PROVO, Utah — BYU moved up to No. 11 in both The Associated Press Top 25 and AFCA Coaches Poll on Sunday following its 44-13 victory over TCU late Saturday night.
The Cougars (9-1, 6-1 Big 12) moved up one spot in both rankings this week after its dominating win over the Horned Frogs in LaVell Edwards Stadium. Saturday’s 31-point win over TCU was BYU’s largest margin of victory in a conference game since joining the Big 12 in 2023. In doing so, BYU's 44 points scored marked the most any team has scored against the Horned Frogs this season, while holding TCU to a season-low 13 points. The Cougars held the Horned Frogs, who entered the game averaing 426 yards of total offense, to only 298 yards of offensive production.
With its No. 11 ranking, BYU is again knocking on the door of the top 10, where it previously spent two weeks in the AP's top 10 and three weeks in the top 10 of the AFCA Poll while building an 8-0 start to the season. The Cougars have been ranked 301 times overall in the AP poll since the program's first national ranking in 1974.
The Cougars were also ranked No. 12 in last week's College Football Playoff rankings, which will be updated based on this weekend's results on Tuesday by the CFP Committee.
Looking at the Top 12
The three remaining teams with unblemished records remained unchanged in top three spots in both polls, with Ohio State (10-0), Indiana (11-0) and Texas A&M (10-0) again being ranked Nos. 1-3 in both rankings. WIth previous No. 4 Alabama (8-2) losing to two-loss Oklahoma, Georgia (9-1) moved up to No. 4 in both polls with Ole Miss (10-1) also up one to No. 5 according to AP voters and Oregon (9-1) up one place in the No. 5 slot by the coaches.
After the Rebels and Ducks flip-flopped at No. 6 in the respective polls, Texas Tech (10-1) advanced two rankings to tie with Oregon at No. 6 in AP while moving one place to No. 7 according to the coaches. Oklahoma (8-2) jumping multiple places to No. 8 in both rankings after defeating Alabama 23-21 in Tuscaloosa. Meanwhile, Notre Dame (8-2) stayed at No. 9 after its win over previously No. 22 Pittsburgh, and the Crimson Tide dropped six spots in both rankings to No. 10. Following BYU at No. 11, Vanderbilt (8-2) was the preference at No. 12 by AP while the coaches favored one-loss Georgia Tech (9-1).
Big 12 in the Rankings
Four Big 12 teams are ranked in the top 25 this week. In addition to Texas Tech at No. 6/7 and BYU at No. 11, Utah (8-2) is up two spots to No. 13 in AP and one place to No. 14 by the Coaches, while Houston (8-2) entered the polls this week at No. 24 in the AFCA and No. 25 by AP. Cincinnati (7-3), BYU's upcoming opponent on Saturday, fell out of the rankings from its No. 22 spot last week after losing to Arizona (7-3) on Saturday. The Wildcats and Arizona State (7-3) are receiving votes outside the top 25 by voters in both polls.
The conference race features Texas Tech (7-1) and BYU (6-1) as teams with only one league defeat, followed by four two-loss teams in reigning league champion Arizona State (5-2) along with Cincinnati (5-2), Houston (5-2) and Utah (5-2).
Cincinnati and Big Noon Kickoff Up Next
This week BYU travels to face Cincinnati in an 8 p.m. ET kick being televised nationally on FOX. In additon to the game broadcast, FOX Big Noon Kickoff will be in Cincinnati to feature the Big 12 matchup between the Cougars and Bearcats.
BYU returns to the road where it is 4-1 this year with wins at East Carolina (34-13), Colorado (24-21), Arizona (33-27 2OT) and Iowa State (41-27) with a lone setback at then No. 8 Texas Tech (29-7). The Cougars are perfect in five sellout home games in LaVell Edwards Stadium so far this year with wins over Portland State (69-0), Stanford (27-3), West Virginia (38-24), then No. 23/22 Utah (24-21)., and TCU (44-13).