BYU is rolling right now. After a thrilling comeback victory over Colorado, the Cougars sit at 4-0 to open the year and are ranked No. 23 in the AP poll. More importantly, they moved to 1-0 in Big 12 Conference play with their win over the Buffaloes.
Yes, it’s early. As of writing this, the calendar still has not even flipped to October yet. But that doesn’t mean we can’t start thinking about bowl season! Indeed, BYU still technically needs two more wins to seal bowl eligibility. Still, it’s trending towards BYU making that mark.
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Where might BYU end up? Let’s review some of the expert projections of BYU’s bowl destination.
Alamo Bowl vs. USC (ESPN)
If you’re in the Alamo Bowl, two things are for sure. One, it means you had an excellent regular season. BYU won 10 games and went into last year’s Alamo Bowl ranked 17th against No. 20 Colorado. Two, it means you are getting a prime time opponent. The Alamo Bowl will receive a Big 12 team plus a legacy PAC-12 team (such as Colorado, USC, Utah, Arizona State, Oregon, UCLA, etc). USC has started well, like BYU has. They just lost their first game against a ranked Illinois on the road. Otherwise, the Trojans’ QB Jayden Maiava is on fire and USC should win lots of games. This would be an epic matchup, as always, in San Antonio.
Independence Bowl vs. Rice (College Football News)
File this under “boooo.” Most of the Big 12 tie-in bowls would have BYU slated against a fellow Power 4 program. However, the last bowl slot in the Big 12 pits them against either an AAC or CUSA team. This would be an underwhelming finish to what is looking like another solid year from the Cougars. Rice and BYU do have some history. But Cougar fans still have a bitter taste in their mouths from an uninspiring loss in the 2021 Independence Bowl to UAB.
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Liberty Bowl vs. South Carolina (ESPN)
This would be an exciting result for BYU for two reasons. One, the last time the Cougars played in the Liberty Bowl was 2001, when their stellar season ended with a whimper in a loss to Louisville at the Liberty Bowl. Two, it’s against a team that BYU has never played against before in the Gamecocks. South Carolina has an NFL prospect quarterback in LaNorris Sellers.
Pop Tarts Bowl vs. Georgia Tech (Athlon Sports)
Georgia Tech has already logged a few big wins this season. They knocked off then-No. 12 Clemson and just won an overtime thriller over Wake Forest to get to 5-0. QB Haynes King is one of the more recognizable names in college football right now. BYU and the Yellow Jackets haven’t played since 2013. This would be an intriguing matchup to conclude the 2025 season.
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Rate Bowl vs. Iowa (Sports Illustrated)
The Rate Bowl is on the lower end of the Big 12 pool Still, being matched up with a Big 10 brand like Iowa would be fun. Plus, BYU and Iowa already have some bowl history. Older Cougar fans will remember the 1991 Holiday Bowl. The Cougars and Hawkeyes ended that season in a 13-13 tie in San Diego. They haven’t played each other since.
Texas Bowl vs. Mizzou (On3 and CBS)
The only bowl game and matchup that had two media outlets agreeing on BYU’s destination was this one. At NRG Stadium in Houston against an SEC team, this would breed an electric atmosphere. Cougar fans would show up in droves to watch the Cougars take on the Tigers. BYU beat them in the 1983 Holiday Bowl but Mizzou got revenge in 2015 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. BYU getting to play an SEC team right after Christmas would spark serious buzz. Especially one that is currently undefeated and ranked 19th in the AP Top 25.
