How BYU Football can end the 2018 season ranked
By Ron Jensen
After a dismal 2017 season, Cougar fans see no chance at a Top 25 season in 2018. Here’s a scenario where BYU Football pulls it off.
What does BYU Football have to do to end the season in the Top 25.
The obvious answer to this question is simple. Win ten games.
In its history, the Cougars have won ten or more games 16 times, and in each of these seasons they have finished ranked in at least one of the major polls.
The real issue here, is whether or not BYU Football can end up ranked without winning ten games. Another look at the past reveals that they can in rare instances. It happened in 1977 (9-2) and in 1991 (8-3-2).
The 1991 season is misleading because of the existence of ties during this time-period. Although not wins, many considered them as such, because of the context in which they occurred.
One tie was against a ranked San Diego State team. It assured a WAC title and an invite to play Iowa in the Holiday Bowl. The other tie involved that one-loss, heavily favored Iowa team that was ranked No. 7 at the time. It included an incomparable comeback led by Ty Detmer that ended with the Cougars finishing level with the Big Ten powerhouse.
In the 1977 season, the Cougars finished with 9 wins, a feat they’ve accomplished 7 other times without ending ranked. So, what was the difference this time around? First off, the team finished tied for first place in the WAC. Second, because of the shorter regular season and not attending a bowl game, they only played 11 games that season and ended the with a mere two losses.
Why did none of the other nine-win teams receive a ranking? In five of those years, each team finished the season with a loss, which instantly knocked them out of the running for a ranking. In the other two, the 1988 team had a two-game losing streak coming into the bowl win, and the 2016 team simply had no marquee wins.
The 2018 Path to the Top 25
Now, how could the 2018 team finish ranked with less than 10 total wins?
It’s all about timing and big wins. They do it, if they go into the Utah game with a 7-4 record, beat the Utes, and then go on to win a bowl game.
If this happens, the Cougars resume would be sufficient to garner such a rank. It would include wins against Utah, and one over either Cal, Arizona, or Boise State. It would also mean that BYU football finishes with at least a four-game win streak.
This is a reasonable thesis. Few argue that had the Cougars defeated Washington (2013) and Memphis (2014) in their respective bowl games, that BYU would have ended ranked those seasons. Surley, in both cases, nine wins would have put them the Top 25.
However, any other nine-win sequence without victories against the Utes and a bowl game this season won’t cut it. For this predicament to play out, they’ve got to get those two.
That’s a big “if”, but it’s not impossible. In fact, its one on a list of lofty goals that the staff and players have already set for this season.
We’ll see just how possible it is in the coming weeks.