No. 15 BYU left Saturday with more than just a conference-opening win over Arizona. The Cougars also watched a messy day across the national landscape tilt their way, and that could matter when the new AP Poll is released Sunday.
BYU’s second-half surge against Arizona gave the Cougars a strong start to Big 12 play and kept them in position for another run at the conference title game. Then came the chaos elsewhere.
The biggest shock of the day was Oklahoma State knocking off No. 6 Oregon.
The Cowboys entered the matchup carrying the longest losing streak against FBS teams in college football, then snapped it with a win that will reverberate beyond one afternoon. Oregon’s ranking now looks vulnerable, and it would not be surprising to see the Ducks fall below BYU after the loss.
That slide makes even more sense when you look at Oregon’s full body of work. The Ducks did not exactly look like a top-15 team in their Week 1 win over Boise State, either.
Oklahoma State could land in the top 25 after the upset, but the Cowboys are not a serious threat to jump BYU in the rankings. That’s because they already lost to Tulane in Week 1.
The win also gives the Big 12 a needed boost. The conference is generally seen as sitting behind the Big Ten and SEC, so a victory over a Big Ten power helps the league’s image. That, in turn, could help BYU down the road.
Elsewhere, Michigan’s strange start to the season continued. After barely surviving Western Michigan in a game that required a miracle and a questionable replay decision, the Wolverines dropped out of the top 25.
They bounced back by beating No. 11 Oklahoma.
The Sooners should remain in the top 20, but they are expected to land below BYU. Michigan, meanwhile, is expected to return to the top 25, though not ahead of the Cougars.
No. 13 Texas Tech also had a much tighter afternoon than expected, surviving a scare from Oregon State.
The Beavers led in the fourth quarter and had another chance later before a controversial pass interference call wiped out a long pass that could have set up a late win. Oregon State actually out-gained Texas Tech 472 to 352 and threw for 403 yards.
It is still early, but the picture around the Red Raiders is becoming clearer. Their defense does not look nearly as dominant as last year’s unit, and with Will Hammond at quarterback, they do not appear to have the offensive punch to bury opponents the way they did a season ago.
BYU could even move ahead of Texas Tech in the AP Poll, though the bigger issue for the Cougars is what Texas Tech’s level means inside the Big 12. Last season, the Red Raiders were a step above the rest of the league. This year, they do not look like a team that will be clearly out in front of everyone else.
In Other News...
Kalani Sitake Earns National Recognition That BYU Fans Will Love
Kalani Sitakes reputation at BYU has long extended beyond the sideline, and now its getting national recognition. Allstate and the American Football Coaches Association named Sitake to the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, putting the Cougars head coach alongside 22 student-athletes honored for service, academic achievement and athletic excellence.
Sitake, now in his 11th season leading BYU, was recognized for the kind of community-driven work that has helped define his program, including the Built4Life initiative and a range of local and international efforts. The group as a whole logged more than 12,000 volunteer hours and raised over $100,000 for charitable causes, another reminder that some of the biggest wins around college football happen well away from the field. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Moved The Ball Just Fine But One Problem Kept Showing Up
BYU moved the ball well enough against Arizona to keep finding scoring chances, but the offense never quite settled in the way it wanted. The Cougars had 10 drives and 9 real chances to put points on the board, yet the rhythm kept getting interrupted as penalties, especially holding calls, cut into momentum and forced the unit into tougher downs and distances.
Arizona added to the problem by bringing pressure and blitzing at key moments, which helped squeeze some of BYUs cleaner-looking possessions into empty trips. A few specific plays and decisions also fed into the stalls, leaving the Cougars with an offense that generated movement but not enough consistency to turn it into points when it mattered most. [Read more 🡒]
BYU's Arizona Win Carried One Extra Twist Cougars Fans Will Love
BYUs 28-17 win over Arizona in Big 12 play had the usual weight of a conference result, but it also carried a little extra edge for Cougars fans. Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita put together a solid afternoon, throwing for 230 yards and adding 38 on the ground, yet the matchup still ended with BYU controlling the result and adding another note to a growing rivalry feel.
For Arizona, the loss came with an awkward footnote: Fifita finished his career 0-3 against BYU. And even after the game, Wildcats coach Brent Brennan had BYU on his mind, urging Arizona fans to try to recreate the kind of atmosphere the Cougars brought for their upcoming game against Northern Illinois. [Read more 🡒]