BYU football is expected to have a sizable learning curve in its first season as a member of the Big 12 Conference, especially considering the Cougars have several key players to replace in the 2023 season.
That is reflected in Bill Connelly’s release of ESPN’s first preseason SP+ rankings for the 2023 season, which were released Tuesday.
The Cougars rank 14th — or last — among Big 12 teams in the first overall preseason SP+ rankings, which are typically released multiple times in the lead-up to the season.
Three main factors go into Connelly’s rankings — the returning production for a team, its recent recruiting efforts and the program’s recent history.
Connelly further explains that the SP+ rankings are “aren’t intended to be a guess at what the AP Top 25 will look like at the end of the year. These are simply early offseason power rankings based on the information we have been able to gather to date.”
Here’s where the state of Utah’s three FBS teams land in this year’s initial SP+ rankings, and how it compares to last year.
Where does BYU football rank in ESPN’s preseason SP+ rankings?
- BYU, which is coming off an 8-5 season where it started the year ranked, ranks No. 62 overall in the SP+ metrics, including 42nd offensively and 79th defensively.
- That overall ranking is 14th among the 14 teams in the Big 12 for the 2023 season (before Oklahoma and Texas leave for the SEC the following year).
- There are four Big 12 teams in the Top 25 of the SP+ metrics — Texas (No. 9), Oklahoma (14), last year’s national runners-up TCU (19) and Kansas State (22) — while the two Big 12 teams closest to BYU in the rankings are Kansas (57) and Houston (51).
- BYU is rated below 10 of its 12 opponents in the 2023 season — that includes the Cougars rating above their season-opening opponent, Sam Houston (124), but behind another nonleague opponent, Arkansas (29).
- By comparison, BYU was ranked No. 23 overall in the initial preseason SP+ rankings last season.
- One big factor against BYU was that in 2022, the Cougars were No. 2 in Connelly’s rankings of returning production in the first preseason rankings, but this time, BYU is No. 70. On offense, the Cougars lost quarterback Jaren Hall, wide receiver Puka Nacua and offensive linemen Blake Freeland and brothers Clark and Campbell Barrington, while defensively linebacker Keenan Pili and cornerback Gabe Jeudy-Lally are among their departed players.
Where does Utah football rank in ESPN’s preseason SP+ rankings?
- Utah, which is coming off back-to-back Pac-12 championships, ranks No. 13 overall in the SP+ metrics, including 12th offensively and 25th defensively.
- That is third among Pac-12 teams, after a successful season for the conference, when six Pac-12 teams were included in the final Associated Press Top 25 rankings of the 2022 season.
- Pac-12 teams in front of Utah in the SP+ rankings are Oregon at No. 8, and USC at No. 10.
- There are two other Pac-12 teams in the SP+ Top 25: Washington (16) and UCLA (21).
- The Utes will only face two teams — Oregon and USC — rated higher than themselves in the SP+ metrics. Their two FBS nonconference opponents are Florida (20) and Baylor (38).
- Last year, Utah started at No. 14 in the initial SP+ rankings.
- Utah is among the nation’s best in returning production, ranked No. 16. That includes star offensive players like quarterback Cam Rising — who is coming back from a torn ACL — and tight end Brant Kuithe.
Where does Utah State football rank in ESPN’s preseason SP+ rankings?
- Utah State, which is coming off a 6-7 season with a blowout bowl loss, is ranked No. 118 overall in the SP+ metrics, including 119th offensively and 101st defensively.
- That is just ahead of fellow Mountain West Conference teams Colorado State (119), Hawaii (131) and New Mexico (132), while trailing Wyoming (101), San Jose State (103), Nevada (107) and UNLV (108).
- No MWC team made it into the SP+ rankings’ Top 25, and the highest rated team from the league is Fresno State at No. 67, one spot ahead of Boise State.
- Utah State, which lost a sizable amount of players through the transfer portal, ranks No. 103 nationally in returning production.
- By comparison, the Aggies were ranked No. 91 in the initial SP+ rankings last year, when they were coming off an 11-3 season where they won the MWC title.