Despite UCF Loss, BYU Better Positioned Through Seven Games Than Last Two Seasons

BYU started both the 2024 and 2025 seasons with perfect 7-0 records. The Cougars appeared to be on their way to 7-0 again in 2026 before suffering a back-breaking road setback against UCF. Despite the UCF loss, BYU is better positioned through seven games than they were in 2024 and 2025. Allow us to explain.

BYU started both the 2024 and 2025 seasons outside of the AP top 25 poll. The Cougars had to slowly climb up the polls, even though they were unbeaten.

In 2024, BYU had climbed up to 11th in the AP Poll after a 7-0 start. The Cougars had a pair of top 25 wins over Kansas State (16) and SMU (22) on their resume. Perhaps most notably, there were a lot of teams with clean resumes at that point of the season. Three Big Ten teams were undefeated (Oregon, Penn State, and Indiana), and the highest-ranked team with two losses was Alabama at no. 15. There were 19 Power four schools with one loss or less at that point of the season.

In 2025, BYU had climbed to - you guessed it - 11th in the AP Poll after a 7-0 start. The Cougars had no top 25 wins at that point, since the Cougars knocked the Utes out of the top 25 at that point of the season.

Like the season before, there were a lot of teams with clean resumes at that point of the 2025 season. There were four other undefeated P4 teams (Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, and Georgia Tech). The highest-ranked two-loss team was Notre Dame (12) and there were no other two-loss teams in the top 16.

Fast forward to today and BYU is 6-1. However, the Cougars are ranked 8th with a top five win over Notre Dame. The Cougars also have a top 25 win over Arizona who could skyrocket up the polls if they take down Texas Tech this weekend.

There has also been chaos around college football the last two weeks. There is already a two-loss team in the top 10 (Alabama) and there are already four two-loss teams in the top 15. BYU's resume, combined with the a chaotic season thus far, has BYU better positioned to earn an at-large bid than the last two seasons.

You could argue that BYU should be higher in the AP poll as well, considering they have a win over Notre Dame. Some AP voters agree. BYU is closer to being ranked 4th than 9th. The Cougars could slingshot themselves back into the top five with a win over rival Utah.

And if you don't think the AP poll matters, think again. When the first College Football Playoff rankings were unveiled last year, the AP poll top 10 was the same as the top 10 of the CFP rankings. The order was slightly different from 6-9, but the teams were the same.

The reality is, thanks to BYU's preseason ranking a win over Notre Dame, BYU is better positioned to make the CFP as an at-large team than it was the last two seasons. If the Cougars manage to win out, they will either be hosting a college football playoff game or they will have a first-round bye.

All of BYU's goals are still on the table this season, despite the gut-wrenching setback at UCF.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on X and Facebook for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google