball as the Cougars get ready to open official practice on Monday. Mitch caught up with players Dawson Baker and Dean Rueckert. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football players Andrew Gentry (OT), Tommy Prassas (SAF), and Keanu Tanuvasa (DT) spoke with the media on Zoom on September 14, 2026, to preview the upcoming matchup against the Colorado State Rams. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake spoke with the media on Zoom to gear up for the week three matchup against Colorado State in Fort Collins. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU is on the move. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper opens Monday's episode with a deep dive into the Week 3 AP Top 25, where the Cougars jumped four spots from No. 15 to No. 11. Next, Mitch breaks down Saturday's 28-17 victory over Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium, a game that showcased the two things that define this BYU team: grit and second-half adjustments. Then, Mitch transitions to the recruiting trail. BYU's opening Big 12 victory doubled as a major recruiting showcase. Winning on national television on FOX, in a packed LaVell Edwards Stadium, against a quality Big 12 opponent is exactly the kind of atmosphere that sells itself to high school juniors — and the Cougars' staff knows it. Mitch details who attended and what this early investment in 2028 recruiting suggests about where Kalani Sitake and his staff see the program headed. On the basketball side, five-star small forward AJ Williams announced his top 10 schools on Monday, and BYU made the cut. Williams, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound wing from Eagles Landing Christian Academy in McDonough, Georgia, was originally the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2028 class before reclassifying to 2027, where he now ranks as the No. 5 overall recruit. Finally, Mitch wraps with the Cougar Stock Exchange report. What's trending up and trending down in the world of BYU sports. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football earned an important Big 12 victory by defeating the Arizona Wildcats, 28-17, on September 12, 2026, inside LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper shared his takeaways and analysis from the game as BYU improves to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in Big 12 play. The Cougars have now won six consecutive meetings against the Arizona Wildcats. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan and players Noah Fifita and Tre Smith spoke with the media following the Wildcats 28-17 loss to No. 15 BYU in Provo, Utah, on September 12, 2026.  Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football players Cade Uluave, Tausili Akana, LJ Martin, and Kyler Kasper speak with the media after the Cougars defeat Arizona, 28-17, in Provo, on September 12, 2026.  Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake spoke with reporters after No. 15 BYU defeated the Arizona Wildcats 28-17 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah.  Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper broke down the No. 15 BYU vs. Arizona matchup set for September 12, 2026. It's a Big 12 opener for both programs. Mitch looks at keys to the matchup and breaks down the game. BYU owns a five-game win streak against the Wildcats in the Kalani Sitake era. He discusses the Arizona players who have a TRO and can play because of it. How much of an impact will that have on the game? Mitch also shares his score prediction for the matchup. Mitch caught up with BYU cornerback Therrian Alexander III in this episode to prepare for the Big 12 showdown. Also discussed in this episode, Mitch shares his memories of 9/11, 25 years ago as a teenager. His Big 12 picks for week two and BYU football lands a commitment from Ridgeline High athlete Owen Leishman.

BYU football coordinators Aaron Roderick and Kelly Poppinga preview the Big 12 opener against the Arizona Wildcats. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

No. 15 BYU football prepares for a Big 12 opener against the Arizona Wildcats. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper breaks down what's at stake for the Cougars in the matchup.  Mitch also caught up with BYU freshman running back Journee Tonga, fresh off his 38-yard rushing performance in the debut. Then, Mitch spoke with Arizona insider Justin Spears of the Arizona Daily Star for an insider look at the Wildcats. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

