BYU Cracks the Top 15 in EA Sports Preseason Team Ratings

The Cougars will kickoff the season as a preseason top 15 team in the game

BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier against Cincinnati | BYU Photo

The national attention surrounding the BYU football program continues to build going into the 2026 season. One day after LaVell Edwards Stadium was named one of the top 25 most difficult places to play in EA Sports 27, BYU cracked the top 15 in the preseason EA Sports rankings. The Cougars came in at no. 13 nationally in terms of team ratings.

BYU is the second best team from the Big 12 in the game - Texas Tech debuted at no. 11 in the initial team ratings. Houston and Oklahoma State also cracked the top 25 at no. 23 and no. 25, respectively.

Below is the full top 25.

1. Oregon (91 overtall team rating)
2. Ohio State (90)
3. Indiana (90)
4. Notre Dame (89)
5. Texas (89)
6. LSU (88)
7. Miami (88)
8. Ole Miss (88)
9. Georgia (87)
10. Oklahoma (87)
11. Texas Tech (87)
12. Alabama (86)
13. BYU (86)
14. Texas A&M (86)
15. USC (86)
16. Michigan (85)
17. Missouri (85)
18. Tennessee (85)
19. Florida (84)
20. Louisville (84)
21. Auburn (83)
22. Clemson (83)
23. Houston (83)
24. Nebraska (83)
25. Oklahoma State (83)

Other teams in the Big 12 include Arizona (82 team rating), ASU (81), Colorado (81), Kansas State (81), UCF (81), Utah (81), TCU (80), Baylor (79), Cincinnati (79), WVU (78), Iowa State (77), and Kansas (77).

According to EA Sports, BYU is expected to be balanced on both sides of the ball. BYU's overall team rating is 86. On offense, BYU has a rating of 86. On defense, you can probably guess the rating: 86.

For context, Ohio State has the best offensive rating in the game with a 92. Oregon has the best defense in the game with a rating of 91.

BYU will likely have one of the best running backs in the game in reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year LJ Martin. Other BYU players like Cade Uluave, Isaiah Glasker, Evan Johnson, Bear Bachmeier, and Faletau Satuala should receive very favorable ratings.

If BYU is going to live up to the preseason hype - or even exceed the preseason hype - in 2026, it is going to come down to the growth, health, and development of sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier. It's no secret that BYU will want to feed LJ Martin the football. If Bachmeier can beat defenses over the top with his arm, it will make BYU's offense very difficult to stop. Consistently beating teams through the air is an area where BYU struggled, at least at times, in Bachmeier's true freshman season.

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