Multiple National Analysts Project BYU to the College Football Playoff

Next week, BYU will kickoff one of the most anticipated seasons in program history. The Cougars, who are 23-4 over the last two years, have won more games than any other team that hasn't made the 12-team playoff. BYU is trying to break through in 2026 with a veteran team.

Multiple national analysts believe this could be the year that BYU knocks down the door and makes the playoff.

Sports Illustrated

The Sports Illustrated national staff picked the winners of every power league. 3 out of 6 picked BYU to win the league. The remaining three picked the Red Raiders.

If BYU wins the Big 12, it will earn an automatic invitation to the College Football Playoff. The staff projected BYU as the 11-seed taking on 6-seed Miami in Florida. They picked the Hurricanes to beat BYU and advance to the quarterfinals.

It's worth noting that the staff picked Notre Dame to win the national championship. The Fighting Irish could be ranked inside the top two or three teams in the country when they come to Provo in October.

Who will win it all? Sports Illustrated’s college football experts predict the conference champions, Heisman winner, coaching moves, biggest surprise and more https://t.co/Hi1sldhNSP pic.twitter.com/BKkCVyh8HI
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 27, 2026

ESPN

ESPN analysts Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach are high on BYU this season. Bonagura has 11-seed BYU taking on 6-seed Oregon in the first round of the playoffs. Bonagura picked the Ducks to advance to the quarterfinals.

Mark Schlabach picked BYU to earn the 6-seed and host 11-seed Texas A&M in the first round. Schlabach picked BYU to beat A&M and advance to take on Notre Dame in the quarterfinals.

Both Schlabach and Bonagura projected Texas Tech in the playoff as well.

Nicole Auerbach - NBC Sports

Nicole Auerbach projects two Big 12 teams in the CFP: BYU and Texas Tech. The only downside for the league? She projects the Cougars and the Red Raiders to face each other in the first round.

In a scenario where BYU faced Texas Tech in the CFP, it would likely be a rematch of the Big 12 championship game.

Put pen to paper and made my official preseason CFP predictions ... https://t.co/QTsSDImrxj pic.twitter.com/Yr0xSJBp1E
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 27, 2026

Brett McMurphy - On3

Brett McMurphy projected BYU and Texas Tech in the CFP as well. In McMurphy's projection, he has 10-seed BYU going to Bloomington, Indiana to take on the reigning national champion Indiana Hoosiers. McMurphy picked Indiana to beat BYU and advance to the quarterfinals.

McMurphy projected Texas Tech as the 5-seed facing 12-seed UNLV. He picked the Red Raiders to advance to the quarterfinals where they would face 4-seed Notre Dame. McMurphy picked Tech to beat the Fighting Irish and advance to the semifinals. He has the Red Raiders losing to 1-seed Ohio State in the semifinals.

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