BYU opens up season ranked No. 14, Utah No. 21 in preseason AP Top 25

SALT LAKE CITY — The official start to the college football season is within reach, and two teams from the state of Utah are considered some of the best in the sport going into the season.

On Monday, the Associated Press released its preseason Top 25 rankings, which included both BYU and Utah in the initial poll for the season in what each school hopes is one of many this year.

Here’s a look at where the two landed:

BYU Cougars

After an appearance in the Big 12 championship game last season, and several starters returning for another season, it’s easy to see why the Cougars were picked No. 14 in the preseason consensus poll — down three spots from the school’s final ranking at No. 11 last season.

The Cougars will look to build off last season’s momentum behind second-year starter Bear Bachmeier under center leading the charge. With a full season of experience under his belt, Bachmeier is poised for a breakout season in BYU’s push for a playoff bid. He’ll be joined by workhorse running back LJ Martin, who skipped out on an NFL opportunity to return to Provo for another season.

BYU lost defensive coordinator Jay Hill to Michigan, but promoted Kelly Poppinga to the role. The bulk of the defensive unit remains intact, while adding Power Four starters to the mix, like linebacker Cade Uluave from Cal. It was a stellar defense under Hill, and that framework and personnel should look very similar for the 2026 season.

It’s why many preseason predictors have the Cougars returning to Arlington, Texas, for a Big 12 title chance.

Utah Utes

Amid an offseason of change, Utah checks into the preseason Top 25 at No. 21 — a seven-spot drop from its final ranking at No. 14 last season. While much has changed for the Utes, it’s a familiar feel for Utah going into Morgan Scalley’s first season as head coach.

Much of the optimism surrounding Utah falls on the shoulder of multi-year starter Devon Dampier at quarterback. The dual-threat talent will shoulder much of Utah’s hopes following an 11-2 season behind one of the school’s best offensive lines in recent history. He’ll share the duties with versatile backup Byrd Ficklin, while introducing a strong ground game of Wayshawn Parker and a seemingly much-improved receiver room.

On the defensive side of the ball, Utah replaces several starters, but there’s high hopes in the talent acquisition from the transfer portal and an improved emphasis on stopping the run. And for the moment, AP voters are giving Utah the benefit of the doubt.

But Scalley and Co. have an uphill battle on their hands to prove they should remain among the best in the country.

Big 12 teams

In no surprise, Texas Tech leads the Big 12 at No. 12 in the preseason rankings. The Red Raiders were the focus of offseason scrutiny behind a gambling investigation into transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who later left the program to pursue an NFL career. Backup quarterback, though not fully recovered from an ACL injury last season, will be the expected starter to lead Texas Tech.

The schedule is very favorable for Texas Tech, who will look to repeat as conference champions and emerge as the star team from the Big 12. The roster talent remains at high level, with very little drop off expected. But can the Red Raiders maintain their hold or has the strength of the conference improved?

Beyond Texas Tech, BYU and Utah, the conference has one other team ranked inside the top 25, including No. 23 Houston.

How the Big 12 fits in around the sport

The Big 12 still has a long ways to go to combat the perceived powers that be in the Big Ten and SEC, which combined for 17 of the top 25 teams in the preseason ballot. But with the bulk of the playoff era dominated by the so-called Power Two, it remains a challenge for the ACC and Big 12 to find a place in the current college landscape.

Though the Big 12 has four teams ranked, the conference will be best served if one (or more) of its teams making a deep playoff run to breakup the Big Ten and SEC chokehold on the sport. No team from the Big 12 has won a national title since Texas in 2005, though Texas is now in the SEC.

Among the current membership of the Big 12, Colorado is the last team to claim a national championship (1990), which was eight years before the BCS era began (the first season in which two teams were paired up in a national championship setting).

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Josh Furlong is a Utah Utes insider for KSL Sports and is a Heisman Trophy and AP Top 25 voter for football. He hosts The Utah Checkdown podcast and appears on the KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on social media platforms X, BlueSky, Instagram and TikTok for the latest Utah updates and news.