Perhaps more than any other week since the College Football Playoff rankings began being released this season, BYU football’s placement was a real question.
After all, the Cougars beat Houston to finish the year 10-2, while multiple teams ahead of them in the rankings — Clemson, Ohio State, Miami and Tulane — were upset.
Could BYU rise high enough to maybe, just maybe, sneak into the College Football Playoff? Or would the committee view the Cougars clearly on the outside looking in?
Special Collector’s Issue: “1984: The Year BYU was Second to None”
Get an inclusive look inside BYU Football’s 1984 National Championship season.
The answer was the former.
In the penultimate edition of the 2024 CFP rankings, the Cougars (10-2) are ranked No. 18, up a spot from their placement at No. 19 last week, but well outside of the top 11.
By way of comparison, BYU was ranked No. 17 in the latest iteration of the AP Poll and No. 18 in the Coaches Poll.
All-time, BYU has now been ranked in the CFP rankings 16 times.
Why do the College Football Playoff rankings matter?
As a reminder, since its debut in 2014 the CFP rankings have determined which teams will make it into the College Football playoff, which was previously a four-team playoff and is now a 12-team affair.
Where the AP and Coaches polls have long held a historic place in college football, the only rankings that matter currently are the CFP rankings.
In the 12-team playoff format, a top 12 ranking doesn’t guarantee a spot in the playoff, however.
The five highest ranked conference champions are guaranteed berths in the 12-team playoff, with the four highest ranked conference champions being seeded. That is expected (though not technically guaranteed) to be the champions of the ACC, the Big 12, the Big Ten and the SEC and then the highest ranked champion of one of the five Group of Five conferences.
The remaining seven playoff participants will be determined by the rankings, regardless of conference.
Currently, the four conferences in line to get first round byes are the Big Ten, SEC, ACC and MW, with the Big 12 and AAC in a fight for the final guaranteed champion spot.
Who else is ranked that matters, right now, for BYU?
The Cougars’ regular season is over.
BYU did have a few notable wins — on the road against No. 8 SMU, on the road at Baylor (8-4) and at home against Kansas State (8-4).
BYU rates well in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric, coming in at No. 12 overall which is tops among all Big 12 teams and better than No. 10 Boise State. The Cougars’ strength of schedule metrics aren’t took bad either, with BYU boasting the No. 44 hardest schedule in the country, better than Notre Dame, Indiana and SMU.
By ranking BYU No. 18 though, the committee assured the Cougars have no chance of getting in the playoff, even with major losses on conference championship weekend.
It is notable that one of No. 15 Arizona State and No. 16 Iowa State don’t appear to be in line to jump ahead of Boise State. And that’s because of the money available to be earned for the Big 12 this postseason.
For the next two years, conference’s are awarded money based on success in the playoff.
The higher seed a Big 12 team gets, the more likely — at least in theory — they are to make the conference more money.
And more money means a better ability to compete with the SEC and Big Ten going forward.
College Football Playoff rankings (Dec. 3)
- Oregon (12-0); Big Ten
- Texas (11-1); SEC
- Penn State (11-1); Big Ten
- Notre Dame (11-1); Independent
- Georgia (10-2); SEC
- Ohio State (10-2); Big Ten
- Tennessee (10-2); SEC
- SMU (11-1); ACC
- Indiana (11-1); Big Ten
- Boise State (11-1); MWC
- Alabama (9-3); SEC
- Miami (FL) (10-2); ACC
- Ole Miss (9-3); SEC
- South Carolina (9-3); SEC
- Arizona State (10-2); Big 12
- Iowa State (10-2); Big 12
- Clemson (9-3); ACC
- BYU (10-2); Big 12
- Missouri (9-3); SEC
- UNLV (10-2); MWC
- Illinois (9-3); Big Ten
- Syracuse (9-3) ACC
- Colorado (9-3); Big 12
- Army (10-1); AAC
- Memphis (10-2), AAC
