BYU star running back LJ Martin, who hasn’t played since Oct. 3 due to an ankle injury, will play in the Cougars’ showdown against No. 3 Utah, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Saturday.
Martin is officially listed as questionable, per the initial Big 12 availability report released Friday night, but sources told ESPN’s Taylor McGregor that the reigning conference Offensive Player of the Year is set to start, pending how he feels after pregame warm-ups.
Martin has been sidelined since suffering the injury in a 17-10 win at TCU on Oct. 3. He was expected to miss four to six weeks, sources told ESPN at the time.
The Cougars have gone 3-1 in his absence, with Sione Moa and Preston Rex mostly filling in during Martin’s absence.
A 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior, Martin rushed for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2025 while helping the Cougars win 12 games and reach the Big 12 championship game. He had 344 yards rushing and three scores on 7.8 yards per carry this season before the injury.
