ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) has released its predictions for the 2026 college football season, and the outlook for Big 12 rivals BYU and Utah is looking bright. While the Cougars and Utes are both expected to contend for the conference crown, it's the BYU Cougars who are projected to have a slightly stronger season, according to the FPI metrics. Personally, I think this is an interesting development, as it suggests that BYU may be on the rise, while Utah may need to work on its consistency. What makes this particularly fascinating is the fact that BYU's strength of schedule is actually lower than Utah's, which is a notable contrast. In my opinion, this could be a turning point for BYU, as it shows that the team is capable of competing with some of the top programs in the Big 12. One thing that immediately stands out is the significant improvement in BYU's projected wins and odds of making the College Football Playoff (CFP) compared to last season. Last year, BYU was projected for 8.0 wins and a 12.6% chance of making the CFP, but this season, they are projected for 8.7 wins and a 25.7% chance of making the CFP. This is a huge leap, and it suggests that BYU is on the right track. What many people don't realize is that BYU's strength of schedule is actually ninth among Big 12 programs, which is a significant improvement from last year when they were 74th. This means that BYU will be facing some tough competition, but it also shows that the team is capable of competing with some of the top programs in the conference. If you take a step back and think about it, this could be a sign that BYU is building a strong foundation for the future. The Cougars will host Notre Dame, who is ranked No. 3 in the FPI, on Oct. 17, which is a significant nonconference game for the Big 12 this season. This game could be a turning point for BYU, as it will give them a chance to prove themselves against a top-ranked opponent. As for Utah, the Utes are projected to have a solid season, with 7.7 projected wins and a 11.1% chance of making the CFP. However, their strength of schedule is 13th among Big 12 programs, which is a bit lower than BYU's. This could be a concern for Utah, as it suggests that they may need to work on their consistency and strength of schedule to compete with the top teams in the conference. A detail that I find especially interesting is the fact that Utah's strength of schedule last season was actually sixth-highest in the Big 12, which is a notable contrast to this season. This suggests that Utah may have been facing some tougher competition last season, and that they may need to work on their consistency to compete with the top teams in the conference. What this really suggests is that BYU may be on the rise, while Utah may need to work on its consistency. This raises a deeper question: will BYU be able to maintain its momentum and continue to improve, or will Utah be able to bounce back and compete for the conference crown? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: the Big 12 is shaping up to be an exciting and competitive conference this season. In my opinion, the FPI predictions for BYU and Utah are a fascinating insight into the potential of these two teams. While BYU may be on the rise, Utah may need to work on its consistency to compete with the top teams in the conference. This is a reminder that in college football, anything can happen, and that the predictions of the FPI should be taken with a grain of salt. Personally, I'm excited to see how these two teams perform this season, and I can't wait to see if BYU can continue its momentum and Utah can bounce back and compete for the conference crown.
