PROVO, Utah — After improving to 8-0 Saturday with its road win at UCF, BYU has broken into the top 10 at No. 9 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 released on Sunday.
The Cougars remained at No. 12 in the American Football Coaches Association's US LBM Coaches Poll published by USA TODAY Sports.
BYU was moved up two places by AP voters to enter the top 10 for the first time since being ranked No. 8 in 2020 during weeks 9-12 during a 9-0 start. The No. 12 ranking by the coaches remains the highest for the Cougars in that poll since being No. 10 in week six of 2021.
BYU's unbeaten resume through eight games marks the fifth time the program has accomplished the feat in its 100 seasons of football. Head coach Kalani Sitake has now done it twice, along with the 9-0 start in 2020, matching College Football Hall of Fame coach LaVell Edwards. The legendary Edwards guided his 1979 team to an 11-0 regular-season record before a bowl loss and famously led BYU to the national championship with a 13-0 record in 1984. Gary Crowton led BYU's 2001 team to a 12-0 start on its way to a 12-2 season.
BYU has been ranked in the last six national polls after first entering the top 25 at No. 22 in week five of the polls to receive a top-25 ranking for the first time since week five of the 2022 season.
In their second season in the BIg 12, the Cougars are currently atop the standings at 5-0 in conference play after leading start to finish for a 37-24 win at favored UCF on Saturday. BYU's other Big 12 wins include a dramatic 38-35 victory over Oklahoma State and a 41-19 win over Arizona in LaVell Edwards Stadium the prior two weeks, a wire-to-wire 34-28 road victory over favored Baylor in Waco, Texas, and a dominating 38-9 home truimph to hand nationally ranked Kansas State its only loss of the season.
The Wildcats join BYU along with Iowa State and Colorado as four Big 12 teams ranked in The AP Top 25 this week. Fellow unbeaten Iowa State (7-0) fell one spot to No. 11 after a bye this past week, while Kansas State (7-1) dropped one place to No. 17 after a close win over rival Kansas, and Colorado (6-2) entered the poll at No. 23 following its home win over Cincinnati.
The Cyclones remained at No. 10 in the Coaches Poll, followed by BYU at No. 12, while K-State moved up one spot to No. 15. Colorado is the first team listed just outside the rankings by the coaches, while the Big 12's Arizona State also received votes.
High-scoring SMU (7-1), who BYU kept out of the end zone in an 18-15 road win in week two to hand the Mustangs their only losss of the season, moved up two rankings to No. 20 after defeating previously once-beaten Duke on the road.
Both major polls agreed on the top seven teams in the top 10 this week, with Oregon (8-0) ranked No. 1, followed by Georgia (6-1), Penn State (7-0), Ohio State (6-1), Miami (8-0), Texas (7-1) and Tennessee (6-1). AP ranked Notre Dame (7-1) at No. 8, just ahead of BYU at No. 9, with Texas A&M (7-1) up four spots to No. 10 after defeating previous No. 8 LSU, now No. 16. The coaches favored Clemson (6-1) at No. 8 with Notre Dame and Iowa State rounding out the top 10.
This week's AP ranking marks BYU’s 285th overall appearance in the AP poll.
The Cougars have their second bye weekend of the season this week before facing in-state rival Utah (4-4) on Saturday, Nov. 9 in Salt Lake City.