Neither BYU nor Utah made it to the preseason Associated Press top 25 rankings. Here’s a breakdown ¹ ²:
– BYU: The Cougars received 156 points in the AP poll, narrowly missing a top 25 spot. They were mentioned as one of the teams that received votes but didn’t rank high enough.
– Utah: The Utes also fell short, garnering 144 points. Despite not being ranked, they’ll face three top 25 teams during the regular season: No. 23 Texas Tech, No. 11 Arizona State, and No. 17 Kansas State.

Some notable analysts did believe both teams deserved a spot in the top 25. For BYU and Utah to crack the top 25, they’ll need to perform well in their upcoming games. The AP poll’s rankings can sometimes be influenced by biases toward certain teams or conferences, but ultimately, the teams’ performances on the field will determine their final rankings ².