2020 was the first year that BYU Football finished ranked since going Independent.
If you grew up watching BYU Football through the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s seeing BYU Football ranked at the end of the season was the norm. In fact, from 1979 until 2009 the Cougars finished ranked 16 times (about 53%). During the 2010’s era, BYU Football didn’t finished ranked even once. The Cougars were ranked quite a few times during the season, but once November hit, those rankings were always just a memory.
2020 brought change to that streak and fans hope that BYU Football can go back to being ranked at least half of the time. To do that, BYU probably has to win nine games with a bowl game or ten games without a bowl game win.
To this point, not very many national writers have BYU as a top 25 team, but there are three reasons why the Cougars could, and honestly should finish the season ranked.