Imagine this: Your team is crushing it on the field, racking up wins like they're going out of style, yet when it comes to securing a spot in the big leagues of college football, it's like you're shouting into a void. That's the frustrating reality staring down BYU's Kalani Sitake and the Cougars right now—and it's got everyone talking.
But here's where it gets controversial: While Sitake refuses to lobby for his squad's inclusion in the College Football Playoff, it turns out he's not alone in staying silent. Let's dive into why this lack of advocacy might be costing BYU dearly, and unpack the drama that's unfolding in the world of college sports.
In Provo, after what must've felt like the hundredth time this season—okay, maybe just the second or third—BYU's head coach Kalani Sitake barely had a chance to savor the Cougars' 10th victory of the year against Cincinnati. You can check out the full recap here if you're curious about the details. Right on the heels of that triumph came the inevitable question: How does this reflect on your team's chances in the College Football Playoff?
Sitake's response? Straightforward and no-nonsense. 'I'm not here to campaign; I'm just here to play football with our team,' he declared during an impromptu press gathering, with a crowd of excited fans buzzing around him in one of the end zones at Nippert Stadium. 'We're focused on winning games and letting the experts handle the rest. Our goal is just to secure our next victory this week and appreciate every second. Football is tough, you know? I want these guys to cherish these moments, and we created some awesome ones out there tonight.'
For the 10th-year coach at his beloved alma mater, this approach makes perfect sense. He's all about keeping his players grounded, emphasizing the immediate challenge ahead: Saturday's season-ender against UCF, kicking off at 11 a.m. MST on ESPN2. Nail that game, Sitake insists, and the Cougars stay in the driver's seat, punching their ticket to the Big 12 championship showdown. From there, they could potentially lock in one of the five automatic playoff spots reserved for the top conference champions.
Think of it like a baseball player facing a legendary pitcher—they can't afford to lose focus on the ball. That's the lesson from last year, when BYU slipped up with defeats to Arizona State and, crucially, Kansas at home, before bouncing back with an Alamo Bowl victory over Colorado.
Ideally, Sitake shouldn't need to pitch his team's case. And this is the part most people miss: No one else is stepping up to do it either. BYU's athletic director, Brian Santiago, has kept mum on the playoff talk. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark? Silent as well. Sure, a handful of national writers have chimed in, but the Big 12, still relatively new to this conference family, doesn't have the same heavyweight lobbying power as giants like the SEC or Big Ten. No dedicated conference network, no legion of influential voices like Paul Finebaum or Josh Pate rallying for BYU's playoff dreams.
Since the initial playoff rankings dropped, Yormark has only issued one statement, on November 18, right after the latest update. 'I'm thrilled to see the Big 12 earning the respect it deserves,' he said, noting his conference's five ranked teams, including Texas Tech at No. 5, Utah at No. 13, Arizona State at No. 20, and Arizona at No. 25. 'Back at media days in July, I said we'd prove it on the field—and we're doing just that.'
Yet, BYU's path to 'proving it' has hit some bumps this season. With a 10-1 record and 7-1 in Big 12 play, the Cougars sit as the lowest-ranked team with just one loss in the committee's top 25. They're trailing behind three teams with two losses each: Oklahoma at No. 8, Notre Dame at No. 9, and Alabama at No. 10.
Digging deeper, BYU's accomplishments stack up more impressively than those of teams ahead of them, like Oregon at No. 6. For instance, the Ducks, also 10-1 and 7-1 in the Big Ten, rank fourth in ESPN's SP+ system—a sophisticated ranking that adjusts for pace and opponent strength to predict future performance. It's like a smarter, more forward-looking way to evaluate teams, popularized by analyst Bill Connelly. In SP+, Ohio State, Indiana, Texas Tech, and Oregon lead the pack. Oregon's resume includes beating teams ranked 19th and 21st in that metric, a loss to the No. 2 squad, and a strong No. 5 strength of record.
BYU, meanwhile, checks in at 16th in SP+, with victories over No. 9 and No. 25 opponents, a setback to No. 3, and an impressive six wins against teams in the top 10—and that's four more than Oregon. Plus, they've got the No. 6 strength of record. To clarify for newcomers, strength of record basically measures how tough your schedule was based on your opponents' performances; it's a fancy way of saying, 'Did you beat good teams?' This data paints a picture that could sway decisions, since committee members view their role as a blend of science and art, not just crunching numbers.
But with voices advocating for BYU noticeably absent, those committee picks—real people, including Utah's athletic director Mark Harlan (who took over for Baylor's Mack Rhoades)—might lean on public sentiment or that elusive 'eye test.' You know, how a team 'looks' on the field. For example, BYU's 29-7 loss to Texas Tech in Lubbock might have made them seem less playoff-worthy, even if Texas Tech doesn't scream 'elite' compared to teams like Ohio State or Indiana in the stats.
This puts two-loss squads like Notre Dame ahead of solid contenders such as 9-2 Miami, which actually defeated the Irish 27-24 early on, and one-loss BYU. And Miami? They've climbed past Utah (now No. 13) after a trio of wins against unranked foes.
As committee chair Hunter Yurachek, Arkansas' athletic director, explained: 'The committee believes Notre Dame has shown consistency throughout the season, even in those close early losses to Miami and Texas A&M.' Yet, hardly anyone with clout is challenging this narrative.
Now, here's the controversial twist: Is the committee's reliance on the 'eye test' fair, or does it unfairly favor teams that 'look' the part over those with stronger stats? Could BYU's lack of a powerful advocate in the Big 12 be the real reason they're overlooked? Some might argue it's just how the game works, rewarding style over substance, but others see it as a flawed system that ignores merit.
What do you think? Does BYU deserve a playoff bid based on their record and stats, or should tradition and the 'eye test' win out? Share your hot takes in the comments—do you agree the Cougars are being shortchanged, or is this just part of the competitive landscape?
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
