BYU Football Lands Top 20 Spots in Three New Preseason Rankings

Spring practices are in the rearview mirror. Now, college football programs are turning their attention to the recruiting trail. Before we get into recruiting season, national outlets have updated their way-too-early top 25 rankings. BYU, who is 23-4 over the last two years, is a consenus top 25 team going into 2026. Three more college football shows recently released their post-spring top 25 rankings and BYU made the top 20 in both rankings.

Sports Illustrated

Ranking: #11

No national outlet is higher on BYU than the SI national desk. SI's Bryan Fischer ranked BYU at no. 11, the highest ranked team in the Big 12. He moved Texas Tech down to 13 given the potential loss of star quarterback Brendan Sorsby.

"The Cougars might just be a group few are talking about despite having a great shot at making it three straight seasons of double-digit wins. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier and running back LJ Martin remain one of the toughest backfield combinations in the country. There’s renewed optimism in the receiving corps despite plenty of new faces. The defense will once again be a strength. The Big 12 has certainly opened up to allow for BYU to finally get over the hump and into the CFP."
Bryan Fischer

Fischer had BYU even higher in his pre-spring rankings. He had BYU in the top 10 at number nine. BYU was leapfrogged by Oklahoma, Michigan, and LSU in his post-spring top 25, and BYU surpassed Texas Tech.

Joel Klatt Show

Ranking: #17

Among national shows, Joel Klatt has historically been lower on BYU than the consensus. That trend held true in his post-spring top 25. Klatt put BYU at no. 17 in his rankings. Klatt said he would have had BYU higher if not for the loss of Parker Kingston.

"I think that [BYU's] been butting themselves up against kind of a ceiling, and we understand that, right? Like when they faced the best team in their league, they just couldn't get over the hump...can they break through that ceiling? You know, it's kind of hovered above their head the last few years. We'll see if they're able to do so next year."

Without Parker Kingston at wide receiver, BYU will turn primarily to Jojo Phillips and Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper. The Cougars will also feature the tight ends more than previous years, as Oregon transfer Roger Saleapaga and USC transfer Walker Lyons showed well in Spring Camp.

Josh Pate College Football Show

Ranking: #14

Josh Pate has BYU as the highest ranked Big 12 team in his rankings. He put the Cougars at no. 14.

"I think a lot of folks probably are gonna sleep on Brigham Young a little bit. Everyone's just gonna kind of throw this, this blanket feeling that the Big 12 is Texas Tech with or without Brendan Soarsby. Well, I don't automatically feel that way."

Sports Illustrated

Joel Klatt Show

Josh Pate College Football Show

Other Post-Spring Top 25 Rankings