BYU and Utah both cleared an early-season hurdle in Week 2, and the latest AP Top 25 reflected it.
With the calendar still young and the sport already showing a little chaos, the two Utah schools took care of business in different ways and moved up in the rankings. BYU handled a Big 12 test against Arizona, while Utah rolled past Arkansas in its first real measuring-stick game of the season.
For BYU, the climb came after last week’s slight dip in the poll, which was really just a break in a tie with USC following the Cougars’ dominant win over Utah Tech. This time, BYU had to earn it.
The game with Arizona stayed tight through halftime, but the Cougars’ defense took over after the break and posted a second-half shutout. The turning point came on a late fourth-down stop, and BYU turned right around and finished the drive with a touchdown on the next possession.
Arizona, still viewed as a Big 12 title contender, never answered.
That win pushed BYU up to No. 11, a four-spot rise from last week. It also made the Cougars the highest-ranked Big 12 team in the poll, moving them past Texas Tech.
Texas Tech stayed at No. 13 after surviving a tricky road trip to Oregon State. The Red Raiders were expected to have a cleaner night in Corvallis, but the Beavers made it a battle and receiver Jesse Legree drew plenty of attention. Texas Tech came away with the win, but it didn’t gain any ground in the rankings.
Utah made its own statement in a matchup that began with Arkansas striking first on a field goal. After that, the Utes took control and never let go, winning by 33 points.
Utah’s offense kept Arkansas guessing with different looks on nearly every snap, and the ball moved with ease. On defense, the Utes harassed KJ Jackson, forced hurried throws, and finished with 13 pass breakups in a suffocating performance.
That showing lifted Utah to No. 17, up three spots. The Utes are now the third-highest ranked Big 12 team, sitting behind BYU and Texas Tech.
Houston remains the conference’s fourth ranked team at No. 22 after its 77-6 win over FCS Southern. The Cougars now turn to a Week 3 meeting with Texas Tech.
Outside the ranked group, Oklahoma State is receiving votes after upsetting Oregon on the road a week after a disappointing loss. Arizona and Kansas State are also receiving votes.
In Other News...
Utah Finally Gets The Test That Will Reveal This Team
Utah opened the Morgan Scalley era with exactly the kind of clean, controlled start coaches want in September, rolling past Idaho and using the margin to get backup players real snaps before the schedule tightens. The Utes were efficient on both sides of the ball, and the opener gave a first look at an offense that moved the chains without much drama and a defense that kept Idaho from ever turning it into a game.
Now comes the kind of test that can tell Utah a lot more about itself. Arkansas arrives next after a coaching change and an uneven stretch of its own, which makes this a useful measuring-stick game for a Utah team trying to separate early noise from something more durable. The Utes looked the part against a lesser opponent, but this is the sort of matchup that can show whether that first impression was real or just a polished September start. [Read more 🡒]
Utah Just Showed Why This Offense Could Be Different
Against Arkansas, Utah looked like an offense built to make life easier on itself and harder on everyone else. The Utes leaned on aggressive first-down passing, completed 13 of 17 throws in those situations for 236 yards, and kept the chains moving without waiting for perfect conditions to arrive. The result was a clean, efficient performance that never let the Razorbacks settle in.
Utah also did the little things that usually decide whether an offense is merely competent or actually dangerous. The line gave up only three pressures even with Arkansas sending heat often, and the Utes cashed in every red-zone opportunity they had. For a team trying to prove this version of the offense can travel, the bigger question now is whether this was a one-game answer or the start of something more dependable. [Read more 🡒]