Multiple National Outlets Project BYU to the College Football Playoff

Casey Lundquist | Oct 14, 2024

BYU wide receiver Keelan Marion against Arizona / BYU Photo

On Saturday, BYU continued its special season by handling Arizona 41-19. The Cougars are now 6-0 overall, 3-0 in conference play, and firmly in the hunt for a Big 12 title. After week seven, multiple national outlets projected BYU to the College Football Playoff.

ESPN - Kyle Bonagura

Projection: First round of playoff
Opponent: Alabama

In Kyle Bonagura's projection, BYU would be the no. 9 seed and facing the Alabama Crimson Tide who is the projected 8-seed. Bonagura actually projects BYU to be the highest-seeded Big 12 team and he gives the first-round bye to projected Mountain West champion Boise State.

ESPN - Mark Schlabach

Projection: Fiesta Bowl (CFP second round)
Opponent: Ohio State

Schlabach disagrees with Bonagura and projects BYU to be the four-seed if the Cougars are Big 12 champions. Here was his rebuttal to Kyle Bonagura:

"I'd think Las Vegas oddsmakers would love to take your wager on BYU and Boise State right now. The Cougars still aren't getting enough credit in my opinion. They went on the road and beat a very good SMU team 18-15. Then they walloped two of the Big 12's better teams, Kansas State and Arizona, at home. BYU has a couple of potentially tricky games left, but it plays only one more team currently ranked in the AP poll during the regular season -- No. 16 Utah on the road."

Action Network - Brett McMurphy

Projection: First round of playoff
Opponent: Georgia

Brett McMurphy has BYU as the no. 11 seed playing at no. 6 Georgia in the first round.

USA Today - Matt Hayes

Projection: Fiesta Bowl (CFP second round)
Opponent: Ohio State

In terms of playoff matchups, there aren't many more formidable foes than Ohio State. The Buckeyes lost on the final play to Oregon. If there was another second or two on the clock, they could have kicked the game-winning field goal.

Even Alabama and Georgia look more beatable today than Ohio State.

CBS Sports - Jerry Palm

Projection: First round of playoff
Opponent: Alabama

Jerry Palmer of CBS Sports, who isn't typically optimistic towards BYU, likes BYU to get an at-large birth in the CFP. Palm projects BYU as the no. 9 seed. The Cougars would travel to Pennsylvania to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in the first round. The winner would take on Texas in the quarterfinals.

247Sports - Brad Crawford

Projection: Fiesta Bowl (CFP second round)
Opponent: Oregon

Brad Crawford of 247Sports has projected BYU to the CFP over the last several weeks. Crawford likes BYU to win the Big 12 and face Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.