I should probably write this out before this weekend's college football games. Last week, both BYU and Penn State secured overwhelming victories against their opponents. BYU trounced Kansas State 38-9, which propelled the Cougars to #22 in the AP rankings. Penn State obliterated Kent State 56-0.
But let's be honest, neither BYU nor Penn State has shown to be a powerhouse this early in the season. BYU was in a similar situation in 2022 when they won against the then #9 Baylor. Baylor turned out to be a dud that season. If Kansas State is going to put up turnovers like they did against the Cougars, they are not Big 12 contenders this year. Penn State had troubles against Bowling Green the game before Kent State. The Nittany Lions cannot hope to win the Big Ten with their current performance.
I would be content if BYU could secure at least six wins and be bowl-eligible. That would be a massive improvement from being the newcomer and bottom feeder of Big 12. There's a good chance that the only challenges ahead for them are Oklahoma State, UCF, and Utah. Even then, Utah and BYU rivalries tend to be unpredictable despite the gap in strength.
Penn State's biggest opponent is Ohio State this year. Until the Nittany Lions show they can handle greater competitions in Illinois and USC, I don't think they can beat the Buckeyes this year. As a reminder, the new tournament format only requires a team to be ranked in the top 12 through the committee.
In other news, the Pac-12 may continue after all. From the looks of it, they are adding Mountain West teams to their rosters starting in 2026. Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Colorado State accepted the invitation to join the conference. My dream of seeing Boise State embarrass household football names is one step closer to reality. Unfortunately, the direction college football is going is somewhat concerning. That's a topic for another time.
That's all for now. I hope my teams do well this weekend.