Way-Too-Early Bowl Projections for BYU Football in 2025

Originally posted on BYU Cougars on SI
By Casey Lundquist | Last updated Sep 4, 2025 12:00 PM ET

BYU is 1-0 and coming off a blowout win over Portland State. The Cougars will take on their first P4 opponent of the season on Saturday night when the Stanford Cardinal come to Provo. FPI is very bullish on BYU's chances to reach bowl eligibility (98.3% heading into week two), and national outlets have started making their way-too-early bowl projections for the 2025 season.

Sports Illustrated

Bowl: Pop-Tarts Bowl
Opponent: Florida State

SI's Bryan Fischer sees BYU playing in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against Florida State. FSU has been all over the map the last few years. The Seminoles were undefeated in the 2023 regular season, then 2-10 in the 2024 regular season. They kicked off the 2025 season with an upset win over Alabama behind new quarterback Tommy Castellanos.

A BYU-Florida State matchup would be a really fun one.

ESPN

Kyle Bonagura

Bowl: Pop-Tarts Bowl
Opponent: Notre Dame

Bonagura sees BYU playing the Fighting Irish in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. The Pop-Tarts Bowl is one of the top bowls in the Big 12 and the ACC. Last year, Big 12 runner-up Iowa State took down Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.

Notre Dame is 0-1 after a road loss to Miami in week one. The Fighting Irish face another test in week two against Texas A&M before their schedule really lightens up.

Mark Schlabach

Bowl: Independence Bowl
Opponent: Liberty

A bowl that BYU fans would not like to go back to? The Independence Bowl. The Independence Bowl was BYU's bowl destination after a 10-2 season.

USA Today

Bowl: Pop-Tarts Bowl
Opponent: Georgia Tech

USA Today projects BYU to the Pop-Tarts Bowl, this time against ACC foe Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are 1-0 and coming off a road win at Colorado.