BYU's 2026 schedule gives the Cougars only a handful of opportunities for truly elite résumé wins. Notre Dame is the obvious heavyweight, while Utah, Arizona and TCU represent the next tier of potentially valuable victories. The rest of the schedule ranges from useful conference wins to games where winning is expected but the résumé payoff will be relatively small.
Here is my ranking, from the least valuable win to the most valuable.
12. Utah Tech
Potential résumé value: ★
This one is easy.
Utah Tech went 2-10 in 2025 and is an FCS program. BYU's official schedule preview notes that the Trailblazers are moving to the Big Sky Conference in 2026.
Even a 50-point victory wouldn't tell the committee much about BYU.
The only résumé-related importance here is avoiding the disastrous loss.
A win is expected. It earns BYU one checkmark in the win column, but almost nothing in terms of résumé enhancement.
What a win does: Keeps BYU from having an embarrassing blemish.
Résumé boost: 1/10
11. Colorado State
Potential résumé value: ★★
Colorado State is technically an FBS opponent, but this isn't the kind of win that is likely to impress the committee much.
ESPN's preseason SP+ rankings placed Colorado State 99th nationally, while ESPN's preseason FPI discussion had BYU as a massive favorite in the matchup.
There is at least some value in winning this one on the road, but the fundamental problem remains: Colorado State is projected to be a bad team.
BYU needs to win this game. It doesn't need to win it for the résumé.
What a win does: Adds an FBS road victory and avoids a potentially damaging loss.
Résumé boost: 2/10
10. Iowa State
Potential résumé value: ★★★
This one is interesting because Iowa State had a much better 2025 season than its current projections suggest.
The Cyclones won eight games last season, according to BYU, but ESPN's current FPI has Iowa State 72nd nationally. BYU is also favored by 89% in FPI's game projection.
So this could change considerably if Iowa State overachieves.
But right now, a win over the Cyclones wouldn't carry much weight compared with BYU's other opportunities.
The bigger value is that this is a conference game BYU absolutely needs to bank.
What a win does: Helps the Big 12 record considerably more than it helps the national résumé.
Résumé boost: 3/10
9. UCF
Potential résumé value: ★★★½
UCF gets a bump because BYU has to travel to Orlando.
ESPN FPI currently ranks the Knights 57th nationally and gives BYU a 67.7% chance to win.
A road conference victory is always useful, but UCF would need to outperform its preseason expectations for this to become a genuinely impressive win.
If UCF finishes 8-4, this suddenly looks pretty good.
If UCF finishes 5-7, nobody will care.
That's the problem with this game: its eventual résumé value depends heavily on what UCF becomes.
What a win does: Solid road conference win, with upside if UCF has a strong season.
Résumé boost: 3.5/10
8. Kansas
Potential résumé value: ★★★½
Kansas is another game where location helps.
BYU has to go to Lawrence on Nov. 21, and ESPN currently has Kansas 55th nationally.
A road win over a top-50-ish Kansas team would be a nice piece of the résumé, particularly if the Jayhawks end up having a strong season.
But right now, this isn't a game that would make the committee sit up and say, “Wow.”
It's more of a résumé stabilizer.
What a win does: Gives BYU another road Big 12 victory and strengthens its overall schedule.
Résumé boost: 3.5/10
7. Cincinnati
Potential résumé value: ★★★★
Cincinnati is where the quality starts to become more interesting.
The Bearcats won eight games in 2025 and are currently 46th in ESPN FPI.
That's not an elite win, but it's potentially a respectable one.
The problem is that Cincinnati comes to Provo, meaning BYU doesn't get the additional résumé credit that comes with winning a comparable game on the road.
If Cincinnati turns into a nine- or 10-win team, this ranking would obviously rise.
For now, though, it's a good Big 12 win, not a signature win.
What a win does: Adds a potentially respectable conference opponent without much risk from a résumé perspective.
Résumé boost: 4/10
6. Arizona State
Potential résumé value: ★★★★½
Arizona State is a fascinating résumé opportunity.
The Sun Devils went 8-4 in 2025, according to BYU, and ESPN currently ranks them 44th in FPI.
That's not elite, but it puts ASU comfortably ahead of several other teams on BYU's schedule.
And there's an important variable here:
Arizona State could be significantly better than its preseason projection.
