BYU’s first week of the 2026 season did what a good opener should do: it got the Cougars rolling and nudged the national numbers in their favor.
After a dominant win over Utah Tech, BYU now turns to a far bigger test in week two - the Big 12 opener against Arizona. ESPN’s FPI has already weighed in on that matchup, giving BYU a 76.8% chance to beat the Wildcats. DraftKings has the Cougars favored by seven points.
That number comes with some context. BYU needed double overtime to get past Arizona in Tucson last season, and the Wildcats will have this one circled as a chance to answer back. Arizona, meanwhile, opened with a 35-7 win over FCS opponent NAU.
BYU’s outlook has inched upward since the preseason. The Cougars were given a 73.8% chance to beat Arizona before the year, and that number has climbed after week one.
Their projected 2026 record also shifted, dropping from 8.9-3.1 to 8.8-3.2. That change says more about the teams around them than it does about BYU itself, with Arizona State, UCF, and Kansas all putting together dominant performances against FCS opponents and slightly altering the projection landscape.
The Cougars are chasing another big season after back-to-back double-digit win campaigns. FPI’s updated regular-season odds show the path is still there, though not easy: 98.9% to reach six wins, 94.4% for seven, 82.2% for eight, 59.3% for nine, 31.2% for 10, 10.0% for 11, and 1.3% to go undefeated and finish with 12.
BYU also climbed one spot in the FPI power rankings, moving from No. 20 to No. 19 after the Utah Tech win. That bump came with Michigan sliding behind the Cougars after barely escaping Western Michigan. At the top of the league, Texas Tech fell from No. 10 to No. 12 after a shaky week one showing.
Those shifts helped BYU’s conference title outlook. With Texas Tech dropping, BYU’s odds to win the Big 12 improved, along with the chances for Utah, Kansas State, and Arizona State. That also fed into a small boost for BYU’s College Football Playoff chances, since the Big 12 champion gets an automatic bid into the 12-team field.
Texas Tech, by comparison, saw its playoff odds fall from 57.4% to 48.0%.
In Other News...
BYU Heads Into Arizona With A New Defensive Problem
BYUs defensive picture looked a little different when the depth chart for the Arizona game came out, and not in a way the Cougars wanted heading into a tricky road test. Raider Damuni, who started at strong safety in Week 1, is off the chart after suffering an injury and is expected to miss multiple games, forcing BYU to reshuffle a secondary that already had to absorb early-season attrition.
Tommy Prassas moves into the starting strong safety spot, with true freshman Kennan Pula and Jarinn Kalama in the mix for snaps as the Cougars sort out the back end. There was at least one encouraging note on the defensive side, as edge rusher Nusi Taumoepeau was bumped into the starting field backer role after working his way back from injury, but BYU now heads to Arizona with one more lineup question to manage. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Faces An Early Depth Test Ahead Of Arizona
BYU is heading into its matchup with Arizona already having to sort through a little early-season roster stress, and the concern is most noticeable at running back. Backup Sione Moa left the previous game early, and while the injury is not considered season-ending, his return timeline remains unclear, leaving the Cougars with a live question as they turn their attention to the Wildcats.
Preston Rex, Journee Tonga and Devaughn Eka have each shown enough in brief opportunities to make the situation manageable for now, but depth tests have a way of revealing themselves quickly once conference play feeling pressure starts to build. There is better news on the defensive side, where Isaiah Glasker is expected back in week two, and Nusi Taumoepeau is set to start after a fall camp limited by injury, giving BYU at least a few important pieces back as it tries to get through the opening stretch intact. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Already Has Two Early Reasons For Fans To Believe
The season opener gave BYU more than just a win over Utah Tech. It also delivered two early conference honors, with returner Cannon DeVries earning Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week and wide receiver Legend Glasker taking Big 12 Freshman of the Week after standout debuts that immediately put both players on the radar.
DeVries flipped field position in the most dramatic way possible with a kickoff return for a touchdown, while Glasker announced himself with three scores in his first college game. For a program trying to build momentum heading into Big 12 play, those are the kind of early signs that can matter, and BYU will get its first real chance to see how they carry over when Arizona visits on Sept. 12. [Read more 🡒]