BYU Generating College Football Playoff Bracketology Buzz

PROVO, Utah – The beauty of the 12-team College Football Playoff is that the path is clear for a Power Four team.

If you win your league, you’ll probably have a top-four seed.

BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake, entering the season, expressed his liking of the new postseason setup.

“I think the vision of the playoffs have never been more transparent, especially for us at BYU,” said Sitake in July at Big 12 Media Day. “So the map and the road to the playoffs is pretty simple and has never been this simple for us. It’s win the conference and you’re in.”

After opening the 2024 season with a 4-0 record, including a win over nationally ranked Kansas State, BYU is suddenly generating some College Football Playoff buzz.

College Football Playoff Bracketology recognizes BYU

Brad Crawford from 247Sports tabbed BYU as the Big 12 Champion and the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff. BYU would play a team from the No. 5 vs. No. 12 matchup. In this projection, BYU would square off against No. 5 Georgia in the Fiesta Bowl.

There’s a lot of football left to be played. But BYU’s fast start has put them in a position to achieve everything they want out of the national landscape.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by CBS Sports College Football (@cbssportscfb)

Power Conference life for BYU

It highlights how rewarding being in a power conference can be after BYU wandered the wilderness as an FBS Independent for 12 years before stepping into the Big 12.

“So that’s something we’ve never had, and I think college football needed it,” Sitake said in July on the College Football Playoff. “Everyone gets to prove it on the field. Everybody has a shot to make it. And there’s a lot to play for. So you’re looking at competitive football, especially in the Big 12 in November. It’s going to be a lot of fun.

“And for us, we’ve been in this era where you’re hoping that things work out and things — you’re depending on other people to make wins and stuff like that so you can get a chance to play in a New Year’s Six. Now it’s pretty evident on how you can get there. I appreciate it happening and us being in this conference that gives us a path to it.”

On3’s Andy Staples put BYU on the “Bubble Watch” as a potential At-Large team in his latest College Football Playoff bracketology.

BYU continues its 2024 season this Saturday, taking on the Baylor Bears.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.

Take us with you wherever you go.

Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. It allows you to stream live radio and video and stay up to date on all of your favorite teams.

Follow @Mitch_Harper