It's just as the title says: BYU football is undefeated in non-conference play since joining the Big 12. Since entering the ranks of the Power Four, BYU is unblemished. Unfazed. Untouched outside the confines of their own conference. When taking into consideration some of the squads faced during that time, it's a mind-boggling fact about this program.
Since its first season post-independence, BYU is 8-0 in the first three games of the season. Of course, wins over Southern Illinois, Southern Utah, Sam Houston, Portland State, and the like are to be expected of a school of BYU's size, but an unblemished record in the non-conference is noteworthy regardless.
Considering the Cougars so-so overall standing in their in-conference games, it makes the early season success all the more remarkable. 9-9 over two seasons in Big 12 play (unless you count the Alamo Bowl victory over Colorado, which doesn't officially count as a conference game despite being played between two Big 12 schools).
Most importantly, the Cougars have won some very noteworthy matchups in the first three weeks of the schedule.
Who could forget a road victory wins over an SEC opponent in Arkansas, before which the Razorback's head coach took a moment to express how little of a concern BYU would be during the non-conference?
A Chase Roberts one-handed go-ahead snag was the highlight of the night, and an incredible opening to what would be a disappointing first season in the Big 12. Still, Coach Sitake took his squad into SEC land and planted a Y at center field.
Stanford stumbled into Provo following a sudden coaching change and a major downswing for the program as a whole. A BYU win was the expected result. It was the final result. Freshman Bear Bachmeier led his team to a 27-3 victory -- a victory which disappointed fans, might I add. If a team takes down another Power Four squad by 24 and fans are worried, that's a great indicator about the state of the program overall.
Southern Methodist, a team that would appear in the college football playoff by the end of the season, also fell victim to the sizzling blade that is BYU football in the non-conference. The Mustangs were legit last season, winning out until eventually falling to Clemson in the ACC championship game. The Mustangs claimed a spot in the CFP that many BYU fans felt belonged to their squad, but slip-ups against Kansas and a slow start against ASU would bury the Cougs.
We didn't know it at the time, but this week two battle would turn out to be a top 15 clash by year's end.