BYU moved squarely into the No. 1 conversation after Saturday evening's top-10 win over Notre Dame in Boulder, Colo., with Josh Furlong saying the Cougars are as good as any team to sit atop his ballot.
Furlong, who submitted his ballot after the weekend's games, had BYU near the top after a chaotic Week 7 that reshaped the Top 25 picture. The win over Notre Dame was the clearest statement result of the weekend, and it gave BYU a legitimate case for the top spot when the consensus rankings are released Sunday afternoon.
Why BYU's win changed the ranking conversation
The matchup against Notre Dame was exactly the kind of game that can change how voters think about the national race. BYU did more than survive it. Furlong said the Cougars looked ready from the start and forced Notre Dame to play from behind, which is the kind of performance that stands out in a top-10 battle.
That is why BYU's rise matters beyond one ballot. In a week when the top of the Top 25 felt unsettled, the Cougars provided a result strong enough to challenge the usual hierarchy. Furlong's view was straightforward: nobody is safe at the top right now, and BYU belongs in that discussion.
What Furlong's ballot suggests
Furlong's ballot placed BYU in the top spot conversation, with No. 1, No. 2 and No. 5 all part of the wider debate around the top of the poll. The source does not provide the full consensus rankings, but it does make clear that BYU's win over Notre Dame carried enough weight to move the Cougars into serious consideration near the very top.
For BYU, the bigger takeaway is simple. A high-profile win in a top-10 battle can change perception quickly, and Saturday's result gave the Cougars a strong argument as the Top 25 picture heads into Sunday afternoon's release. If the voters follow the same logic Furlong laid out, BYU will not just be part of the conversation. It will be one of the teams defining it.