If the Sun Devils end up in the Big 12 Championship race, a BYU victory over them could become a very useful piece of the résumé.
The fact that it's in Provo keeps it from ranking higher.
What a win does: Potentially a strong Big 12 win that could appreciate significantly by December.
Résumé boost: 4.5/10
5. Baylor
Potential résumé value: ★★★★★
This might be the controversial placement.
Baylor is not as sexy as Utah or Notre Dame, but ESPN's preseason FPI currently has the Bears at No. 37 nationally, slightly ahead of TCU and Arizona State.
That's a legitimate résumé opponent.
The problem is that Baylor is also at home.
If Baylor finishes 9-3 or 10-2, a win over the Bears could become one of BYU's better conference victories.
If Baylor finishes 6-6, however, it will look much less impressive.
So I'm putting this one in the high-upside résumé win category.
What a win does: Potentially gives BYU a top-40 victory.
Résumé boost: 5/10
4. TCU
Potential résumé value: ★★★★★½
Now we're getting into the wins that could actually move BYU's playoff résumé.
TCU currently ranks No. 38 in ESPN's preseason FPI, but there's more to this matchup than the number. The Horned Frogs went 9-4 in 2025 and finished No. 25 in the final AP rankings. BYU also absolutely demolished TCU 44-13 last season.
This year's game is in Fort Worth.
That's important.
If TCU rebounds and becomes a top-25 team, BYU could end up holding a top-25 road victory.
That's the kind of result that matters.
What a win does: Gives BYU a legitimate road résumé win with substantial upside.
Résumé boost: 5.5/10
3. Arizona
Potential résumé value: ★★★★★★
Arizona is probably the most underrated résumé opportunity on the entire schedule.
ESPN's preseason FPI has the Wildcats No. 34 nationally, ahead of TCU, Arizona State, Cincinnati, Kansas and UCF. BYU is currently given a 73.8% chance to win.
Arizona also won nine games in 2025 and received votes in the AP postseason poll.
And here's the important part:
It's Week 2.
If Arizona turns out to be a really good team, BYU gets the chance to put a quality victory on its résumé before the rest of the season even gets rolling.
A 10-win Arizona team would make this an extremely valuable victory.
A 6-6 Arizona team would make it considerably less meaningful.
But based on where things stand right now, this is a very good potential win.
What a win does: Could become a top-25/top-30 victory and immediately give BYU a quality Big 12 win.
Résumé boost: 6/10
Potential résumé value: ★★★★★★★★
Despite the rivalry, Utah is simply not a bigger game than Notre Dame.
Yet, the Holy War will always mean something to the committee, especially if the Utes have a good first year under Morgan Scalley. Utah currently sits at No. 31 in ESPN's FPI, and the Utes are coming off an 11-2 season and a No. 14 finish in the AP rankings.
And BYU has to go to Salt Lake City.
That is an outstanding résumé opportunity.
Imagine the scenario:
BYU goes into Rice-Eccles Stadium and beats a top-20 Utah team.
That's an elite road victory.
Even if Utah finishes merely as a top-30 team, it would still be one of the better wins on BYU's résumé.
What a win does: Potentially gives BYU one of the best road wins in the country.
Résumé boost: 8/10
Potential résumé value: ★★★★★★★★★★
This is the one.
There isn't really another game on BYU's schedule that can match the potential résumé impact of Notre Dame.
ESPN's preseason FPI has Notre Dame No. 3 nationally, and BYU is currently given only a 24% chance to win.
That makes this an enormous opportunity.
Notre Dame also finished 10-2 in 2025 and No. 10 in the AP rankings. BYU's official schedule preview identifies the Fighting Irish as one of three opponents on the 2026 schedule that finished last season ranked in the AP Top 25.
And then there's the most important detail:
Notre Dame is coming to Provo.
If BYU beats a preseason No. 3 Notre Dame team, that victory could become the centerpiece of the Cougars' entire playoff résumé.
Notre Dame is also independent, meaning BYU doesn't have to worry about the victory's conference implications being diluted by the rest of the Big 12 race. It's simply a marquee victory against one of the nation's highest-rated teams.
This is the “put the entire country on notice” game.
What a win does: Potentially gives BYU a top-five/top-10 victory that could anchor its entire CFP résumé.
Résumé boost: 10/10