There was a time this season when it seemed like the BYU Cougars were headed for the College Football Playoff. After starting the season 9-0, BYU was able to climb as high as No. 6 in the national polls before dropping two games late in the season.
It is no coincidence that those two losses, to Kansas and Arizona State, came when starting QB Jake Retzlaff was playing through an injury. That likely kept the Cougars from winning the Big 12 title and qualifying for the College Football Playoff.
On Saturday night in San Antonio, Texas, Retzlaff returned to the field fully healthy and the Cougars looked dominant in a 36-14 rout of No. 23 Colorado in the Valero Alamo Bowl. In the process, BYU showed that it should be considered among the very best non-playoff teams in the nation in 2024.
It was one of the most thorough wins that anyone could have hoped for to cap off a successful season.
BYU DOMINATES COLORADO IN THE VALERO ALAMO BOWL TO GET ITS 11TH WIN OF THE SEASON 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EmprjtEogf
— ESPN (@espn) December 29, 2024
BYU out-gained Colorado 331 yards to 210. What's more, the Cougars held the Buffs to just two yards rushing.
However, it was the special teams that proved to be the difference for the victors, especially in the first half when BYU built a 20-0 lead. That's the sign of a well-coached team, which BYU has been all season.
Hitting two field goals of 50-plus yards and returning a punt for a touchdown while also recovering a surprise onside kick all before halftime, the BYU kicking game set the tone for the night. And Colorado never recovered.
It was a fitting end to a surprising season for the Cougars. In the preseason Big 12 poll, BYU was picked to finish 13th out of 16 teams.
However, the Cougars exceeded those expectations by miles. They end the year 11-2 overall, the 13th time in program history that they have won 11 or more games. Also, they will likely find themselves ranked in the top 15 of the national polls when the final rankings are revealed.
What's more, with Retzlaff set to return next year, the Cougars might begin 2025 as a top-25 team. That's why showing the nation what they are capable of against a high-profile opponent in the Alamo Bowl was important despite the fact that it was an exhibition between two Big 12 teams.
Coming into the night, all eyes were on Colorado with Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter both playing in the game instead of opting out like so many players around the nation have this year. However, by the end of the contest, BYU was the team that garnered all of the attention as the Cougars proved that they are a team worth keeping an eye on moving forward.