BYU earned itself a signature win with its 26-20 triumph over Baylor during Week 2 of the 2022 college football season.
Did that result do much to change where national experts are projecting the Cougars will go in the postseason this year, or is it too early to tell?
Here’s a look at the latest bowl projections for BYU, Utah and Utah State after Week 2 of the season, which also included the Utes rolling past Southern Utah 73-7 and the Aggies getting upset 35-7 by Weber State.
*-indicates same projection as last week
Bowl projections for BYU football after Week 2
- Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: New Mexico Bowl, vs. San Diego State.
- Mark Schlabach, ESPN: LendingTree Bowl, vs. Coastal Carolina.*
- Brett McMurphy, Action Network: Birmingham Bowl, vs. Purdue.
- Jerry Palm, CBS Sports: Armed Forces Bowl, vs. Cincinnati.
- Erick Smith, USA Today: Cotton Bowl, vs. Cincinnati.
- College Football News: Cotton Bowl, vs. Houston.
- Brad Crawford, 247 Sports: Frisco Bowl, vs. San Jose State.
BYU’s bowl tie-in this season is linked with ESPN, making it difficult for projectors, particularly early in the year, to narrow down where the Cougars could play in the postseason.
Still, there are a couple of national projections calling for No. 12 BYU (2-0) to make a New Year’s Six bowl, specifically the Cotton Bowl.
For the second straight week, USA Today’s Erick Smith predicted the Cougars for the Cotton Bowl, though this time he has BYU facing Cincinnati, while last week the opponent was Houston.
Now, College Football News has BYU vs. Houston in the Cotton Bowl.
A bowl matchup against either Houston or Cincinnati would be especially intriguing, considering BYU is joining the Big 12 next year along with Houston, Cincinnati and UCF.
Another big test awaits BYU this week as it travels to Oregon.
Bowl projections for Utah football after Week 2
- Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: Rose Bowl, vs. Michigan.
- Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Alamo Bowl, vs. Baylor.
- Brett McMurphy, Action Network: Alamo Bowl, vs. Baylor.
- Jerry Palm, CBS Sports: Rose Bowl, vs. Michigan.*
- Erick Smith, USA Today: Rose Bowl, vs. Michigan.*
- College Football News: Rose Bowl, vs. Michigan.
- Brad Crawford, 247 Sports: Cotton Bowl, vs. Cincinnati.
The majority of Utah’s bowl projections right now point toward the No. 14 Utes (1-1) making it back to a New Year’s Six bowl destination.
The most likely scenario among the seven national projections is a matchup with Michigan in the Rose Bowl, though the Cotton Bowl is also mentioned as a possibility.
What if Utah weren’t to make a New Year’s Six bowl, though?
Right now, a pair of prognostications have Utah headed to the Alamo Bowl to take on Baylor, which is coming off the double-overtime loss to BYU.
Up next for Utah is a home matchup against San Diego State.
Bowl projections for Utah State football after Week 2
- Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: None.
- Mark Schlabach, ESPN: None.
- Brett McMurphy, Action Network: Idaho Potato Bowl, vs. Eastern Michigan.*
- Jerry Palm, CBS Sports: None.
- Erick Smith, USA Today: None.
- College Football News: None.
- Brad Crawford, 247 Sports: Idaho Potato Bowl, vs. Central Michigan.
After Utah State’s loss to Weber State, the Aggies aren’t seen as a strong postseason contender right now.
Of the seven national bowl projections used for this article, only two had USU heading to a bowl, one year after the Aggies won the Mountain West Conference and beat Oregon State in the LA Bowl.
Utah State is on a bye this week before hosting UNLV on Sept. 24.