BYU Officially Left Out Of College Football Playoff

Dec 7, 2025, 10:05 AM | Updated: 11:19 am

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 06: Bear Bachmeier #47 of the BYU Cougars recovers a bad snap against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second quarter in the 2025 Edward Jones Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium on December 06, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

BY MITCH HARPER, KSL SPORTS

KSLNewsRadio

PROVO, Utah – No surprise, BYU football will not be participating in the College Football Playoff.

After being undervalued by the Playoff Committee entering Championship week following an 11-1 regular season, a 34-7 loss to Texas Tech was not going to help BYU’s cause.

Notre Dame and BYU missed the cut and will NOT play in the @CFBPlayoff 👀 pic.twitter.com/J29QUqM4Fw

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 7, 2025

The Playoff Committee made it official on Sunday, leaving BYU outside of the 12-team field.

BYU was the second team outside of the playoff bracket, behind the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. They finished ranked No. 12 in the final Top 25 rankings.

BYU’s blowout loss to Texas Tech dropped them one spot, allowing Miami to move up alongside them and giving the Hurricanes the bump over Notre Dame due to a head-to-head win. The College Football Playoff Chairman, Hunter Yurachek, confirmed on the ESPN reveal show.

Alabama, which suffered a 28-7 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship, stayed at No. 9 in the Playoff rankings.

BYU will now turn its attention to the Bowl Season, where the Alamo Bowl and Pop-Tarts Bowl are the top two bowls in the pecking order for non-Playoff teams in the Big 12.

2025 College Football Playoff bracket

First Round

(12) James Madison vs. (5) Oregon

(11) Tulane vs. (6) Ole Miss

(10) Miami vs. (7) Texas A&M

(9) Alabama vs. (8) Oklahoma

Quarterfinals

(1) Indiana vs. 8/9 winner – Rose Bowl

(2) Ohio State vs. 7/10 winner – Cotton Bowl

(3) Georgia vs. 6/11 winner – Sugar Bowl

(4) Texas Tech vs. 5/12 winner – Orange Bowl

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.

Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.

Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go.

Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up to date on all your favorite teams.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Sports

Tori Pasquin at the 2026 United States Women's Disc Golf Championships in Brighton, Thursday. Pasqu...

Tyrese Boone, KSL

Women’s Disc Golf Championship tees off in Utah

The 2026 United States Women's Disc Golf Championship is bringing 363 competitors from around the world to Brighton Resort and three other courses across the Wasatch Front.

6 days ago

Left, Utah head coach Morgan Scalley (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News) and BYU head coach Kalani Si...

Sean Walker, KSL

BYU’s Sitake, Utah’s Scalley continue calls for softer, gentler rivalry based on ‘mutual respect’

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake and Utah's Morgan Scalley are very different when it comes to the state's biggest rivalry, but they agree that it's one of the best in the nation.

12 days ago

Enzo Fernandez #24 of Argentina celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the FIFA World Cup ...

James Robson, AP Soccer Writer

Argentina rallies to beat Egypt 3-2 and reach the World Cup quarterfinals

Enzo Fernandez scored in stoppage time to give Argentina an incredible 3-2 win over Egypt and a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday.

15 days ago

Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States fouls Tarik Muharemovic #4 of Bosnia and Herzegovina which...

Graham Dunbar, Associated Press

Integrity of World Cup is questioned as Trump, FIFA defend actions surrounding Balogun suspension

Soccer leaders questioned the World Cup's integrity on a chaotic and unprecedented day in the event's modern history Monday.

16 days ago

People attend a watch party for a World Cup soccer match between the United States and Bosnia Wedne...

Linley Sanders, Associated Press

What polling shows about Americans’ interest in the World Cup and USMNT

This World Cup has given U.S. soccer fans plenty to cheer about — even if a new survey shows most Americans are still on the sidelines.

20 days ago

Serena Williams returns the ball to Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles ma...

Andrew Dampf, AP Sports Writer

Serena Williams loses in opening round at Wimbledon in her 1st singles match in nearly 4 years

Serena Williams returned to Wimbleton for her first professional singles match in nearly four years on Tuesday, but she lost to Maya Joint of Australia in the opening round.

22 days ago

Road trip ready: How Bear Lake became the go-to destination for Western U.S. travelers

Whether you are chasing pristine beaches, fresh raspberry shakes, or endless water sports, this sponsored guide—brought to you in partnership with Bear Lake —uncovers everything you need to plan the ultimate getaway. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of hopping in the car with your favorite snacks in tow and heading out for a […]

Harper Clinic

A new standard of care: How Harper Clinic’s IOP is changing the face of mental health treatment in Utah

This article is sponsored by Harper Clinic, a Utah-based clinic offering FDA-approved TMS therapy for treatment-resistant depression. Utah’s mental health crisis is leaving many residents caught in an uncomfortable middle ground: struggling too much for weekly therapy alone, but unable to step away from work, parenting or daily life for inpatient treatment. As demand […]

Harper Clinic

Breaking free from depression: How Harper Clinic’s TMS Therapy can help

This article is sponsored by Harper Clinic, a Utah-based clinic offering FDA-approved TMS therapy for treatment-resistant depression. The weight of depression is real. Many people spend years fighting it, adjusting medications, managing side effects and wondering if this is simply how life is going to feel. According to the World Health Organization, depression affects […]

Andrew Adams, KSL

Library discussions bring men’s mental health to the surface

Therapists say it’s common for men to repress things like trauma, grief, stress and anxiety. Now, a new weekly series of discussions aims to help men bring it all to the surface.

Bear Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau

Cozy up in Bear Lake: Discover the magic of a winter getaway

SALT LAKE CITY – The holiday season shines brightest when time slows down and loved ones gather. Gifts, decorations and festive music come and go, but shared experiences tend to last much longer. Research supports that idea. Dr. Theresa E. DiDonato told Psychology Today that vacations can strengthen relationships by creating meaningful time away from daily […]

Harper Clinic

Rewriting the path to healing: Inside Harper Clinic’s whole-person mental health model

OREM — A few decades ago, you’d have had a hard time finding a doctor to treat both your mind and body; And a century ago, you’d have been hard-pressed to find a doctor to treat your mind at all. Today, medical professionals are understanding more and more the undeniable connection between the body and […]

BYU Officially Left Out Of College Football Playoff

2025 College Football Playoff bracket

Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go.

We want to hear from you.

Sports

Sponsored Articles