BYU football should feel completely disrespected by the nation's perception of their football prowess. They're the only Power Four program in the country to win 23 games in the last two seasons and still be locked out of the 12-team College Football Playoff.
They've missed out in favor of teams they've beaten head-to-head, all while major news networks sweep their resume under the rug in favor of bigger brands and blue bloods. Last season, especially, shined an ugly light on the propagandized media stream that ultimately barred Kalani Sitake's Cougars from the championship bracket despite having lost to just one team: fourth-ranked Texas Tech.
So, save for an undefeated season and an auto-bid, what can BYU football do to convince the College Football Playoff selection committee that the Cougs deserve to be in the dance, conference champions or not?
Thankfully, this year's schedule has enough big-name marketability that there's one clear solution: win.
Just take a gander at the Cougars' schedule for the upcoming season:
BYU football 2026 schedule
Utah Tech
Arizona
@Colorado State
@TCU
Iowa State
Notre Dame
@ UCF
Arizona State
@ Utah
Baylor
@Kansas
Cincinnati
BYU football has an incredible balance in this slate, with most weaker opponents reserved for the road (Colorado State, TCU, UCF, Kansas) and the more challenging opponents (Notre Dame, Arizona, Arizona State) forced to face the Cougars in Provo, one of the toughest places to play in the nation.
Of course, this isn't true across the board -- the Holy War game in Salt Lake City could be the point of no return, and home games against Utah Tech, Iowa State, and Cincinnati don't exactly send shivers down your spine in the preseason -- but the path is paved for Kalani Sitake and company. Returning every eligible contributor from last season's team is a major factor feeding into the Cougars' confidence.
I see three critical contests in this 12-game season that could make or break the Cougars' postseason hopes -- at least when it comes to receiving an at-large bid, and I feel they fall in this order on the do-or-die scale.
BYU football's must-win contests, in order:
1. @ Utah
A more favorable Holy War matchup for the Cougars than last season's win in LES, Utah will have to deal with the growing pains of Morgan Scalley's first season as head coach. Even with Dampier returning, I don't expect the Utes to pick up where they left off to enjoy another double-digit win regular season.
That makes this battle more pivotal than ever, as the Utes' national prestige will take a hit without Whittingham, but the danger is just as high for an experienced, dangerous rivalry game on the road.
Lose, and BYU's at-large dreams could be crushed. Win, and it's relatively smooth sailing for the remaining three weeks of the schedule.
2. Arizona
BYU's first Big 12 game of the season, and one that comes in the second week, thanks to Notre Dame's midseason intrusion. Noah Fifita is the best quarterback in the conference, and though BYU has had the Wildcats' number in the last two seasons, 2025's Arizona team was absolutely dangerous, nearly knocking off the Cougars in a double-overtime slugfest in Tucson.
BYU will be favored in this game -- they'll be favored in almost every game of the regular season if they meet expectations -- but they'll need to shake off the rust before facing one of the most dangerous arms in the nation, or they could get caught unprepared at home. Lose this game, and BYU will likely need to win out the remainder of its conference schedule for a chance at the title.
3. Notre Dame
Win this game, and you're in. Both teams seem poised to enter this Wasatch-crested autumn evening with undefeated records, making this a likely top-10 matchup. If the Cougars can topple the Irish, they're officially on the right side of the CFP's cutoff marker, making a win in Arlington unnecessary if they can manage a 0- or 1-loss year.
Lose to Notre Dame, though, and the Big 12 championship route is still there. An at-large bid isn't out of the question if BYU can keep the game competitive, either. Lose in a one-possession battle, and BYU essentially picks up a win in the eyes of the committee. Quality losses matter in the current day.
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