BYU enters 2026 with momentum, a familiar face at the top and a schedule that leaves little room to ease in.
Kalani Sitake is heading into his 10th season in Provo, and he’ll have Bear Bachmeier back at quarterback after a standout freshman year. Bachmeier also turned down several NIL offers worth more than $5 million to remain with the Cougars.
That kind of stability matters because BYU has been close. The Cougars have lost only four games across the past two seasons, yet the College Football Playoff has stayed just out of reach.
After going 12-2 in 2025, they now face what shapes up as one of the nation’s toughest slates, with a major Oct. 17 showdown against No. 4 Notre Dame in Provo sitting near the center of it.
If BYU runs the table, the path likely leads to another meeting with Texas Tech, the team that beat the Cougars twice last year.
The season opens Sept. 5 against Utah Tech, and the rest of the schedule brings a steady mix of Power conference tests and road trips. Here’s the full 2026 BYU football TV lineup:
Sept. 5 vs. Utah Tech - 8 p.m.
ET, ESPN+
Sept. 12 vs.
Arizona - 3:30 p.m. ET, FOX
Sept. 19 at Colorado State - 7:30 p.m. ET, CBS
Oct. 3 at TCU - TBA, TBA
Oct. 9 vs.
Iowa State - 10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN
Oct. 17 vs. Notre Dame - TBA, TBA
Oct. 24 at UCF - TBA, TBA
Oct. 31 vs.
Arizona State - TBA, TBA
Nov. 7 at Utah - TBA, TBA
Nov. 14 vs. Baylor - TBA, TBA
Nov. 21 at Kansas - TBA, TBA
Nov. 28 vs.
Cincinnati - TBA, TBA
Dec.
5 Big 12 Championship - 7 p.m. ET, ABC
In Other News...
BYUs Season Opener Reveal Adds To A Uniform Debate Fans Notice
BYUs season-opener uniform reveal brought a familiar look back into focus, with the Cougars set to wear their royal home uniforms and royal helmets against Utah Tech. The announcement also gives fans another chance to compare it with last seasons rotation, when BYU mixed in several combinations as it settled into Big 12 play and kept the overall look of the program in steady circulation.
The latest wrinkle is the new sponsorship patch from local tech startup Entrata, a small addition that adds another commercial layer to the uniforms without changing the schools traditional palette. It also keeps alive a conversation some fans have already noticed, since the Big 12s sponsorship agreement with Monster still has not translated into a visible logo on BYUs game uniforms. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Players Just Sent A Strong Message About This Teams Leaders
Kalani Sitake is already laying the groundwork for BYUs 2026 season, and the players have had a major say in how the leadership structure will look. Sitake announced eight captains and co-captains, a group that includes former Cal linebacker Cade Uluave and former Oregon tight end Roger Saleapaga II, while also unveiling a 20-member Team Leadership Council voted on by the team to help guide the program on and off the field.
The mix matters for a Cougars team trying to set its tone early, because the council reaches beyond just seniors and includes juniors and sophomores as well. With Utah Tech waiting in the season opener at LaVell Edwards Stadium, BYU is making it clear that leadership will not be left to one or two voices, and the real test will be how that player-driven structure holds up once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Just Gave Kevin Young A Staff Addition Fans Will Notice
BYU mens basketball has added another experienced name to Kevin Youngs staff, hiring Patrick Mutombo as an assistant coach. Mutombo arrives with a rsum that should stand out immediately to Cougar fans, built on years in the NBA and G League as well as work with USA Basketball, giving Young another assistant with a broad coaching background and a championship pedigree from his time with the 2019 Toronto Raptors.
Mutombos arrival comes as BYU continues shaping the program under Young, with the 2026-27 schedule already beginning to take form through exhibition and nonconference games starting in October. For a staff trying to keep the Cougars moving forward, the addition suggests Young is still focused on adding proven voices around the program, even as the next seasons calendar starts inching closer. [Read more 🡒]