BYU Football Cracks the Top 10 in the Latest AP Poll

The Cougars are back in the top 10 for the third time in as many seasons

BYU tight end Walker Lyons against Colorado StateBYU Football | BYU Photo

On Saturday evening, no. 11 BYU dominated Colorado State. The Cougars led 31-7 going into halftime and the Rams only cut into the deficit after BYU pulled the starters. With the win, BYU jumped into the top 10 of the AP poll.

The Associated Press unveiled the updated AP Top 25 poll on Sunday and the Cougars improved from no. 11 to no. 9. BYU surpassed two teams that lost on Saturday: Texas A&M and LSU. The Aggies were handled at home by Kentucky and LSU came up short against Ole Miss.

BYU maintained its spot as the highest-ranked Big 12 team in the top 25. Other Big 12 teams in the top 25 include Texas Tech (11), Utah (15), and Houston (25). West Virginia and Oklahoma State are just outside the top 25. The Mountaineers took down a ranked Virginia team over the weekend.

Below is the full AP Top 25.

Updated AP Top 25

1. Texas
2. Georgia
3. Notre Dame
4. Ole Miss
5. Indiana
6. Miami
7. Ohio State
8. Alabama
9. BYU
10. LSU
11. Texas Tech
12. USC
13. Penn State
14. Tennessee
15. Utah
16. Louisville
17. Iowa
18. Michigan
19. Missouri
20. Oregon
21. Florida
22. SMU
23. Texas A&M
24. Mississippi State
25. Houston

BYU has a bye this week, so it won't have a chance to impress the voters this week. The only way to move up in the polls next week is if a fellow top 10 teams suffers a loss.

For the teams ranked ahead of BYU, Ole Miss faces the toughest challenge next week. The Rebels will travel to Florida to take on the Florida Gators. The Gators, under the direction of new head coach Jon Sumrall, are 3-0 and coming off a road win over Auburn.

BYU will have its chance to skyrocket up the rankings next month against Notre Dame. The key for the Cougars will be to take care of business leading up to that game. BYU will likely be favored over TCU after the bye week and they will almost certainly be favored at home against Iowa State. If the Cougars can win the games they are favored to win, it will setup a top 10 matchup between BYU and Notre Dame in October.

FPI gives BYU a 58% chance to go into the Notre Dame game undefeated. The Fighting Irish will be heavy favorites to come into that game undefeated as well, and they are already in the top three of the AP Poll. The Fighting Irish have an 87% chance to go into the BYU game undefeated. There is a chance that Notre Dame will be ranked no. 1 or no. 2 when they come to Provo.

If BYU takes care of business over the next two games, it will setup one of the biggest games, if not the biggest game, in the history of LaVell Edwards Stadium.

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