The Cougars win by 56 and drop a spot. Welcome to the AP Poll, Cougar Nation. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper breaks down No. 15 BYU's one-spot slide in Monday's Week 2 AP Top 25 despite a dominant 63-7 demolition of Utah Tech in the season opener.  Next, Mitch dives into the Week 2 depth chart notes heading into Saturday's Big 12 opener against Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium (1:30 p.m. MT, FOX & KSL NewsRadio). BYU may be at less than full strength after some bumps from the opener, and the coaching staff hinted at potential adjustments along the lines. In the fun segment of the day, Mitch plays a game of "Dream for the Big 12" — what if LSU, now No. 8 with five first-place votes and one of the SEC's premier brands, were a Big 12 program? If the SEC really wants to boot the Tigers, bring "the boot" to the MONSTER BIG 12. And to close the show, Mitch unpacks the quote of the week from Arizona head coach Brent Brennan. When asked about returning to LaVell Edwards Stadium, where his Wildcats were throttled 41-19 in front of 64,000-plus in 2024, Brennan went on the record: "I didn't feel like the crowd was a problem in '24. I felt like we didn't play well. We turned the ball over too many times. I think that's a very separate issue" He also called the environment "great" and said he "respects" the BYU fanbase, but made clear Arizona won't be using the crowd as an excuse this time around. Brennan praised LJ Martin as "a total stud" and called Kalani Sitake "one of my favorite people in this profession." Mitch discusses whether Brennan's dismissal of the crowd will add extra fuel to an already-charged atmosphere for BYU's biggest early-season home game. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football players Preston Rex (RB), Hunter Clegg (OLB), and Kyle Sfarcioc (IOL), spoke with the media virtually on Monday, September 7, 2026, to preview BYU's Big 12 opener against the Arizona Wildcats. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake spoke with the media virtually on Zoom on September 7, 2026, to preview the week two matchup against the Arizona Wildcats. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football opened the 2026 season with a dominant victory over Utah Tech, 63-7. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper closed the book on the game with commentary from Kalani Sitake, Legend Glasker, and Cannon DeVries. Glasker and DeVries both earned Big 12 Player of the Week honors for their play. Also in this episode, Mitch gave a rundown of recruits he saw in attendance at the game. Some of the key players that you need to pay attention to on the recruiting trail for the class of 2028, 2029, and even 2030. Then, finally, a Cougar Stock Exchange report with what's trending up and trending down in the world of BYU football. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper shared his thoughts and takeaways from BYU's 63-7 victory over the Utah Tech Trailblazers at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, September 5, 2026. From Legend Glasker's three-touchdown performance to a strong showing from the special teams unit, it was an excellent opener for BYU football. Mitch unpacks all of it. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

Utah Tech head coach Lance Anderson spoke with the media following the Trailblazers loss to No. 14 BYU, 63-7, in Provo, on September 5, 2026. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football players Legend Glasker, Siale Esera, Devaughn Eka, and Cannon DeVries spoke with the media after No. 14 BYU's 63-7 win over Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium on September 5, 2026. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake spoke with the media after No. 14 BYU defeated Utah Tech 63-7 on September 5, 2026, in Provo, Utah. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

The long wait is over. BYU football is back to kick off the 2026 season. The 14th-ranked Cougars open the 2026 season against the Utah Tech Trailblazers from the Big Sky Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper previews the matchup. Gives his thoughts on the game. The value of FCS games moving forward. The "Family Reunion" vibe of Saturday's game between BYU and Utah Tech. Mitch also shares what he's excited to watch for on Saturday night at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Then, finally, he gives his score prediction and players of the game for the 2026 lid-lifter. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper is loaded with content to get you ready for the 2026 BYU football season. Mitch opens the show with a deep dive into the biggest on-field storyline of Saturday's opener: Kelly Poppinga calling a defense for the first time as BYU's defensive coordinator. "K-Pop" takes over for Michigan-bound Jay Hill, inheriting a unit that ranked in the top 20 in scoring defense each of the past two seasons and produced eight defensive touchdowns over three years. Poppinga, a former BYU linebacker star and 18-year coaching veteran, has promised to keep the foundation Hill built while adding his own flavor — swapping Hill's word "chaos" for his own mantra of havoc. His first depth chart features 13 defensive positions, signaling a multiple-front approach with five-DB packages and a nickel look. Kalani Sitake has praised Poppinga all camp, calling him "probably the hardest-working coordinator I've ever been around". Next, Mitch is joined by KSL colleague Alex Kirry for a conversation about BYU football heading into the season. Kirry, the host of "KSL Brightside" on KSL NewsRadio and former Cougar Tracks host, joined the show to preview the season and play a game of "Bear or Bull." To close the show, Mitch goes around the Big 12 Conference with his Week 1 picks. From Colorado at Georgia Tech to Baylor vs. Auburn in Atlanta, and every other game in between around the league. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga spoke with the media on September 2, 2026. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

