BYU just delivered a flurry of haymakers into a Kansas State football team that was expected to walk through Provo largely unscathed. No one left LaVell Edwards stadium last night without a glint of confusion in their eyes, whether positive or negative.
But the biggest shock of the night for me has to be what this means for the BYU football program. This team was projected to win 4.5 games according to FanDuel, and the Cougars have reached the tipping point in only their fourth game.
"I've never been a gambler. [...] But after looking over the Cougars' 2024 schedule, I'm going to sell my house, my car, the clothes off my back, and even my dog, and bet everything I have on the over. 5 wins is more than possible."Calvin Barrett, Lawless Republic
Standing at a perfect 4-0 in the rubble of week 4, the BYU Cougars hold the nation's third-best strength of record, below only Tennessee and Georgia. With wins over Kansas State and SMU (who looked impressive in their 66-42 win over TCU), the Cougars are sitting comfortably now in their place in the College Football world.
So this is uh… hm… pic.twitter.com/3C7kRnn1mu
— Joe Wheat (@joewheat27) September 22, 2024
But with this sudden success, the question must be asked: will the Cougars break into the top 25, or do they still have more to prove?
If the Cougars aren't in this week's AP poll, I don't know what it would take. So let's lay out a Top 25 projection just for fun. Sound good?
Week 5 AP Poll Prediction:
1. Texas
2. Georgia
3. Ohio State
4. Tennessee
5. Alabama
6. Ole Miss
7. Oregon
8. Penn State
9. Miami (FL)
10. Missouri
11. Utah
12. LSU
13. Michigan
14. Notre Dame
15. USC
16. Clemson
17. Oklahoma
18. Iowa State
19. Louisville
20. Kansas State
21. Illinois
22. BYU
23. Oklahoma State
24. Boston College
25. Boise State
Dropped from rankings: Nebraska, Northern Illinois, Texas A&M