BYU Jumps Into the AP Top 25 For the First Time After ECU Win

For the third time in as many seasons, BYU is 3-0 heading into Big 12 play. The Cougars handled the ECU Pirates on Saturday night 34-13 in Bear Bachmeier's first career road start. The win over ECU propelled BYU into the AP Top 25 for the first time this season. The Cougars are now ranked 25th.

BYU is one of four Big 12 teams in the top 25: Texas Tech (12), Iowa State (14), TCU (24), and BYU (25). BYU plays Iowa State, Texas Tech, and TCU in that order later this year. Utah and Arizona State also received votes.

BYU had been flirting with the top 25 since the preseason poll. The Cougars were the first team out of the top 25 heading into the season, and they were the first team out the last few weeks. The Cougars finally broke through and cracked the top 25.

BYU was trending towards being a preseason top 25 team before quarterback Jake Retzlaff left for Tulane. Now, BYU finds itself back in the top 25 after three consecutive wins of three scores or more.

Below is the full AP Top 25 after week four.

1. Ohio State
2. Miami
3. Penn State
4. LSU
5. Georgia
6. Oregon
7. Oklahoma
8. Florida State
9. Texas A&M
10. Texas
11. Indiana
12. Texas Tech
13. Ole Miss
14. Iowa State
15. Tennessee
16. Georgia Tech
17. Alabama
18. Vanderbilt
19. Michigan
20. Missouri
21. USC
22. Notre Dame
23. Illinois
24. TCU
25. BYU

Getting into the top 25 this early in the season is important. Now, all BYU has to do is continue to win and they will climb the rankings. First up for BYU is a roadtrip to Colorado to open up Big 12 play. After a disappointing loss to Houston, the Buffaloes responded with a 37-20 win over Wyoming.

The first two conference games are must-win games if BYU hopes to compete for a spot in the conference title game. BYU is set to play Colorado and West Virginia who appear to be trending towards the bottom half of the league.

After Colorado and West Virginia, BYU will hit the road to take on the Arizona Wildcats.

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