BYU’s climb to No. 2 in the AP Poll is the kind of leap that turns heads across college football. The Cougars are now sitting behind only Miami after taking down No.
2 Notre Dame, and they pulled in 20 first-place votes along the way. It’s BYU’s highest ranking since 1984.
That jump didn’t happen in a vacuum. The Cougars earned their place after controlling the game for nearly 60 full minutes on national television, with ESPN’s A-Team of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit on the call.
They also benefited from a wild weekend around the sport, one that opened the door in a big way. For the first time ever, five teams ranked inside the top seven all lost: No.
1 Georgia, No. 2 Notre Dame, No.
5 Indiana, No. 6 Alabama, and No.
7 Texas.
For BYU, the win carries real weight. Bear Bachmeier said in his postgame press conference that the team is tired of being disrespected.
That sentiment fits the moment. The Cougars have been just outside the playoff picture for the last two seasons, and beating the Irish makes a loud statement to the rest of the country.
The result also gives the Big 12 some serious validation. Three of the five remaining unbeaten Power 4 teams belong to the league.
Texas Tech handled Arizona State and moved from No. 10 to No. 8.
Utah won on the road against Colorado and climbed one spot to No. 10.
The only other unbeaten Power 4 teams are No. 1 Miami and No.
9 UCLA.
Houston made one of the bigger moves in the poll, rising six spots to No. 14.
The Cougars will face Utah next week in a matchup that will bring ESPN’s College Gameday back to the Beehive State for the second straight week. Arizona also entered the poll for the first time this season, landing at No.
- That gives BYU two ranked wins on the year.
The Big 12 schedule has opened the door for even more movement. Texas Tech doesn’t play either Utah or BYU.
BYU has already beaten Arizona and won’t see Houston in the regular season. If Utah beats Houston, a Top 10 Holy War on November 7 becomes possible.
Both BYU and Utah would still need to win their games in between, though both are expected to be favored in those matchups. Texas Tech also has Arizona and Oklahoma State coming up, and the Red Raiders are likely to be favored in both.
There’s a path where the regular season ends with BYU, Utah, and Texas Tech sharing only one loss between them.
Still, plenty remains unsettled. BYU still has six games left, and the next one sends the Cougars across the country to face a much improved UCF team.
Scott Frost’s squad will have no trouble getting up for a shot at the No. 2 team in the country and a signature win of its own. BYU fans can look ahead if they want, but Kalani Sitake’s team has to keep its eyes locked on the same approach every week: go 1-0.
In Other News...
BYU Win Over Notre Dame Just Sparked A Brutal New Debate
The aftermath of BYUs win over Notre Dame has quickly shifted from celebration to scrutiny, with the Big 12 acknowledging that the game clock should have shown one second remaining after an incomplete pass by Irish quarterback CJ Carr. Instead, the replay officiating crew cleared the play and the contest ended, leaving Notre Dame without the chance to run one more snap from BYUs 8-yard line.
Now the conference is set to conduct a full review of the end-of-game officiating process, which only adds to the frustration around a finish that already had people debating what should have happened next. For BYU, the result still stands for the moment, but the closing sequence has become the kind of replay controversy that can linger long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Notre Dame Win Just Took A Controversial Turn
BYUs 28-24 win over Notre Dame now comes with an awkward asterisk after the Big 12 acknowledged that the final sequence was handled incorrectly. According to the conference, there was still time left when Notre Dames last pass hit the ground, but the replay officiating crew cleared the play anyway, ending the game before the Fighting Irish could get another snap.
The admission doesnt change the result, but it does put the finish under a brighter spotlight than anyone in Provo expected. The Big 12 said it will review its end-of-game officiating procedures after the mistake, leaving a major win for the Cougars attached to a conference-wide replay issue that is sure to linger a while. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Was Left Fuming After A Brutal Endgame Officiating Controversy
Notre Dames frustration from the Week 7 finish against BYU came from more than one call, or no-call, in the games closing moments. A missed defensive pass interference flag and a series of clock management mistakes by the officials shaped the final sequence, turning the ending into the kind of controversy that tends to linger long after the final whistle.
The Big 12 later acknowledged there was still one second left on the clock after the final play, meaning the replay officiating crew should not have ended it when it did. The result left Notre Dame fuming and added another layer to a night already marked by debate, with former NFL player Breiden Fehoko also stoking the conversation by publicly claiming officials rig games at both the NFL and college levels, a charge that remains unverified. [Read more 🡒]