The 2026 BYU football season opener is days away and the buzz in Provo is electric. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper opens today's show by making the case for why this could be the year BYU football finally breaks through. Mitch lays out three compelling reasons. Next, Mitch recaps a powerful moment from the season premiere of BYU Football with Kalani Sitake, the weekly coaches show filmed live in Studio C at BYU Broadcasting with Voice of the Cougars Greg Wrubell. Sitake showed genuine emotion while discussing what this players mean to him. Then, finally, Mitch caught up with BYU wide receiver Jojo Phillips after practice in preparation for week one against Utah Tech. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound redshirt junior from Lancaster, California, enters 2026 as a starter and he discusses the upcoming season ahead. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick spoke with the media on September 1, 2026, previewing the upcoming matchup against Utah Tech. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

Game week is here for No. 14 BYU, and KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper delivers a jam-packed episode to get Cougar Nation fully locked in ahead of Saturday's season opener against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium (6 p.m. MT, ESPN+ and KSL NewsRadio). Mitch opens the show with the biggest off-the-field headline of the week: the BYU athletic department has been restructured, with AD Brian Santiago no longer overseeing football operations directly. The move comes after weeks of public tension between Santiago and head coach Kalani Sitake, who turned down Penn State last winter and has been vocal about BYU needing to invest more resources into the football program. Sitake addressed the restructuring during his Monday press conference, sharing his thoughts on the changes and what they mean for the program moving forward. Mitch breaks down Sitake's comments and wonders: Will this be a distraction for BYU football in 2026? As it was last year leading up to the Big 12 Championship Game? Mitch Harper sits down with a familiar voice in the Utah sports broadcasting world — Rod Zundel, the "Voice of the Trailblazers" and Director of Broadcasting and Multimedia Content for Utah Tech Athletics — for a special game-week conversation previewing Saturday's BYU-Utah Tech season opener at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Before becoming the play-by-play voice calling Utah Tech football, men's basketball, and baseball on FM 99.5 in St. George, Zundel spent nearly 24 years at KSL-TV in Salt Lake City as a sports anchor and reporter. He hosted SportsBeat Saturday and Sunday, KSL 5 Golf Utah, and KSL 5 Outdoor Adventures. He's been calling Trailblazer games since 2022, when Utah Tech made its transition to Division I and the WAC, and now enters his first year covering the program in the Big Sky Conference. In the interview, Zundel gives Cougar Nation the insider view from St. George. He shares what Utah Tech looked like in its Week 0 season opener — a 54-0 loss to No. 1 Montana State at Greater Zion Stadium — and what third-year head coach Lance Anderson's team is working on as it prepares to travel to Provo for its first game against an FBS opponent this season. Zundel discusses the Utah Tech quarterback situation, and the players and schemes BYU fans should keep an eye on Saturday. He also touches on the state of Utah Tech athletics as the Trailblazers embark on their first season in the Big Sky, what the program's long-term trajectory looks like, and the unique challenge of preparing an FCS squad to walk into a packed LaVell Edwards Stadium and face the No. 14 team in the country. To close out the show, Mitch dives deep into BYU's first official depth chart of the 2026 season. Among the notable takeaways: true freshman wide receiver Legend Glasker is listed as a starter — the first true freshman to open as a starting wideout under Sitake. Cal transfer linebacker Cade Uluave has earned a starting nod at linebacker despite not yet playing a snap in a BYU uniform, and Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper slots in at another receiving spot. Bear Bachmeier returns as the unquestioned QB1 with Treyson Bourguet behind him. On defense, Kelly Poppinga's first depth chart as defensive coordinator features Faletau Satuala back at safety after recovering from his fractured foot, alongside Evan Johnson at corner and Keanu Tanuvasa anchoring the defensive line. Mitch goes position by position, highlighting the starters, the competition, and the names to watch Saturday night. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football head coach was asked for his thoughts on the athletic department shakeup at Brigham Young University, which changes who the football program reports to. Instead of reporting to AD Brian Santiago, Sitake and the BYU football program will report to Vice President Keith Vorkink. This is a news update that aired on KSL NewsRadio. You can listen to the daily Cougar Tracks updates on KSL NewsRadio at 5:55 a.m., 7:55 a.m, 3:55 p.m., and 5:55 p.m. on 102.7 FM, 1160 AM, and the KSL NewsRadio app. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU running back LJ Martin, quarterback Bear Bachmeier, and nose tackle Justin Kirkland spoke with the media on August 31, 2026, over Zoom to preview the 2026 season opener against Utah Tech. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

