PROVO, Utah — BYU received a No. 14 preseason ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 released Monday, marking the second-highest preseason AP ranking in program history.
Coming off a 12-2 season and No. 11 final ranking last year, BYU's No. 14 AP ranking is second only to the No. 10 rating AP voters gave the Cougars in 1985 coming off the program's 13-0 national championship season. BYU was just outside the AP poll last year, listed 26th among those receiving votes, before going on to win 12 games and earn a final No. 11 ranking.
The Cougars have been ranked 13 times all-time in the preseason AP Top 25, with their previous appearance coming in 2022 when the Cougars received a No. 25 preseason ranking. The Cougars were also ranked by AP in the preseason poll in 2009 (No. 20), 2008 (No. 16), 1997 (No. 19), 1993 (No. 19), 1992 (No. 24), 1991 (No. 19), 1990 (No. 16), 1989 (No. 19), 1986 (No. 18), 1985 (No. 10) and 1981 (No. 16).
This year four BIg 12 teams received preseason recogniztion in the preseason AP Top 25 with Texas Tech at No. 12, BYU at No. 14, Utah at No. 21 and Houston at No. 23. Fellow Big 12 teams Arizona, TCU and Oklahoma State received votes.
Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, BYU opponent Notre Dame and Texas received the top five spots in the preseason poll. The Longhorns and Irish were flip-flopped by the coaches in their previously released AFCA preseason poll, with the top three spots staying the same. BYU recevied a No. 15 ranking from the coaches, with Texas Tech (No. 12), Utah (No. 21) and Houston (No. 24) also ranked, while TCU, Arizona, Oklahoma State, Arizona State and Kansas State all receiving votes. Coupled with last year's No. 23 preseason AFCA ranking, this year's preseason ranking gives the Cougars back-to-back preseason rankings by the coaches for the first time since the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
Coming off its fifth 12-win season in school history, BYU returns an experienced squad in head coach Kalani Sitake Kalani Sitake's 11th season in 2026, highlighted by sophmore quarterback Bear Bachmeier and Walter Camp, Maxwell Award and Heisman Trophy hopeful running back LJ Martin.