BYU’s grind-it-out win at TCU didn’t look pretty, but it looked good enough to move the Cougars up in the AP Top 25.
After slipping to No. 10 a week ago, BYU climbed to No. 8 in Sunday’s latest poll. That rise came despite a rough afternoon in Fort Worth, Texas, where the Cougars escaped with an ugly victory over TCU and lost key starters along the way. Running back LJ Martin and linebacker Isaiah Glasker both went down with injuries, and BYU’s offense was limited to 216 total yards.
That stat alone leaves some real questions hanging over the Cougars’ Big 12 title chase, especially if Martin’s injury lingers. Then again, the weather may have played a role.
Or maybe it was just one of those games that never finds a rhythm. Time will tell.
Even with the issues, AP voters looked past the messiness. BYU also moved ahead of two SEC teams, jumping Florida and Ole Miss.
And with No. 3 Notre Dame scheduled to visit Provo in two weeks, a top-10 showdown is now very much in play.
Utah also moved up one spot, climbing from No. 13 to No. 12 while on its bye. The Utes last played a 31-17 win over Iowa State, and that result got a little extra shine after the Cyclones followed it up with a 45-42 win over West Virginia.
The Big 12 continues to have a strong presence in the rankings, with five teams in the AP Top 25. Along with BYU and Utah, the league also has No.
11 Texas Tech, No. 18 Oklahoma State and No.
22 Houston.
Texas remained No. 1, followed by Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami, Ohio State and Alabama. Indiana checked in at No. 7, just ahead of BYU, while Ole Miss landed at No. 9 and LSU at No. 10.
The full top 25 also included Oregon at No. 13, Missouri at No.
14, Tennessee at No. 15, Florida at No.
16, Mississippi State at No. 17, USC at No.
19, Iowa at No. 20, UCLA at No.
21, Boise State at No. 23, SMU at No. 24 and Pittsburgh at No.
Among the teams outside the poll but still drawing votes were Kentucky, Wake Forest, Wisconsin, Duke, Northwestern, Nebraska, Minnesota, Arizona, James Madison and North Dakota State.
In Other News...
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The latest AP Top 25 ballot has already stirred up the kind of debate college football loves, and it gets especially interesting for Utah fans because the rankings are being shaped by more than just win-loss records. Texas sits No. 1 on this particular ballot, with Miami, Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State rounding out the top five, but the bigger story is how much recent performance and eye test are driving the conversation in Week 5.
BYUs place in that discussion is bound to draw attention across the region, especially with some teams still leaving voters unconvinced after uneven or underwhelming outings. For Utah followers, it is another reminder that the national picture can shift quickly from week to week, and that every result carries extra weight when the rankings start to feel like a referendum on who really looks the part. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Just Showed Utah A Weakness The Utes Can Exploit
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For Utah, the larger takeaway is hard to miss. Colorado showed enough structure on offense to move the ball, and Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire even praised that part of the plan, but the Buffaloes also showed how vulnerable they can become when an opponent stays patient and forces mistakes. Texas Techs four second-half interceptions, capped by linebacker John Currys pick-six, turned the game fast, and that kind of opening is exactly the sort of thing the Utes can try to exploit if they get Colorado into a similar spot. [Read more 🡒]