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When it comes to the topic of possible college football playoff crashes (i.e. an outside team at a Power 5 conference), all of this year’s talk has focused on the University of Cincinnati. The Bearcats, after all, made quarterback Desmond Ridder and most of their starters out of a 9-1 season.
UC has done its part so far, climbing to No.8 in the AP poll and sitting at 3-0 before a critical trip to Notre Dame on October 2.
The Bearcats may not be the most likely intruders. Three weeks into the season and BYU, an independent, has three wins over their Pac-12 opponents (Arizona, Utah and Arizona State). Jaren Hall replaced Zach Wilson well as quarterback and the defense was formidable.
Coach Kalani Sitake’s team are now ranked 15th by the AP, which has no real weight but signifies national respect. BYU was 23rd last week before its 27-17 victory over ASU on Saturday night.
Going undefeated is extremely difficult, but BYU has proven to be the kind of team that can at least keep it entertained. The college football playoff committee might not want to include the Cougars in the four-team squad, but a 12-0 team would have a very strong case depending on how the Power 5 league top stands out.
It may still be September, but it’s worth considering whether BYU is a legitimate playoff contender. This is a topic that was discussed in the Monday Overreaction podcast of “College Football Enquirer”.
Buy or sell on BYU?
“We didn’t win by the biggest difference in scores, but we’re doing from start to finish,” said Hall. “Even when the going gets tough, I think we never waste our energy. It’s a bunch of guys who love each other and love Coach Kalani and everything he teaches us. We are linked to this culture and it is contagious. I think it’s a different team than the one you’ve seen in the past at BYU.
The Cougars were crowned national champions in 1984, but have only had one top 10 AP polls since (1996). He went 11-1 last season, but much of that schedule was weak, a cobbled together slate due to COVID-19.
This is different. Three Pac-12 victories with the possibility of seeing more. BYU still has games against Power 5 teams Baylor, Washington State, Virginia and USC, not to mention rival Boise State.
That leaves the possibility of seven Power 5 (and Boise) wins. No, it’s not the SEC West’s meat grinder, but it’s a very supportive slate and way stronger than what most mid-majors bring to the table.
Of course, the Cougar’s biggest win this fall was getting Big 12 conference membership starting next year, a nod to their sizable fan base and excellent potential as a that program.
This is the future though. The present is making a push for the playoffs. The committee can exclude the Cougars. But a 12-0 BYU team in December would be a very difficult discussion at this committee meeting, something perhaps no one outside of Provo would have thought possible this year.
Also discussed in this edition of the “College Football Enquirer:”
* Do tight games featuring Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Clemson mean the stranglehold on the playoff field could loosen?
* A look at Alabama’s relentless victory over Florida.
* Penn State now holds victories over MAC favorites Wisconsin, Auburn and Ball State. Are the Nittany Lions Big Ten East favorites? What about Michigan, a rapidly rising Michigan State program or even (gulp) Rutgers in that division?
* Cincinnati rallies to beat Indiana, keeps title dreams in place.
* People’s Court: Should Notre Dame have let Purdue bring his giant drum to Notre Dame Stadium?
* BYU and the Playoffs.
* The coveted Small Sample Heismans are being handed out and we are trying to “Say Something Nice”.
Check it all out here.
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