Cougars Receive Highest Ranking Since 1996 in Final Polls

PROVO -- Receiving its highest final ranking since the 1996 season, BYU is ranked No. 12 in both the USA Today Coaches Poll and Associated Press Top 25 released Friday upon the conclusion of the college football season.

The Cougars’ No. 12 ranking is the program’s third-best final standing in the polls since finishing No. 1 in 1984. While honoring the 25-year anniversary of BYU’s National Championship throughout the season, the Cougars earned an 11-2 record in 2009, including a 3-1 mark against nationally ranked opponents and their third bowl victory in the last four years. Since 1984, BYU’s two other seasons finishing higher than No. 12 came in 1994 (No. 10, coaches) and 1996 (No. 5, both polls).

BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s teams have earned a final spot in the national polls each of the past four seasons to match the longest streak in program history. The only prior four-season streak was achieved from 1989-1992 with BYU earning a top final ranking of No. 17 (1990) over those four seasons.

The Cougars have been ranked in the final polls 19 seasons since first accomplishing the feat in 1974 in Hall of Fame coach LaVell Edwards’ second season. BYU started its current streak in Mendenhall’s second season in 2006 and has amassed a 43-9 record over that span. Only four programs—Boise State (49-4), Florida (48-7), Texas (45-8) and Ohio State (44-8)—have topped the Cougars’ record the past four years.

BYU is one of only seven programs in the nation to be ranked in the final coaches’ poll each of the last four seasons, joining Florida, USC, Texas, Penn State, Ohio State and Virginia Tech. The Cougars are also among seven schools to finish in the final AP rankings each of the last four years along with Florida, USC, Texas, Ohio State, Virginia Tech and West Virginia. BYU is the lone program from a conference without automatic qualification into the BCS to finish nationally ranked each of the past four seasons.

The Mountain West Conference landed three football teams in the final national polls for the second straight season. In addition to BYU at No. 12, voters placed MWC champion TCU (12-1) at No. 6 and third-place Utah (10-3) at No. 18 in both polls.

Alabama (14-0) claimed the No. 1 ranking in both polls after its victory over Texas Thursday in the BCS National Championship game. The Longhorns (13-1) retained their No. 2 position in both final polls with Florida (13-1) following at No. 3, Boise State (14-0) at No. 4 and Ohio State (11-2) at No. 5. After TCU, the coaches’ top 10 consisted of No. 7 Iowa (11-2), No. 8 Penn State (11-2), No. 9 Cincinnati (12-1) and No. 10 Virginia Tech (10-3) with Cincinnati and Penn State flip-flopped in AP. Pac-10 champion Oregon (10-3) placed 11th just ahead of BYU in both polls.

CLICK HERE to view to the final polls.

BYU in the Final Rankings the Last Four Seasons
USA Today Coaches Poll
No. 12 in 2009
No. 21 in 2008
No. 14 in 2007
No. 15 in 2006
Associated Press Poll
No. 12 in 2009
No. 25 in 2008
No. 14 in 2007
No. 16 in 2006
BCS Standings (prior to bowls)
No. 14 in 2009
No. 16 in 2008
No. 17 in 2007
No. 20 in 2006