BYU got a small but meaningful bump in the numbers after Week 0, and it came from a pair of opponents stumbling out of the gate.
Only two Cougars opponents were in action in Week 0: TCU and Utah Tech. Both came away looking shaky, and ESPN FPI responded by nudging BYU’s projected 2026 win total upward.
TCU’s trip to North Carolina in Dublin, Ireland, turned into a messy 10-15 loss. Harvard transfer Jayden Craig had a rough first FBS outing at quarterback, and the weather did no one any favors.
Still, the problems went beyond the rain. Penalties piled up, and missed defensive assignements kept showing up.
Utah Tech had an even rougher afternoon against FCS power Montana State. The Trailblazers were shut out in a 54-0 blowout.
That matters because TCU had been projected as BYU’s second toughest conference opponent, behind only Utah. After Week 0, that changed.
FPI now gives BYU a 69% chance to beat the Horned Frogs, up from 65%. UCF has moved into the No. 2 spot on BYU’s conference slate, with the Cougars holding a 68% chance to beat the Knights.
Overall, BYU’s projected regular-season record now sits at 8.9-3.1.
Those numbers keep BYU in position for another strong season. A double-digit win total would likely send the Cougars back to the Big 12 championship game, and while the long-term goal is to win the league in 2026, the first step is getting back to Arlington.
FPI also sees a stronger path to one of those special seasons now that TCU is no longer looking like one of the league’s toughest tests. BYU now has a 1 in 3 shot at winning 10 games or more.
The updated odds break down like this:
6 wins or more - 99.0%
7 wins or more - 95.1%
8 wins or more - 83.9%
9 wins or more - 61.7%
10 wins or more - 33.3%
11 wins or more - 10.8%
12 wins (undefeated) - 1.4%
TCU’s own standing took a hit, too. The Horned Frogs were in the top third of Big 12 teams in the FPI rankings before Week 0, but now they sit in the middle of the pack.
The conference itself is tightly bunched, with eight Big 12 teams clustered between 34 and 46 in the rankings. BYU remains the second-best team in the Big 12 according to FPI and is still ranked inside the national top 20 heading into the season.
The title odds barely moved, but they did tick up for BYU. The Cougars went from 16.5% to 16.8% to win the Big 12.
FPI says either Tech or BYU is most likely to take the league, and those two teams together account for 63% of the conference title chances. The other 14 teams are combined at 37%.
BYU’s College Football Playoff odds were basically unchanged after Week 0. TCU, though, took a serious hit there, falling from the 6th-best Big 12 playoff odds to 14th in the league. In a conference race this tight, that kind of stumble can matter fast.
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
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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 🡒]