For another week, BYU and Utah move up in latest AP Top 25 rankings after 3-0 start

SALT LAKE CITY — It was another solid week for both BYU and Utah as the two teams moved to 3-0 on the season.

The wins, mixed with a pair of top 25 losses around the country, helped contribute to the two schools moving up in the Associated Press rankings for another week.

Here’s a look at where the two Big 12 teams stand.

BYU Cougars

LJ Martin reminded everyone Saturday night that he’s one of the best running backs in the sport, and finished the game with 176 rushing yards and three touchdowns on an efficient 15 carries against Colorado State.

In quick fashion, the veteran back escaped for an early 54-yard touchdown and never looked back to help BYU roll to a 41-23 win on the road against a former Mountain West foe.

Colorado State looked to give BYU an early test by answering Martin’s opening drive score with a touchdown of their own, but the Cougars reeled off 31 straight points to put plenty of distance between the two schools.

The win lifted BYU up to No. 9 — a two-spot jump — after landing at No. 11 last week. The Cougars remain the highest-ranked team from the Big 12 in the AP rankings, and are on a collision course with Notre Dame for what could be a potential top 10 matchup in a few weeks.

Utah Utes

Facing his former team, Utah wide receiver Braden Pegan made his presence known early with three quick catches, including a 28-yard receiving touchdown, to help lift the Utes to a 33-0 win over in-state opponent Utah State.

Pegan finished the game with a team high 122 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches, while the defense pitched its first shutout since 2024 in a dominant afternoon for Utah.

Utah currently holds the longest streak in FBS with nine consecutive games with 30 or more points scored, with the team’s first road contest (and conference game) of the season up next with Iowa State.

Like BYU, Utah got some help from a couple teams above it in the rankings losing over the weekend, including Texas A&M and SMU. The Utes moved up two spots to No. 15 this week, and remain the third-highest ranked team from the Big 12.

Big 12 teams

As a 10-point underdog in the Duke’s Mayo Classic, West Virginia left Charlotte, North Carolina, with a statement win over a previously ranked Virginia team to give Rich Rodriguez’s squad a perfect 3-0 start to season in his second season in Morgantown.

The win was enough to give West Virginia some votes in the top 25, but were left just outside looking in as one of the biggest surprises of the short season in the Big 12. The Mountaineers have not been included inside the top 25 since the 2018 season.

West Virginia, however, joins Oklahoma State, Arizona and Kansas State, as the one of four Big 12 teams just outside the rankings and receiving votes. At the top of the rankings remains BYU, followed by No. 11 Texas Tech — who edged past Houston Friday night — Utah and No. 25 Houston, who dropped three spots.

Houston dropped out of the rankings with a loss to Texas Tech, but continues to receive votes. The conference as a whole, however, is positioned well with three teams inside the top 15, with only BYU and Utah playing each other this season. Texas Tech misses both schools.

Create your own Top 25 ballot with the KSL Sports Fan Top 25 poll here.

Also, play KSL Sports Pick ‘Em! Pick the winners of local and marquee college games for your chance to win cash prizes. 

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.