Quarterback, Utah State and BYU, 2023–⁠26

McCae Hillstead

Lettered 2023 (school media guide)

Number
No. 2
Height
5′10″
Weight
190 lb
Class (2026)
Junior
Hometown
Lehi, UT

McCae Hillstead plays quarterback for Utah State, after Utah State (2023) and BYU (2024–⁠25). Last time out, at Boise State: 2 of 7, 47 yards, 1 INT; 6 carries, 10 yards.

2026 so far

225 passing yards, 2 TD

Last game: 2 of 7, 47 yards, 1 INT; 6 carries, 10 yards at Boise State, L 18–⁠37

Next game: at Texas State, Oct 24

Game by game this season, passing yards
  1. 178IDST
  2. 47@BOIS

Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.

Career highs

399passing yards, career highvs. James Madison, 20234touchdown passes, career highvs. James Madison, 2023

Passing

Passing yards, season by season, with his team’s record

* The season in progress, so far.

SeasonTeamCmpAttPctYdsY/ATDInt
2023Utah State9415859.51,0626.7118
2025BYU4580.0336.600
2026Utah State173745.92256.124
Career11520057.51,3206.61312

Rushing

SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2023Utah State44360.8018
2025BYU5285.6013
2026Utah State15533.5014
Career641171.8018

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2023Utah State2QBYr 1
2024BYU2QBYr 2
2025BYU2QBYr 3
2026Utah State2QBJr. (Yr 4)5′10″190

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsageAdj. pass
2023Utah State1340.23––31.334%0.40
2025BYU100.26––2.6––
2026Utah State510.11––5.834%–

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). Adjusted pass and rush: EPA per play adjusted for the defenses faced (CollegeFootballData’s WEPA). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Passing detail

SeasonTeamSuccessDepthAfter catchDeep throwsDeep completed
2026Utah State43%11.2 yds4.6 yds3 of 320%

Success: passes that kept the offense on schedule. Depth: how far downfield his passes traveled in the air, on average. After catch: yards his receivers gained after the catch, per completion. Deep throws: the play-by-play gives depth and direction for about half of a passer’s throws; this is how many of those went deep, and how many of the deep ones were caught. From CollegeFootballData, FBS games, 2025 on.

Game by game

2026 Utah State 2 games, 225 passing yards, 2 TD
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Sep 5vs.Idaho StateL 17–⁠2915301782343
Oct 3atBoise StateL 18–⁠3727470110
2025 BYU 4 games, 33 passing yards
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Aug 30vs.Portland StateW 69–⁠045330023
Sep 20atEast CarolinaW 34–⁠13–––––3
Nov 29vs.UCFW 41–⁠21–––––1
Dec 27 ✦vs.Georgia TechW 25–⁠21–––––1
2023 Utah State 8 games, 1,062 passing yards, 11 TD
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Sep 9vs.Idaho StateW 78–⁠2835180017
Sep 15atAir ForceL 21–⁠391827202306
Sep 23vs.James MadisonL 38–⁠45254739943−26
Sep 30atUConnW 34–⁠336111111226
Oct 21atSan José StateL 21–⁠4217291602210
Nov 4atSan Diego StateW 32–⁠241216620014
Nov 18vs.Boise StateL 10–⁠456125301−8
Dec 23 ✦vs.Georgia StateL 22–⁠457115710−3

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

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