BYU is starting to draw real national attention as fall camp nears, and Joel Klatt is buying in.
In a recent ranking of the 10 teams most likely to make their first appearance in the 12-team College Football Playoff, Klatt placed BYU second, trailing only LSU. The Cougars were one of four Big 12 teams on the list, joined by Utah at No.
6, Arizona at No. 7 and Houston at No. 8.
That kind of placement fits the way BYU’s profile has shifted. Among teams that still haven’t reached the 12-team playoff, no program has won more games than the Cougars.
Even so, they’ve been left out of the field despite putting together what looked like a playoff-caliber resume. The committee hasn’t exactly been kind to BYU, and the program’s reputation has clearly been part of the equation.
This year feels different. The Cougars have entered the last two seasons with modest national expectations, but unlike those years, they’ll open this one in the top 25. There’s even a chance they land as high as No. 15 in the preseason AP poll.
Klatt pointed back to how close BYU came a year ago.
"BYU was oh so close a year ago. They were in that Big 12 championship game and came up just a little bit short.
Now, they came up short because of their offense. They couldn't do anything against that Tech defense.
I don't know if Tech's defense is gonna be nearly what they were a year ago."
That Texas Tech defense was a problem in a major way. BYU’s offense had trouble in two key games against the Red Raiders, who were one of the sport’s elite units. The advanced numbers had Texas Tech as the most efficient defense in college football, and the matchup exposed true freshman Bear Bachmeier’s inexperience.
Texas Tech got pressure without blitzing, sat seven defenders in coverage and made Bachmeier uncomfortable all night. The result was a string of mistakes and multiple interceptions.
Bachmeier finished the season with 10 turnovers, including seven interceptions and three lost fumbles. Half of those giveaways came in the two games against Texas Tech.
The challenge for BYU now is whether that same defensive answer will still be there. Texas Tech lost most of its defensive line to the NFL and tried to restock through the transfer portal, but it’s still unclear whether it can match last season’s production in 2026.
If BYU is going to push through and win the Big 12, Bachmeier has to keep growing in his sophomore season. Klatt thinks that jump is coming.
"I think BYU should be in the Big 12 championship game," Klatt said. "They're too consistent as a program.
They've got their quarterback back. I love this program.
Are there questions about some of their program? Yeah, yeah, there's questions...
I think Bear Bachmeier is a heck of a player. LJ Martin, they're gonna need to lead this offense.
It's gonna be likely a ground-based offense."
Klatt also flagged the coaching change on defense, noting BYU will be replacing defensive coordinator Jay Hill. Even with that change, he still expects the unit to be strong and described the Cougars’ schedule as "very manageable."
"This is a team that I think should absolutely be competing for another Big 12 title and an opportunity to go to the College Football Playoff," Klatt said.
That’s a sharp turn from where he stood a year ago. Last July, Klatt urged fans to sell stock in BYU because of the uncertainty at quarterback.
"I think this is an easy sell, unfortunate for this program." Klatt said on BYU in July of 2025.
Bear Bachmeier changed that conversation by emerging and proving him wrong. Now the question is whether BYU can keep the momentum going and make the first College Football Playoff run in program history.
In Other News...
BYU Is Still Fighting For A Utah Recruit Fans Can't Ignore
Toa Feinga has become one of the more important names on BYUs recruiting board, and it is easy to see why. The Herriman High School offensive lineman is a highly regarded Class of 2028 prospect with early attention from national powers, but the Cougars have a built-in edge in his recruitment thanks to his family ties and the familiarity that comes with growing up around the program.
Feinga, the son of former BYU offensive lineman Ray Feinga, has already spent time building relationships with the Cougars staff, including coach TJ Woods and other offensive line assistants. For BYU, that matters as much as the offer sheet, because landing a local legacy talent in a crowded race often comes down to trust, comfort and patience, and Feinga appears content to let his junior season and the recruiting process play out on his own timeline. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Fans Should Circle Baylor For One Very Different Reason
Baylor is headed into 2026 with Dave Aranda under real pressure to show the program is moving in the right direction, and that makes the Bears a team BYU fans will want to keep an eye on for reasons beyond the standings. Aranda has already owned last seasons shortcomings and started making changes, including turning the defense over to Joe Klanderman and emphasizing a stronger offensive line to better protect quarterback DJ Lagway.
The Cougars will get a firsthand look at that reset on Nov. 14, when Baylor comes to Provo for the first meeting between the teams since BYUs 34-28 win in 2024. By then, the question around Baylor may be less about talent than whether Arandas adjustments are taking hold quickly enough to stabilize a season that already feels loaded with urgency. [Read more 🡒]
Walker Lyons Might Already Be BYUs Biggest Fall Camp X-Factor
BYUs fall camp is still a few weeks away, but Walker Lyons is already shaping up as one of the most important names on the offense. The USC transfer arrived with a chance to matter right away, and spring practices only strengthened that case as coaches and teammates kept pointing to his blocking, his hands and the way he processes the game. With Carsen Ryan off to the NFL, the Cougars are looking for a tight end who can help steady the middle of the offense, and Lyons has spent the offseason making himself look like the obvious candidate.
Aaron Roderick has been especially high on Lyons, viewing him as a complete player who fits what BYU wants to do. There is also a bigger-picture layer here, since Lyons is the older brother of Ryder Lyons, the headliner of BYUs 2026 recruiting class, which only adds to the attention around the family and the program. For now, though, the real question is how quickly Walker Lyons turns that spring buzz into a real role once August practices begin and the depth chart starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]