Arizona led BYU 24-14 with under five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. BYU kicked a field goal with 4:08 remaining and scored the game-tying touchdown with 19 seconds remaining before winning in double overtime. The Cougars were ranked seventh in the initial 2025 College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday night.
BYU is the only team on the 2025 Arizona schedule in the initial College Football Playoff rankings. Arizona was arguably those four plus minutes in regular away from being in the CFP Rankings. Add in the loss at Houston on a walk-off field goal and Arizona is about five minutes away from being 6-1.
BYU is the highest-ranked Big XII team in the inaugural 2025 College Football rankings. Other Big XII teams in the College Football Rankings are Texas Tech at eighth and Utah at 13. Arizona does not play Texas Tech or Utah during the 2025 season.
Arizona finishes the 2025 season versus Kansas on Saturday, at Cincinnati, hosts Baylor and at Arizona State. Arizona is playing for Big XII bowl slotting and a chance to finish the season strong. The Wildcats are in a position to equal their 2023 season, when they won their last seven games.
NEW: The FIRST set of CFB Playoff Rankings are in 👀🏆 pic.twitter.com/2MgctuFKnJ
— College Football Overtime (@CFB_Overtime) November 5, 2025
Ohio State is ranked first in the College Football Playoff, followed by Indiana, Texas A&M, Alabama and Georgia in the top three. Texas Tech hosts BYU on Saturday in what is the biggest game of the season in the Big XII to date. ESPN College Game Day will be in Lubbock.
Arizona has an opportunity to play spoiler in the Big XII race on November 15 at Cincinnati. The Bearcats are 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the Big XII. Cincinnati was likely considered for the CFP top 25 but missed out after losing 45-14 at Utah on Saturday. ESPN College Gameday was in Salt Lake City for Cincinnati at Utah.