BYU and the Early Bird

With BYU surging to No. 9 in the A.P. rankings, following Saturday’s shocker over Oklahoma, talk of a BCS Bowl is rampant.

While it’s way too early to assume anything, there is one major thing the Cougars have going for them: an early, high ranking.

Utah finished last year ranked No. 2 nationally, but didn’t even get into the Top 10 of the A.P. poll until Week 10 of the season. BYU is already there.

That’s what “playing up” can do for you.

Last year, the Cougars got as high as No. 9, but that wasn’t until they had won six games without a loss. The Cougars actually started the year rated higher (No. 16) in the preseason poll, than this year (No. 20).

To get a good shot at a BCS Bowl, non-automatic qualifiers must get in the rankings early and move up quickly. That’s exactly what the Cougars have done.

Which brings up a point: Playing average BCS teams is OK, but if you really want to grab attention, play the biggest and the best, as early and often as you can.