AP, Coaches keep BYU at No. 8 in national rankings

PROVO, Utah — Undefeated BYU (9-0) maintained its No. 8 national ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 and Amway Coaches Poll released on Sunday.

The Coaches Poll moved up Clemson and dropped Ohio State one place with the Tigers taking the No. 3 spot previously held by the Buckeyes. The remainder of the top 10 rated by the coaches stayed the same, with Alabama (8-0) in the top spot followed by Notre Dame (9-0), Clemson (8-1), Ohio State (4-0), Florida (7-1), Texas A&M (6-1), Cincinnati (8-0), BYU (9-0), Miami (7-1) and Georgia (6-2). 

AP voters moved up Miami one place to No. 9 and Indiana (5-1) two spots to No. 10 while voting to keep the top eight teams slotted the same as last week. Differing from the Coaches Poll, AP continues with Ohio State at No. 3 and Clemson at No. 4 followed by Texas A&M at No. 5 and Florida at No. 6. 

BYU received 1,113 points in the AP rankings to place just behind Cincinnati's 1,204 points and ahead of Miami's 991 points.  The Cougars received 1,073 points in the Coaches Poll, with the Bearcats totaling 1,177 and the Hurricanes 1,026. 

The Cougars have been ranked No. 8 the past four weeks. BYU's No. 8 ranking this season boasts the program's highest placement in the respective polls since earning a No. 7 ranking in AP in 2009 and being rated No. 7 by the coaches in 2008.  

BYU has been ranked in each of the 12 regular-season polls released this year. The last time the Cougars were ranked in 12 consecutive weeks during a season was in 2008 when BYU was ranked in all 17 polls of the season to bridge a string of 29 consecutive weeks ranked from Nov. 18, 2007 to Oct. 18, 2009. 

Prior to 2020, the last time BYU was ranked in the top 25 was during the 2018 season when the Cougars were ranked as high as No. 20 after starting the season 3-1 with a victories over Arizona on the road and No. 6 Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium. 

Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Zach Wilson has led the Cougars to the program's first 9-0 start since 2001 and the fourth time overall in school history. BYU also won their first nine games in 1979 and 1984. 

Reflecting the strength of the rankings in the two national polls, BYU ranks in the top 10 in 14 different statistical categories in the NCAA statistical ratings. The Cougars are the only FBS team ranked in the top 10 in scoring offense (No.4; 47.6 ppg), scoring defense (No. 4; 13.9 ppg), total offense (No. 5; 535.8 ypg) and total defense (No. 6; 292.6 ypg).  

Triggering BYU's offense is Wilson, who ranks No. 1 in points responsible for (208), No. 3 in passing touchdowns (26), No. 3 in passing efficiency (205.3), No. 3 in passing yards per attempt (11.49), No. 3 in completion percentage (.743), No. 6 in passing yards per completion (15.48), No. 7 in passing yards (2,724), No. 7 in points responsible for per game (23.1), No. 11 in passing yards per game (302.7) and No. 11 in total offense (323.9).  

BYU's consistent top-10 ranking in the national polls with supporting NCAA statistical comparisons contrast the controversial No. 14 assessment the Cougars received by the College Football Playoff selection committee in the initial CFP rankings released on Tuesday.