Sitake Backs 24-Team CFP as 7-2 BYU Tries to Rebound Against Baylor

Q: Will the heartbreaking loss to Utah fuel a BYU resurgence, or expose the fatal flaws of a banged-up roster?

The Utah loss is more likely to serve as a revealing stress test than an automatic spark for a BYU resurgence, and Baylor will show which side wins out. There is a credible case for a rebound. Kalani Sitake has a strong track record of steadying his team, and BYU is still 7-2 with a major résumé win over Notre Dame that keeps it in the playoff discussion. The Cougars also showed resilience against Utah by erasing a 14-0 deficit before fading. Sitake’s message to “flush” the rivalry loss is not empty rhetoric; with Baylor, Kansas and Cincinnati left, BYU still has a realistic path to 10-2 and likely remains alive for an at-large CFP push if it wins out. But the Utah game also exposed the vulnerabilities that can sink BYU. Bear Bachmeier’s four interceptions were decisive, and Utah’s second-half shutout highlighted how thin the margin is when BYU falls behind the chains or becomes turnover-prone. The injury picture adds to that concern. Will Zundel is likely out, LJ Martin is only easing back from a high ankle sprain, and Sitake has openly acknowledged the need for depth late in the season. That matters against a Baylor team that had been on a four-game winning streak before losing to TCU. So the answer is both: the loss can fuel BYU emotionally, but only if the Cougars fix the tangible issues it exposed — ball security, second-half execution and roster depth. If they do, the season stays alive. If not, Utah will look less like a rallying point than a warning.

3 articles · Updated · Deseret News · Nov 9

Two days after BYU’s 28-20 loss at No. 3 Utah, Kalani Sitake said the Cougars must not let the defeat linger as they prepare for Baylor, calling the Bears one of the nation’s hottest teams.
A 7-2 BYU team that opened at No. 9 in the first CFP rankings remains alive in the playoff and Big 12 race, but Sitake acknowledged the margin for error has tightened sharply before Tuesday’s new rankings.
On the same day ESPN and the CFP finalized a 24-team playoff for next year, Sitake endorsed the move as a “good” one and said most coaches support broader access even though it ends the Big 12 title game.
Injuries were mostly manageable after the Utah game: reserve tight end Will Zundel is likely out against Baylor, while LJ Martin should be more available and Preston Rex, Isaiah Glasker and Tre Alexander are expected to be fine.