BYU Football had an incredible 2024 season. The Cougars were picked to finish 13th in the Big 12 but ended up tied for first. BYU had exciting blowouts and nail-biting comebacks last year en route to a victory in the 2025 Valero Alamo Bowl. BYU had a final record of 13-2 (7-2 Big 12) and proved the media wrong.
BYU is no stranger to adversity, being underestimated again and again. BYU was the underdog against Oklahoma State at home and won that game. The Cougars turned Kansas State over three times to defeat them 38-9. BYU is a good team, and expectations are high from the Cougar fans. However, the media thinks otherwise, picking BYU to win only 7.5 games. BYU will again have to prove everyone wrong, and they can do it again.
BYU has some strong pieces in all three phases. Will Ferrin is a great kicker, Retzlaff can pass the ball well, and Jack Kelly is a beast in the linebacker position. BYU works well as a team and the culture is excellent. Of course, the coaching is where it all starts, and Kalani Sitake is as good a coach as you can get. Kalani's strong and humble leadership mixed with Jay Hill's stingy defense and Aaron Roderick's hybrid offense is a hard blend to overcome.
The BYU offense has some strong pieces, from Jake Retzlaff's rocket arm to LJ Martin's run strength, BYU has some real potential in attack. BYU also has a strong wide-receiving core in Chase Roberts and Darius Lassiter. The Cougars are getting ready for another high-scoring season and if they keep scoring, they can win.
BYU's defense is a strong unit. Jack Kelly, Crew Wakely, and Mory Bamba are a few of the notable players returning this year. BYU's defense last year led the nation in interceptions and it looks like they are headed that way again. The Cougar's two interceptions helped in the blowout of Kansas State and another pick sealed the game at Baylor. The Cougars were good at goal-line stands as well, forcing opponents to kick field goals instead of scoring a needed touchdown.
BYU on special teams is fantastic. Will Ferrin the automatic kicker and Sam Vander Haar at punter have created some great moments. BYU will need another stellar year from those two if they want to win and prove doubters wrong. Of course, how can you forget about Parker Kingston and Keelon Marion returning kicks and punts for scores?
BYU has the pieces and the right mindset, so why are they being doubted? The answer might be related to the two losses last season to Kansas and Arizona State. The Cougars were a few yards away both times and both losses came at a bad time. The media might be afraid that BYU will have a few more moments where the Cougars might fall behind and come up just short.
BYU of course shattered their expectations last year and could do it again. The Cougars are known for miracles, from the Mangum Miracles to the Miracle Bowl itself. BYU always finds a way to exceed expectations and there is a good chance that they will prove people wrong. BYU has it right there for them and they will seize the moment. Only time will tell and BYU is ready.
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