College Football Playoff rankings: Where did BYU land?

Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Chase Roberts (2) celebrates his touchdown with Brigham Young Cougars tight end Ray Paulo (42) against Kansas State Wildcats in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024.

It isn’t a surprise that BYU landed in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2024 season.

Where the Cougars ended up may be, though.

Released Tuesday night for the first time this season, the CFP rankings — chosen by the 13-member playoff selection committee that will determine which 12 teams are given a chance to play for the national championship — have BYU at No. 9 overall.

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By way of comparison, in the most recent editions of the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, undefeated BYU was also slotted at No. 9.

Said ESPN’s Greg McElroy, “I think BYU is underrated. ... Game control, undefeated, strength of record, they check off a lot of boxes. No. 9 feels painfully low.”

BYU is ranked in the CFP poll for the first time since the 2021 season and the Cougars’ No. 9 ranking is the highest in program history, besting the No. 13 placement BYU achieved in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

All-time, BYU has now been ranked in the CFP rankings 12 times.

Since its debut in 2014, the CFP rankings have determined which teams will make it into the playoff, previously a four-team playoff and now a 12-team affair.

Where the AP and Coaches polls have long held a historic place in college football, the only rankings that matter now are the CFP rankings.

In the 12-team playoff format, a top 12 ranking doesn’t exactly guarantee a spot in the playoff, however.

The five highest ranked conference champions are guaranteed berths in the 12-team playoff. That is expected (though not technically guaranteed) to be the champions of the ACC, the Big 12, the Big Ten and the SEC and then the highest ranked champion of one of the five Group of Five conferences.

The remaining seven playoff participants will be determined by the rankings, regardless of conference.

Who else is ranked that matters, right now, for BYU?

None of the Cougars’ remaining opponents — Utah, Kansas, Arizona State and Houston — can be found in the CFP rankings, which limits the opportunities available for BYU to continue to impress the playoff committee.

BYU has defeated a pair of ranked opponents already in No. 13 SMU and No. 19 Kansas State.

And if the Cougars win out and play for the Big 12 title, the likelihood is that they will play against either No. 17 Iowa State or No. 20 Colorado.

BYU being ranked behind Indiana was a point of interest and CFP spokesman Warde Manuel, the athletics director at the University of Michigan, spoke to ESPN about the placement of both teams.

“Two great teams,” Manuel said. “With Indiana, their strength of schedule is not as strong as BYU’s, but what Indiana has done on the field, they are winning by double digits. They are solid ion both sides, offensively and defensively. So is BYU, but as we contemplated, discussed, looked at everything Indiana was ranked No. 8 and BYU ranked at No. 9.”

1. Oregon (9-0); Big Ten.

2. Ohio State (7-1); Big Ten.

3. Georgia (7-1); SEC.

4. Miami (FL) (9-0); ACC.

5. Texas (7-1); SEC.

6. Penn State (7-1); Big Ten.

7. Tennessee (7-1); SEC.

8. Indiana (9-0); Big Ten.

9. BYU (8-0); Big 12.

10. Notre Dame (7-1); Independent.

11. Alabama (6-2); SEC.

12. Boise State (7-1); MWC.

13. SMU (8-1); ACC.

14. Texas A&M (7-2); SEC.

15. LSU (6-2); SEC.

16. Ole Miss (7-2); SEC.

17. Iowa State (7-1); Big 12.

18. Pittsburgh (7-1); ACC.

19. Kansas State (7-2); Big 12.

20. Colorado (6-2); Big 12.

21. Washington State (7-1); Pac-12.

22. Louisville (6-3); ACC.

23. Clemson (6-2); ACC.

24. Missouri (6-2); SEC.

25. Army (8-0); AAC.

This story will be updated.

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