BYU improves to No. 14 in College Football Playoff rankings

PROVO, Utah — BYU moved up one place to No. 14 in the second release of the 2021 College Football Playoff rankings revealed Tuesday by the CFP selection committee. 

This season the Cougars are one of three teams along with No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Alabama to achieve at least five wins over FBS opponents with winning records. While achieving its 8-2 start, BYU boasts a 5-1 resume against Power 5 conference opponents with USC of the Pac-12 still upcoming on the schedule.

The top-five teams in the the CFP rankings this week are Georgia (9-0), Alabama (8-1), Oregon (8-1), Ohio State (8-1), and Cincinnati (9-0). The rest of the top 10 includes No. 6 Michigan (8-1) followed by Michigan State (8-1), Oklahoma (9-0), Notre Dame (8-1) and Oklahoma State (8-1).

Ranked just ahead of BYU are No. 11 Texas A&M (7-2), No. 12 Wake Forest (8-1) and No. 13 Baylor (7-2), with the rest of the top 20 featuring No. 15 Ole Miss (7-2) followed by NC State (7-2), Auburn (6-3), Wisconsin (6-3), Purdue (6-3) and Iowa (7-2). Pittsburgh (7-2) is No. 21 with San Diego State (8-1), UTSA (9-0), Utah (6-3) and Arkansas (6-3) rounding out the top 25. 

This season the Cougars have P5 wins over nationally ranked Utah and Arizona State as well as Virginia, Washington State and Arizona. The Cougars are coming off a 59-14 victory over Idaho State and also have victories over MWC contender Utah State and the AAC's South Florida. BYU's losses were suffered at future Big 12 Conference foe Baylor, No. 13 just ahead of BYU in the CFP rankings, and against Boise State.

In the national polls, BYU is also currently ranked No. 14 in The Associated Press Top 25 and is No. 15 in the USA Today AFCA Coaches Poll.

The Cougars have a bye this week before returning to action against Georgia Southern on Saturday, Nov. 20 in Statesboro, Georgia.