It's finally here. Game week. Listen to BYU head coach Kalani Sitake's full weekly press conference from Monday, August 31st, as the No. 14 Cougars prepare to open the 2026 season Saturday against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium (6 p.m. MT, ESPN+ and KSL NewsRadio). Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast, sponsored by Zions Bank, to stay up to date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and on KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

The wait is over — BYU Football game week is officially here. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper opens today's show buzzing with energy as No. 14 BYU enters the final countdown to Saturday's season opener against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium (6 p.m. MT, ESPN+). After a 12-2 campaign in 2025, this is one of the most anticipated season openers in BYU's modern era, and Mitch sets the table for what's ahead. First up, Kalani Sitake revealed the 2026 Team Leadership Council on Monday morning — a 20-member group voted on by the players, featuring eight captains and 12 co-captains. Returning as captains for the second straight year are running back LJ Martin and defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa. Joining them on offense are sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier, senior center Bruce Mitchell, and Oregon transfer tight end Roger Saleapaga II. The defensive captain group rounds out with linebacker Isaiah Glasker, Cal transfer linebacker Cade Uluave, and cornerback Evan Johnson. The transfers earning captain nods before playing a single snap as Cougars is a notable storyline, and Mitch breaks down what it says about the locker room culture. The 12 co-captains include repeat selections Raider Damuni and Andrew Gentry, plus standouts like Walker Lyons, Jojo Phillips, Bodie Schoonover, Therrian Alexander III, Hunter Clegg, and kicker Matthias Dunn. Mitch also makes the case to get an invite to Influencer Night in 2027 at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The uniform combo for week one also dropped Monday, and BYU is going with an all-royal-blue helmet, royal-blue jersey, and white pants for the opener — the first time this combination has been worn in the Big 12 era. BYU also shifted to a weekly uniform reveal approach this season instead of releasing all 12 combos before kickoff. A new Entrata sponsorship patch will also make its debut on the jerseys. To close out the show, Mitch runs through the Cougar Stock Exchange — who's trending up and who's trending down heading into the opener. What are the reasons you should be excited for BYU football in 2026? Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast sponsored by Zions Bank to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

Brigham Young University restructured the athletic department. Advancement VP Keith Vorkink will now oversee BYU football, while Brian Santiago will oversee the rest of the athletic department. What does this mean going forward? KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper shares his thoughts on the situation and what's next moving forward.  Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube and X every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

