The Big 12 made a noticeable move in the latest AP Top 25, and BYU is the team putting the conference in the brightest spotlight.
The Cougars climbed from No. 11 to No. 9 after their 41-23 road win over Colorado State on Saturday, giving the league a new Top 10 team after Week 3. BYU is 3-0, and running back LJ Martin was again at the center of it all, piling up 176 rushing yards and three touchdowns. It’s also BYU’s earliest AP Top 10 appearance since the 2009 season.
Texas Tech sits just behind the Cougars at No. 11 after edging Houston 28-26 on Friday night in Lubbock. The Red Raiders didn’t blow anyone away, but they did enough to stay unbeaten and earn their first Big 12 win of the season. Next up is a return to non-conference play in Week 4, where Texas Tech will be a massive favorite against Sam Houston.
Utah keeps climbing, too. The Utes moved from No. 17 to No. 15 after improving to 3-0, continuing a steady rise that started with their No. 21 preseason ranking. In three weeks, Utah has moved up six spots.
Houston, even after falling to Texas Tech, held onto a place in the Top 25. The Cougars slipped from No. 22 to No. 25, but voters clearly respected how close they came to taking down Texas Tech on the road. That leaves the Big 12 with four ranked teams heading into Week 4.
Big 12 teams in the AP Top 25
West Virginia is still outside the rankings, but the Mountaineers are making noise. Their 38-27 upset of No.
25 Virginia on Saturday night earned them 93 votes, which puts WVU behind only Washington and Kentucky among teams just outside the Top 25. Virginia dropped out of the rankings after the loss.
West Virginia wasn’t the only Big 12 team receiving support. Oklahoma State got 50 votes, Arizona received 12 and Kansas State picked up three.
So while BYU’s jump into the Top 10 is the headline, the bigger picture is even better for the league: three Big 12 teams are inside the Top 15, another is sitting at No. 25, and West Virginia is close enough to make this a five-team conversation soon.
In Other News...
BYU Draws Another Ugly Road Response And Fans Will Notice
Colorado State had to apologize after derogatory chants aimed at BYU and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints surfaced during the game at Canvas Stadium, turning a football night into something much uglier. The university said mocking anyones faith runs against its community values and said it is addressing the situation with its students, a reminder that road trips can still bring issues far beyond the scoreboard.
Kalani Sitakes response fit the tone he usually tries to strike in moments like this, steering the focus toward the many fans who do not cross that line. He said he wants to center the positive support around the program and not let the actions of a few define an entire fan base, but incidents like this are the kind that linger with players, coaches and supporters long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Moras Reaction Said Everything About BYUs Dominant Win
Colorado State walked into Provo unbeaten under Jim Mora and walked out with its first setback, a 41-23 loss to No. 11 BYU that quickly turned into a reminder of how hard it is to keep pace when the Cougars are rolling. BYU piled up 559 yards of offense and leaned on a punishing ground game that produced 332 rushing yards, while Colorado State never found much traction offensively and finished with 302 total yards.
For Mora, the reaction after the game said plenty about the gap his team hit against a ranked opponent. He acknowledged the Rams performance issues and pointed to the need to get better defensively and hold the program to a higher standard moving forward. Even in a loss that exposed some real shortcomings, the bigger question now is how Colorado State responds after seeing just how complete BYU can look when it gets in rhythm. [Read more 🡒]
Kalani Sitake's Frustration Exposed A BYU Concern Fans Can't Ignore
BYU left the field with a win over Colorado State, but the cleaner part of the performance never quite matched the result. The Cougars were flagged eight times for 74 yards, and a few of those mistakes had real weight, wiping out a touchdown and helping extend an opponents drive. Kalani Sitake didnt hide his irritation afterward, calling the penalty-filled showing sloppy while also noting that several of the miscues came from backup players getting opportunities.
Even with the penalties and a few turnovers, BYU stayed in control enough to finish the job, which is why the frustrations come with a dose of perspective. Still, for a team trying to build momentum, those self-inflicted setbacks are the kind that can linger if they keep showing up. Sitake said the Cougars will learn from them, and the next step is proving that this was a one-off rather than a recurring issue. [Read more 🡒]