BYU, Utah continue to inch up rankings in latest AP Top 25 poll
Oct 4, 2026, 12:07 PM | Updated: 12:36 pm
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - OCTOBER 3: Bear Bachmeier #47 of the BYU Cougars celebrates with fans following the team's win over the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium on October 3, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — The biggest win of the weekend didn’t even involve either BYU or Utah.
Missouri welcomed Florida into Columbia, and then quickly sent the Gators packing with a 45-17 blowout win on Saturday. And though it was a result in a different conference, its reverberations were felt throughout the makeup of the latest Associated Press Top 25 rankings.
Benefitting from that result was BYU and Utah, among others, who moved up in the rankings this week.
Here’s a look at where the two teams landed in this week’s AP Top 25 poll.
BYU Cougars
Saturday night was not the cleanest of games for the Cougars in a rainy atmosphere, but a win counts all the same. Bear Bachmeier lifted BYU to another win with a gritty performance that included two rushing touchdowns to a game that lacked a lot of offense.
BYU managed only 216 total yards of offense in a 7-point victory over TCU as injuries piled up for the Cougars. How those injuries impact future games remain to be seen.
Still, BYU is 4-0 to start another season and got a bump in the AP rankings. After dropping one spot to No. 10 last week during its bye, BYU moved up to No. 8 this week ahead of back-to-back home meetings against Iowa State and Notre Dame.
The Cougars remain the highest-ranked team from the Big 12 for another week.
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Utah Utes
Absent from the weekend’s action due to its bye week, Utah benefitted from teams around it in the rankings suffering a loss. As such, the Utes moved up to No. 12 this week — a one-spot bump from last week’s spot at No. 13.
Utah remains the third-highest ranked team from the Big 12, following behind both BYU and Texas Tech while being one of the most consistent teams from the conference. Utah, however, continues to close the gap on Texas Tech.
The Utes return to action this week in a rare “white out” game in a night setting against Kansas at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Big 12 teams
The Big 12 continues to be well represented in the AP rankings, with five teams included in the top 25 this week. Behind BYU for another week is No. 11 Texas Tech, who struggled to get past Colorado on the road, as the second-highest ranked team.
Joining BYU, Texas Tech and Utah from the Big 12 is No. 18 Oklahoma State, who moved up one spot (previously No. 19) while on a bye week, as well as No. 22 Houston, who needed a second-half comeback to get past UCF.
Arizona is the only other team from the Big 12 receiving votes this week.
