BYU’s win over Notre Dame didn’t just turn heads - it sent the Cougars soaring.
After knocking off the Fighting Irish in a high-profile top-10 matchup on campus, BYU jumped six spots to No. 2 in Sunday’s latest Associated Press Top 25, putting the Cougars firmly in the national spotlight and alone at the front of the Big 12 pack.
That rise came on the strength of a game in which BYU had to do it without its star running back, instead leaning on sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier. He responded with one of his best performances on a big stage, helping the Cougars score first, absorb Notre Dame’s pushback and finish with a statement victory that improved their playoff résumé.
BYU’s climb also came with a message attached: this team has already shown it can win a game that matters.
Utah, meanwhile, escaped Boulder with its perfect record intact and moved up one spot to No. 10.
The Utes had to survive an uneven night against Colorado, a team led by a familiar face at quarterback and coming off two weeks of preparation. Utah struggled to finish drives, then watched Colorado mount a second-half push before hanging on to remain unbeaten.
It wasn’t clean, and Morgan Scalley said afterward his team probably should have lost the game, but the result still extended Utah’s winning streak to 12 games - the longest active run in the FBS. The Utes now turn toward a ranked Houston team, with ESPN College GameDay set to come to Salt Lake City a week after making Provo its home.
The latest rankings leave the state of Utah in a strong place nationally. BYU and Utah remain two of the six unbeaten teams in the country, and both sit inside the top 10.
The Big 12, as a whole, continues to crowd the top of the poll. Three conference teams are now in the top 10, and all three are undefeated.
BYU leads the way at No. 2, Texas Tech climbed to No. 8 after a blowout win over Arizona State, and Utah sits at No.
Houston also made noise, moving up six spots to No. 14 after a ranked win over Oklahoma State. The Cougars now head to Salt Lake City for another ranked matchup.
Oklahoma State, which had been No. 18, fell out of the poll entirely and is now the first team receiving votes. Arizona, after a bye week, entered the rankings at No. 25.
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 🡒]