No. 10 BYU secured a 28-7 victory against Baylor on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium, keeping the Cougars solidly in the top 10 of the College Football Playoff rankings, according to Yahoo Sports.
The visiting Bears had to fly into Provo on Saturday morning because of a nationwide FAA ground stop on Friday, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
With running back LJ Martin starting the contest, BYU jumped out to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter by marching for three touchdowns on its first three possessions, per Yahoo Sports.
However, Martin stayed down after his sixth carry of the game and later walked off the field under his own power before failing to return, according to Yahoo Sports.
Backup running back Sione Moa also exited the game with an apparent knee injury after rushing seven times for 37 yards, as noted by Yahoo Sports.
Head coach Kalani Sitake explained after the game that Martin was held out strictly for precautionary reasons following the setback, per Yahoo Sports.
Sitake addressed Martin’s condition by stating, “I think he could have gone. There was a play where he just got stepped on and kind of irritated (the old injury), so I think we just have to be smart and just (be careful). I mean, he’s got some hardware down there in his right ankle.”
Following Martin’s departure, quarterback Bear Bachmeier added a 1-yard touchdown plunge for his third rushing score of the game, according to Yahoo Sports.
The BYU offense then went quiet until midway through the fourth quarter, illustrating a troubling trend that frequently occurs when Martin is sidelined, per Yahoo Sports.
Running back Preston Rex returned to action after missing his previous two games and contributed 28 yards on nine carries, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
The health of the team’s top running backs has emerged as a major storyline that could potentially hinder the Cougars’ postseason potential, per Yahoo Sports.