BYU has spent the last two years hearing a familiar complaint from the College Football Playoff world: the Cougars just didn’t pass the eye test.
This season, the argument has flipped.
After upsetting then-No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 in Provo on Saturday night, unbeaten BYU vaulted from No. 8 to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 Poll, the most important human ranking before the first CFP standings arrive Nov.
- The Cougars also moved up to No. 3 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, swapping spots with 6-1 Ohio State.
AP voters rewarded BYU with 20 first-place votes.
That kind of jump says plenty about how the Cougars are being viewed right now by people. They look like a team that belongs in the top tier.
The computers, though, are holding back.
ESPN’s Football Power Index, which is widely treated as one of the key computer rankings in the sport, still has BYU at No. 14.
That’s the same spot the Cougars occupied before beating Notre Dame, a sign that statistical models were far less impressed than media voters and coaches. Notre Dame remained No. 2 in the FPI even after the loss in Provo.
Other computer rankings tell a similar story. Jeff Sagarin’s ratings place Notre Dame at No. 2, with BYU at No. 14 and Utah at No.
- Sports-Reference’s Simple Ratings System has BYU at No. 12 and Utah at No.
There is one model that likes the Cougars much more. In the Congrove Computer Rankings, BYU sits at No. 4, with Notre Dame at No.
- But even there, the Cougars aren’t the top team in the mix.
That spot belongs to 6-0 Texas Tech, which checks in at No. 3.
BYU will try to keep the momentum going Saturday on the road at UCF, with kickoff set for 1:30 p.m. MDT on Fox at Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando.
In Other News...
Jaxon Kohler Just Got A Huge Boost In BYU Eligibility Fight
Jaxon Kohlers eligibility case just got a major lift in Santa Clara, where a court granted an injunction in the Glancey vs. NCAA case that helps keep the former class of 2022 players on the field. For BYU, the ruling matters because it gives Kohler a stronger path to a fifth season of eligibility under NCAA bylaws, rather than leaving his status in limbo while the legal process drags on.
The injunction is prohibitory, which means it preserves the current status quo instead of serving as a short-term stopgap, and that distinction gives Kohler more breathing room as the case moves forward. The NCAA can still appeal, and a trial date remains pending, but this ruling is a meaningful step for BYU because it sharply improves Kohlers odds of being available for the full season. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Has The Edge Over UCF Until One Variable Changes Everything
BYU heads into its matchup with UCF with the kind of profile that usually travels well: a clear statistical edge and a defense that has helped separate the Cougars from a Knights team that has stayed competitive but is still dealing with the ripple effects of a quarterback injury. The betting line reflects that gap, with BYU favored by about a touchdown, and on paper the Cougars appear positioned to control the game if they play to form.
Keyone Jenkins is set to start for UCF in place of the injured regular quarterback, which already adds one layer of uncertainty for a Knights offense trying to keep pace. The bigger twist, though, may come from the sky. Rain could muddy the passing game and shift the whole feel of the afternoon, giving UCF a path to hang around longer than the numbers suggest and making BYU's edge a little less comfortable than it looks on paper. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Biggest Preseason Concern Could Limit This Team Fast
The Big 12s exhibition slate offered a first look at several teams trying to sort out roles before the games count, and BYU came out of it with a concern that could matter quickly if the season gets stretched by foul trouble, injuries or just the grind of league play. While Arizona showed off its leading scorers, Baylor got encouraging early signs from the Mingo brothers, Cincinnati saw Tylen Riley pop as a transfer addition, and West Virginia leaned on a promising guard pairing, the Cougars questions were more about how much they can trust the group beyond the top names.
Preseason games and scrimmages are never the full picture, but they do reveal where a roster may be thinner than it looks on paper. For BYU, that makes depth the issue to watch, especially once opponents start forcing the Cougars to play through long possessions and a heavier rotation load. The early impressions around the league suggest this is the kind of concern that can go from manageable to urgent fast, and it is already sitting near the top of the list for a team trying to make a clean jump into conference play. [Read more 🡒]