The Big 12 Conference "unanimously adopted a conference rule" that prevents Big 12 member institutions from fielding professional athletes in any conference-sponsored sport. That raises the question for BYU fans: How does it affect BYU basketball commit Jaxon Kohler? KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper answered that question and got a follow-up answer from the Big 12 Conference. He breaks down the timeline regarding Jaxon Kohler, his eligibility, and what's next. Mitch also shares his thoughts on the NCAA and the 5-in-5 rule, and how this has become chaos. Mitch Harper caught up with BYU football wide receiver Kyler Kasper at the end of fall camp practice. Kasper transferred in from the University of Oregon to BYU. After two separate injuries, Kasper feels better than ever entering the 2026 season with the Cougars. He discussed how fall camp went, where he's improved as a player, and what fans will learn about BYU's wide receiver unit in 2026. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube and X every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football wrapped up fall camp 2026 on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at the Student Athlete Building in Provo. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper was there to share his observations and analysis from the final day of camp. Now BYU shifts its attention to the regular season, which kicks off on September 5 against Utah Tech. After that, Mitch turned his attention to his depth chart projection for the 2026 season opener. The intel and observations Mitch gathered during BYU fall camp help shape his depth chart projection for the upcoming season. Who will emerge at wide receiver? The new era on defense under Kelly Poppinga? Mitch dives into all of it in his depth chart projection. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube and X every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

With the September 5 opener against Utah Tech now less than two weeks away, KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper delivers a loaded episode. First up, BYU unveiled a slate of upgrades to LaVell Edwards Stadium that are ready for the 2026 season. The headliner is the new PACS Recruit Lounge located under the east stands — a dedicated space for recruits and their families featuring new seating, food and beverage options, and entertainment areas designed to give BYU's recruiting staff a premium game-day resource. The home locker room also received a full renovation with new lockers, technology, and player amenities, while LaVell's Lounge has been refreshed with an expanded concessions menu, new TVs, décor, and seating. Mitch breaks down what these investments signal about the program's trajectory and how they stack up in the Big 12 facilities arms race. Next, Mitch tackles the big question every Cougar fan is asking: Will No. 14 BYU make the College Football Playoff in 2026? One national pundit is buying into BYU reaching their first Playoff. Also on today's show, Mitch chats with third-year BYU tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride. The 20-year coaching veteran who brings over a decade of NFL experience — including stints with the New York Giants, Chicago Bears, and Carolina Panthers — discusses what he believes could be the best tight end room since he arrived on campus. Walker Lyons and Roger Saleapaga have been running with the first-team offense in 12-personnel packages throughout camp, and Gilbride talks about the intersection of college football and the NFL, the development of his group, and the role the tight ends will play in Aaron Roderick's offense this season. Mitch then shares his latest practice observations from the final stretch of fall camp as the Cougars close out week three with a "Cougar Stock Exchange," discussing what's trending up and trending down in camp. To close the show, Mitch gives his thoughts on an NFL player, Dae'Quan Wright, expected to join the LSU Tigers after spending the spring and summer with the Cleveland Browns organization. Should college football fans be concerned? Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube and X every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU football enters the final week of fall camp practices with the 2026 season opener against Utah Tech approaching. This is a news update that aired on KSL NewsRadio. You can listen to the daily Cougar Tracks updates on KSL NewsRadio at 5:55 a.m., 7:55 a.m, 3:55 p.m., and 5:55 p.m. on 102.7 FM, 1160 AM, and the KSL NewsRadio app. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube and X every weekday at Noon (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

BYU basketball picked up a commitment from former Michigan State big man Jaxon Kohler. Kohler picked BYU over Kentucky, Kansas, and Louisville. He gives BYU a big man who competed in the NBA Summer League over the past summer. Kohler, an American Fork, Utah native is eligible due to a court injunction that gives him the ability to take advantage of a fifth year in the new 5-in-5 rule. During his senior season at Michigan State, Kohler was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten performer. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper shared his reaction to the commitment and what it could mean for BYU's potential lineup in the 2026-27 season. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube and X every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US  iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com 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. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.