BYU will not advance to the College Football Playoff, as the committee announced. Yet, that will not stop the inquisition into the reasoning. After an 11-win season, the Cougars, through the belief of many, would advance to the bracket with a chance to win the national championship.
Why Was BYU Excluded From the Playoffs, and Why Was Miami Placed Ahead of Them?
Yesterday, Texas Tech defeated BYU to clinch the Big 12 championship. The Cougars could not match the Red Raiders’ explosive offense and stout defense. Yet, many believed, including many inside of Provo, that the Cougars’ resume would carry enough weight to earn them a spot in the College Football Playoff. Committee chairman Hunter Yurachek provided an explanation.
“Hunter Yurachek says BYU losing opened the door for Miami to jump them.
“Then we had that side-by-side comparison that everybody had been hungry for.”
“The one metric that we had to fall back on was the head-to-head.”
“Says he charged the committee members to go back and watch.”
Hunter Yurachek says BYU losing opened the door for Miami to jump them.
“Then we had that side-by-side comparison that everybody had been hungry for.”
“The one metric that we had to fall back on was the head-to-head.”
Says he charged the committee members to go back and watch… pic.twitter.com/Qv66zi8BEJ
— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) December 7, 2025
Last month, former CFP committee chairman Mack Rhoades said that losing the conference championship should not hurt you.
Alabama lost to Georgia in the SEC championship yet found a way in with three losses. BYU lost twice to Texas Tech, the eventual Big 12 champion, yet they are left behind. Moreover, looking at the quality wins between Miami, according to Yurachek, who the committee picked over them, they do not match up.
According to College Football Reference, the Cougars boast the sixth-toughest schedule in FBS. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes claim the 33rd-toughest slate of the 136 FBS teams.
On top of that, eight of BYU’s games were against bowl-eligible teams, while only six of those lined up against Miami.
In essence, the only team that the Cougars struggled against was Texas Tech, who earned a top-four selection and first-round bye. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes lost to 8-4 Louisville and 8-4 SMU. Granted, the committee could see what the Hurricanes can do on defense. According to PFSN’s Defensive Impact metric, the Hurricanes ranked sixth in FBS.
The metric measures factors like containing both the run and pass and overall defensive success. However, at press time, Yurachek didn’t offer any deeper conversation.
While grievances and gripes are a fundamental part of any selection process, BYU believes they had a solid case. How this will affect the selection process in the future remains a question. Yet, the farther Texas Tech goes in the tournament, the stronger the Cougars look.