BYU improves to No. 13 in CFP Rankings

PROVO, Utah — BYU (9-2) moved up to No. 13 in the fourth release of the 2021 College Football Playoff rankings revealed Tuesday by the CFP selection committee. 

Georgia (11-0) is again the No. 1 team, while Ohio State (10-1) jumping two spots to No. 2 after its dominating win over then No. 7 Michigan State. Alabama (10-1) slid back one place to No. 3 with undefeated Cincinnati (11-0) moving up one into the fourth playoff spot with last week's No. 3 Oregon vacating the top four after its defeat at Utah on Saturday. 

The remainder of the top 10 features No. 5 Michigan (10-1), No. 6 Notre Dame (10-1) and No. 7 Oklahoma State (10-1) along with 2021 BYU opponent Baylor (9-2) at No. 8, Ole Miss (9-2) at No. 9 and Oklahoma (10-1) at No. 10. 

Oregon (9-2) and Michigan State (9-2) fell to No. 11 and No. 12, respectively, just in front of BYU. Behind the Cougars, Wisconsin (8-3) is ranked 14th, followed by Texas A&M (8-3) at No. 15. The rest of the top 20 includes No. 16 Iowa (9-2), No. 17 Pittsburgh (9-2), No. 18 Wake Forest (9-2), No. 19 Utah (8-3) and No. 20 NC State (8-3), with the previously No. 10 Demon Deacons dropping behind the Cougars after their second loss. San Diego State (10-1), UTSA (11-0), Clemson (8-3), Houston (10-1) and Arkansas (7-4) are ranked 21st to 25th. 

BYU has been ranked in each of the CFP rankings this year and in one of the major national polls during 10 of the last 11 weeks since first entering the national rankings in the second poll of the regular season following its win over Utah. The Cougars also moved up to No. 13 in The Associated Press Top 25 released on Sunday while staying at No. 15 in the USA Today AFCA Coaches Poll. 

At 9-2, BYU has a 5-1 record against Power 5 opponents this year with USC of the Pac-12 still on the schedule this Saturday in the Coliseum (7:30 p.m. PT on ESPN). To date, the Cougars boast P5 wins over nationally ranked Utah and Arizona State as well as Virginia, Washington State and Arizona.