For a team that ripped off 10 straight wins, the end of BYU’s playoff dream wasn’t just a disappointment. It was a shock that left head coach Kalani Sitake searching for answers. Their Big 12 title-game loss against the Texas Tech Red Raiders may have played a significant role, but the head coach isn’t dwelling on it. He moves forward with his head held high, making his feelings clear.

“I think there’s some great teams in there,” said Sitake during Monday’s appearance. “The unfortunate part is that there’s a bunch of teams that could play in it, and that’s what made it really difficult.”

Although the final CFP rankings put an end to the Notre Dame–Miami controversy, they sparked even more debate. Teams like BYU and Notre Dame delivered impressive seasons, yet still fell outside the 12-team playoff bracket.

Now, whether expansion comes next is anyone’s guess; BYU’s strength of schedule, 10 straight wins, and especially the 24–21 victory against Utah all seemed to vanish.

More importantly, even with just two losses, teams like Miami made the playoffs, while BYU’s loss overshadowed their strong regular-season finish, capped by a 41–21 win. As per the CFP committee, BYU’s loss magically shifted Miami up, which in turn pushed Notre Dame down.

Still, Kalani Sitake isn’t looking back.

“The fact is that we get to play in this bowl game against Georgia Tech makes me really excited,” said the Cougars’ head coach.

While Sitake is looking forward to the Pop-Tarts Bowl, he admitted the Playoff committee had a formidable job and said they did the best they could. Although this positivity from the coach helps the program move on from the postseason disappointment, it also pushes the team to give their best in the bowl game.

But BYU’s snub becomes even more frustrating when teams like Tulane, with the same record, made the playoff simply because they won their conference title.

Tulane and BYU finished with identical regular-season records, but the Green Wave had the golden ticket: an AAC title. Still, their two losses came against Ole Miss and UTSA. Meanwhile, BYU’s setbacks – a 29–7 stumble in Lubbock and a 34–7 collapse in the Big 12 title game – told the real story. Those two Texas Tech beatdowns said more than any win BYU had on its resume.

“BYU, only 2 losses to top 4 seed deserved more. 😤,” stated ESPN reporter Holly Rowe.

While BYU had just one regular-season loss and ripped off 10 straight wins, the CFP committee still slotted the Cougars at No. 12 in the final rankings. That placement eliminated them from the playoffs entirely.

Here, fans couldn’t help comparing BYU’s fate to FSU’s infamous 2023 snub. Even some pointed back to the 2014 TCU/Baylor chaos, when two one-loss contenders were leapfrogged on Selection Day.

For Cougar fans, it only fueled the belief that resume strength mattered less than the committee’s ever-shifting optics. Still, Kalani Sitake stays positive about the next challenge, because he understands the reality. But how did BYU get snubbed even after being ranked No. 11 before the conference title game?

BYU’s playoff snub under Kalani Sitake

Kalani Sitake’s BYU didn’t just miss the CFP; they weren’t even in the conversation. That’s a gut punch for Cougar Nation, as their only loss came on the road against No. 5 Texas Tech. The numbers make the snub even more complicated to swallow.

While BYU ranked 6th nationally in strength of record and 34th in strength of schedule, they beat No. 15 Utah and fell only to the highest-ranked team they faced.

Now, compare that to Notre Dame and Miami, both of which finished behind BYU in resume metrics yet snagged playoff spots. While Notre Dame doesn’t even play in a conference, Miami lost to two unranked teams.

Top Stories

Lane Kiffin to Poach Ole Miss QB & Replace Garrett Nussmeier – Report

‘NASCAR on Sale’: Team Owners Interested to Buy Out France Family With $5B Price Tag

J. J. Watt Confirms Stance on Controversial R. J. Mickens Incident in Chargers vs Eagles

Notre Dame Captains Refused to Take Field as AD Announces Consequences With ACC

Jalen Hurts’ Double Turnover Has Unforeseen Consequences for MNF Broadcast vs Chargers

Eagles Might Have Asked Jason Kelce to Unretire Amid Jalen Hurts’ Struggles, Says Troy Aikman

But somehow, BYU’s hard-fought season got overlooked. While this bracket is supposed to crown the best, instead, it rewarded chaos. The lingering question now hangs heavy: was BYU truly snubbed, or did the committee let names and reputation outweigh performance?

Either way, Kalani Sitake’s BYU is now moving forward to prepare for its bowl game, but fans will remember this heartbreaking season.