“Rankings Don’t Matter in Provo: Why BYU Is Thriving Outside the Top 25”

Rankings Don’t Matter in Provo: Why BYU Is Thriving Outside the Top 25

**PROVO, Utah** – The college football polls have spoken, and they’ve left BYU out in the cold. The Cougars remain unranked in both major polls heading into Week 4 of the 2026 season, despite a 3-0 start that includes a dominant road victory over a Power Four opponent. But inside the locker room, the message is consistent: rankings don’t matter in Provo.

“We don’t worry about that stuff,” head coach **Kalani Sitake** said Monday, brushing off questions about poll positioning. “The only number that matters to us is the score at the end of the game. Rankings are for people outside this building. Inside, we know who we are.”

And who are they? A team that’s quietly building a resume that suggests the polls may have gotten it wrong.

### 📈 The Resume

BYU opened the season with a convincing 38-17 win over FCS opponent Southern Utah, then traveled to Tucson and knocked off Arizona 31-24 in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. The Cougars followed that up with a 41-14 demolition of Nevada, a game in which they outgained the Wolf Pack 512-268 and never trailed .

Quarterback **Bear Bachmeier** has been efficient, completing 68% of his passes for 892 yards with eight touchdowns and just one interception . The sophomore signal-caller, who took over the reins this season, has shown poise beyond his years, particularly in the hostile environment at Arizona.

“He’s got that ‘it’ factor,” offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick said. “The moment’s never too big for him. He just goes out and plays.”

### 🏈 The Schedule

The Cougars’ schedule only gets tougher from here, which presents both a challenge and an opportunity. This week, BYU hosts a red-hot Cincinnati team that just knocked off Kansas State . A win there would force the pollsters to take notice.

“We’ve got a hungry team,” Sitake said. “They’re not satisfied with 3-0. They want more. They want everything this program is capable of achieving.”

### 🔥 The Mentality

Players echoed their coach’s sentiment, emphasizing that external recognition isn’t their motivation.

“We see the rankings. It’s hard not to,” senior linebacker **Isaiah Glasker** admitted. “But we also see the opportunity. If we keep winning, they can’t ignore us forever. And if they do? We’ll just keep winning anyway.”

### 🌟 Looking Ahead

BYU’s path to the rankings runs through the Big 12 schedule that awaits. With home games against Cincinnati and Oklahoma State followed by a trip to UCF, the Cougars have ample opportunity to make their case. The message from Provo is clear: keep sleeping on them at your own risk.

“We’re building something special here,” Sitake said. “The rankings will take care of themselves. Our job is to take care of business on Saturday.”