BYU

PROVO, Utah — BYU (10-2) moved up one spot to No. 12 in the 2021 College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday by the CFP selection committee. 

No. 12 is BYU's highest-ever CFP ranking, surpassing the No. 13 ranking received both last week and in 2020 after the Cougars' 9-0 start.  

Coming off its 35-31 win over USC in the Coliseum on Saturday, BYU finished the regular season with a  5-0 record against the Pac-12 Conference with wins over nationally ranked Utah and Arizona State as well the Trojans, Washington State and Arizona. The Cougars also beat Virginia of the ACC to achieve six victories over Power 5 conference teams this year, the most in program history. For the first time since 2008 and 2009, BYU has earned 10 or more wins in back-to-back seasons while achieving its 18th season overall with double-digit victories.

Georgia (12-0) maintained its No. 1 CFP ranking, while Michigan (11-1) improved three places to No. 2 after its victory over last week's No. 2-team Ohio State, who fell to No. 7 following its second loss of the year.  Alabama (11-1) and undefeated Cincinnati (12-0) stayed at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, with victories over the weekend.  

Oklahoma State (11-1) moved up two spots, jumping Notre Dame, to No. 5 after defeating rival Oklahoma, who fell four places to No. 14 with its second loss. The Irish (11-1) stayed at No. 6 with Ohio State landing at No. 7, while Ole Miss (10-2) and 2021 BYU opponent Baylor (10-2)  kept their No. 8 and No. 9 rankings. Oregon (10-2) and Michigan State (10-2), like BYU, moved up one spot this week after the Sooners vacated the top 10, with the committee moving the Ducks to No. 10 and the Spartans to No. 11.

Behind the Cougars, Iowa is ranked 13th, followed by Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Utah, NC State, San Diego State and Clemson rounding out the top-20 teams. Houston, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas A&M complete the CFP rankings. 

BYU is also ranked No. 12 in The Associated Press Top 25 while being 14th in the USA Today AFCA Coaches Poll released Sunday. The Cougars have been ranked in one of the major national polls during 11 of the last 12 weeks since first entering the national rankings in the second poll of the regular season following its win over nationally ranked Utah, now ranked No. 14 in AP and No. 17 by the coaches and the CFP selection committee. 

The final CFP rankings will be announced Sunday at noon ET on ESPN following the conference championship games this weekend.