BYU’s bet on player development has Cougars in College Football Playoff contention as Big 12 frontrunner

Trying to describe BYU’s 8-0 start is a tough task. The Cougars have a stout defense but not one of the best in the Big 12. The offensive metrics have improved from last season thanks to a breakout year from quarterback Jake Retzlaff, but they’re nowhere close to the top of the conference. No BYU player lands within the top 100 in the CBS Sports 2025 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings. 

“It’s not like one individual person has been just spectacular every single game,” defensive lineman Tyler Batty told CBS Sports. “It’s not like we have an Ashton Jeanty on our team where we can hand him the rock and he’s just gonna get 200 yards and break 1,000 tackles.” 

Regardless, here BYU sits, ranked No. 9 in the nation and one of the best stories of the college football season. The Cougars are one of five undefeated teams remaining nationally and one of two with multiple wins over top 25 teams in the CFP Rankings. The other is No. 1 Oregon. 

There’s no magical secret sauce. Their success is in the mundane. It’s a group of players who have been through the fire together and now have BYU ready to compete for its first national championship since 1984 in only its second Big 12 season. 

BYU coach Kalani Sitake felt like something was happening even before fall camp started. The Cougars ended 2023 on a five-game losing streak, but that didn’t show everything. BYU took Big 12 finalist Oklahoma State to double overtime and played 10-win Oklahoma late into the fourth quarter in the final two games. 

A few key contributors left after the season, including tight end Isaac Rex and linebacker Max Tooley. The majority of the depth was still there; they just needed to grow. 

“We always believed we were good enough,” defensive coordinator Jay Hill told CBS Sports. “We just needed to put it together.” 

At a time where programs around the country are transfer hungry, BYU has gone the opposite route. The Cougars brought in only 10 transfers, fewer than all but two programs in the Big 12. Weber State linebacker Jack Kelly was the only major addition, and he played for former head coach Hill with the Wildcats. Otherwise, BYU made the bold decision to bet on internal growth. 

“I think a lot of people, they took a look at our team and said, ‘Well they didn’t do great last year,'” Sitake told CBS Sports. “What do you think, we’re going to do nothing for the next year? These guys have worked hard.” 

Now, across the roster, multi-year BYU players are thriving. Wide receiver Darius Lassiter went from rotation player to leading the team in yards, including a game-winning score against Oklahoma State. Linebacker Harrison Taggart has nearly doubled his yardage output. Offensive tackle Caleb Etienne has locked down the blind side. All were previously transfers but have spent multiple years in the program. 

“When you go through some really hard crap with guys, you get closer naturally,” Batty said. “You’re like, we’re in this together. We went through the lows together and we want to experience the highs together as well.” 

Then, of course, there’s Retzlaff, affectionately dubbed “BYJew” as the first Jewish starting quarterback at BYU. The junior college transfer has become a national star for his story, but his play has been just as impactful. Retzlaff has improved in every metric as a full-time starter from completion percentage (50.4 to 59.8), yards per attempt (5.2 to 8.2), passer rating (97.1) to yards per carry (2.3 to 4.8). In high-leverage moments, Retzlaff always seems to come through with a play. 

“Once we get into that huddle, we know that Jake is going to make a play,” Roberts said. “He’s been able to settle into that role and calm everyone down. He’s been able to gain that trust of every player over time.” 

But while Retzlaff is the breakout media star, this is a team that’s done whatever it takes to win. In a season-defining road trip against SMU, the Cougars kept the Mustangs out of the end zone and earned a game-winning, fourth-down stop against breakout star Kevin Jennings. In their biggest letdown on a late Friday night, it was BYU’s offense that delivered a game-winning, 35-yard touchdown to Lassiter with 10 seconds remaining. 

In a 38-9 win over Kansas State, special teams delivered, too. BYU left its defense on the field to protect against a fake punt against the Wildcats. Despite not having its blocking team in, defenders rose to the occasion and paved the way for Parker Kingston to take the punt back 90 yards for a game-clinching touchdown. 

“I think we play as a team,” wide receiver Chase Roberts told CBS Sports. “There are no individuals on the team that are trying to get these accolades, that are focused on themselves, that are entitled. We know that winning games is the most important thing to us and our team.” 

In many ways, BYU’s enigmatic style embodies its head coach. Sitake came to BYU after serving as defensive coordinator at Utah and Oregon State. In a previous life, he played fullback and coached offensive linemen and special teams. It’s rare for coaches to have such experience in every aspect of the game, but it makes Sitake flexible. 

“We’re just open to whatever happens,” Sitake said. “Any way we can get the victory, let’s do it. Never met an ugly victory to be honest with you.” 

During a breakout 2020 season, BYU leaned heavily on quarterback Zach Wilson and a high-flying passing offense. This time, the defense has taken center stage as the yards per play and scoring defense both rate highly. 

Sitake takes many keys from his experience at Utah coaching next to Hill and for Kyle Whittingham and Urban Meyer. Staff members rave about his hands-off management as he lets coaches do their jobs and get the most out of their players. Outside of a transitional season in 2023, Sitake is now 37-9 since 2020. 

“I would have never left being a head coach if I didn’t think we could do this,” Hill said. “I went through a similar transformation when I was coaching at the University of Utah and we first joined the Pac-12. I did a transformation when I became head coach at Weber State. We weren’t very good, and then all of a sudden we were really good.” 

But for all his previous success, the 2024 season is different. The Cougars have never been a member of a major conference. BYU won a national championship in 1984, becoming the last team from outside of a major conference to win. Joining the Big 12 in 2023 was different. 

Granted, BYU is still fighting for respect. Despite their two top 20 wins, the CFP Committee slotted them at No. 9, behind multiple one-loss teams. The Cougars are five spots behind No. 4 Miami, which has played closer games in ACC play and does not have a top 20 victory. When asked about the disparity, CFP chair Warde Manuel pointed only to the eye test. 

“It really came down to more of an eye test as it related to looking at both teams,” Manuel said. “The committee, as we ranked them, saw them in that fashion and it came out in that order.” 

No matter. BYU will just keep winning. 

On Saturday, when BYU travels only 48 miles up the road to play rival Utah, the Cougars have a chance to again introduce themselves to the national stage. BYU is within striking distance of a trip to the College Football Playoff and on track to win the Big 12. For a religious school in Provo, Utah, there’s true belief that this is only the beginning. 

“There’s endless potential, the sky’s the limit with BYU,” Roberts said. “You’re seeing it happen with football, basketball, all the athletics here at BYU. It’s just growing to be a powerhouse in college for any sport. I like to think of it as God’s timing.”