BYU Football begins season unranked in preseason coaches poll, opens September with 3 ranked teams

In what shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, BYU begins the season unranked in the newly released preseason USA Today Coaches Poll.

BYU did, however, receive 10 votes, which would put the Cougars at 42 in the poll.

Three BYU opponents are ranked in the top 25, and they happen to be the first three September opponents.

• 9/2 LSU — ranked 12
• 9/9 Utah — ranked 25
• 9/16 Wisconsin — ranked 10

In addition to the teams above, opponents Boise State and Mississippi State received votes. Boise State came in with the 29th most votes received, while Mississippi came in just above BYU at 39.

After BYU opens the season with FBS opponent Portland State, we will quickly know where BYU stands in the college football landscape. 3 losses would end the Kalani Sitake honeymoon, while 2 or 3 wins would put BYU on the national map and in the New Year’s 6 bowl discussion.

With 2 of the games at home and the LSU game at a neutral site (though there will be more LSU fans), BYU has a chance to make noise right out of the gate.