College Football Playoff Trophy Making Second Trip To BYU Game In 2020

HOUSTON, Texas – Both BYU and Houston would love nothing more than to be in the College Football Playoff mix. It’s tough for teams outside of the Group of 5 to crack into the Playoff mix. But that doesn’t stop the Playoff from sending its prized possession, the College Football Playoff Trophy, to a game featuring a pair of teams outside the big boys club.

The College Football Playoff Trophy will be present at TDECU Stadium in Texas when No. 14 BYU takes on Houston tonight. It’s the second time this season that the Playoff Trophy has made its way to a BYU game. The other was the season-opener on Labor Day night against Navy.

Friday night lights!

The #CFBPlayoff #NationalChampionship trophy tour makes a Friday appearance deep in the heart of Texas.

🏆 @CFBPlayoff Trophy Tour
🏈 @BYUfootball at @UHCougarFB
📍 Houston, Texas
📅 Friday, October 16
🕰 8:30 p.m. CT
📺 @ESPN
📱 ESPN app pic.twitter.com/s6UoWE5djI

— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) October 16, 2020

This is the third time since the Playoff began in 2014 that the trophy will be at a BYU game. The other occurrence was in 2014 when the Cougars hosted Utah State in another Friday night tilt, and the last time BYU was 4-0.

BYU enters tonight’s game against the 1-0 Houston Cougars looking to move to 5-0 for the first time since 2008.

📍 Houston, Texas@BYUfootball vs. @UHCougarFB #BYUvsUH #GoCougs #BYU pic.twitter.com/KcfgzARAsY

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 15, 2020

The College Football Playoff is in its seventh year of a 12-year agreement. The Playoff has not produced any program from the Group of 5 ranks, which is where Houston sits in the American Atheltic Conference. BYU is not in the Group of 5, but they aren’t Power 5 either. The Cougars have no automatic tie-ins to the Playoff and its New Year’s Six bowl games.

Earlier this season, ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranked BYU as one of the country’s top four teams and a legitimate contender to make the College Football Playoff. Same with Kirk Herbstreit, who has consistently placed BYU among his top six teams this season.

First things first for BYU, they need to get past a Houston team looking to give Dana Holgorsen his biggest win since taking over as head coach of the Coogs last season.

No. 14 BYU vs. Houston

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (MT)

TV: ESPN

Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM, KSL NewsRadio app)

Follow Mitch Harper on location in Houston for BYU vs. Houston on the KSL Sports Instagram. You can also follow Mitch on Twitter.