100 days until kickoff: Game-by-game predictions for 2026 BYU football season

PROVO (KSL.com) – In 100 days, BYU football is back.

The 2026 season is probably the most anticipated in the Kalani Sitake era. After two seasons totaling 23 wins and knocking on the doorstep of the College Football Playoff, can BYU break through this year?

BYU focused on retention to give them the best chance of reaching the program’s first playoff appearance.

Starting with Sitake, he turned down an offer from the Penn State Nittany Lions to stay with his alma mater. Then, BYU was able to keep its core of players despite losing defensive coordinator Jay Hill to Michigan.

Reigning Big 12 offensive player of the year LJ Martin returns at running back, along with Big 12 offensive freshman of the year Bear Bachmeier at quarterback.

2026 BYU football game-by-game predictions

How far can BYU go? Here’s a game-by-game prediction for the 2026 season.

September 5: Utah Tech Trailblazers

BYU is a perfect 10-0 against FCS opponents in the Kalani Sitake era. That unbeaten streak as BYU welcomes Utah Tech to Provo for the first time since 2022.

Utah Tech has only won three games in the first two years of the Lance Anderson era in St. George.

Score prediction: BYU 52, Utah Tech 3

September 12: Arizona Wildcats

What a matchup to kick off Big 12 play in 2026. Arizona won nine games last, while BYU won 12.

The Wildcats return Noah Fifita at quarterback, but there are a lot of new faces on defense, particularly in the secondary. BYU has started at least 3-0 in five of the past six seasons. With the game at home, I’ll give BYU a sound victory over Arizona.

If BYU wins, it would bring Kalani Sitake’s record against the Wildcats to 6-0.

Score prediction: BYU 31, Arizona 20

September 19: at Colorado State Rams

Year one of the Jim Mora era at Colorado State makes the Rams a complete mystery. He’s had success wherever he’s been in college football, and he’s been at some tough spots. Still, it’s a complete overhaul. The talent gap should be pretty sizable between BYU and Colorado State.

New CSU quarterback Hauss Hejny, a transfer from Oklahoma State and TCU, could be a jolt of excitement that the Rams haven’t experienced much since the Sonny Lubick days, when these two were conference rivals.

BYU goes to the Choice City and gets a comfortable win.

Score prediction: BYU 44, Colorado State 17

October 3: at TCU Horned Frogs

TCU opens the 2026 season in Ireland against North Carolina. After that game, it’s a pretty light slate before hosting BYU. There’s a world where this game features a pair of undefeated teams if TCU’s new-look offense starts strong this season.

Gordon Sammis is the new offensive coordinator after two years as the play-caller at UConn. The Horned Frogs then also brought in former Harvard transfer Jaden Craig as the new quarterback to replace Josh Hoover, who left for Indiana.

In the Big 12, any game can pop up and emerge as a close one when you aren’t expecting it. This is one of those games where TCU gives BYU everything they can handle, with BYU pulling it out in the fourth quarter.

Score prediction: BYU 30, TCU 27

October 9: Iowa State Cyclones

Friday game
It’s a complete rebuild in Ames after Matt Campbell left for Penn State. Jimmy Rogers will be a good coach for Iowa State, but it’s going to take time. Don’t be surprised if Iowa State puts up a defensive fight for a while before BYU pulls away.

It will be great to welcome back former BYU safety Micah Harper back to Provo. Harper is battling for a possible starting spot in Iowa State’s defense.

Score prediction: BYU 27, Iowa State 6

October 17: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

This game is going to be huge. Both teams should be undefeated when they meet in Provo. It will be the first time the Irish roll into LES since 2004.

Under Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame has established itself as an annual national title contender. In large part because of how good they are in the trenches. The Irish defense will likely be the best BYU faces in the regular season. Cornerback Leonard Moore is one of the best defensive players in the country.

Points will be difficult to score against Notre Dame, and the Irish offensive attack, led by sophomore quarterback CJ Carr. With where things stand in May, we’ll call this one in favor of the Irish.

Score prediction: Notre Dame 31, BYU 20

October 24: at UCF Knights

UCF could be a team to watch as a potential surprise candidate in the Big 12. The Knights bring in JMU transfer Alonza Barnett III at quarterback. He was held out of spring practices as a precaution to ensure he fully recovered for the upcoming season.

BYU has the advantage in the trenches against UCF. But UCF’s defense, led by defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, was stingy defending the pass last year. They should be good in the secondary again.

BYU wins, but the Knights will make it tough in stretches.

Score prediction: BYU 35, UCF 24

October 31: Arizona State Sun Devils

Arizona State is a total wildcard in this year’s Big 12 race. The Sun Devils’ transfer portal haul is one of the best in the nation. But there are questions at quarterback, as Kentucky transfer Cutter Boley hasn’t made it clear he’s the No. 1 signal-caller over freshman Jake Fette yet.

While there are questions about ASU, it wouldn’t shock me if they are in Big 12 title contention once again this season.

This has the makings of a wild “Big 12 After Dark” special on Halloween. It wouldn’t be surprising if BYU needed a little bit of late-game heroics to pull this one out. Then you add in the fact that rival Utah is the following week, it’s a tricky spot. But BYU finds a way to escape with a close win.

Score prediction: BYU 33, Arizona State 31

November 7: at Utah Utes

It doesn’t matter the circumstances, the venue, the players, or the coaches; when BYU and Utah square off, it always lives up to the hype.

If you’re into rock fights, this rivalry is for you. The defenses always shine in this heated rivalry.

It’s year one in the Morgan Scalley-Kalani Sitake era of this storied rivalry.

The two, who were once on the same staff together at Utah, have tremendous respect for one another. However, don’t think for a second that the intensity of this game goes down.

There will probably be some uncharacteristic miscues from both teams, as this game brings out players’ nerves. Managing those nerves and executing to the best of their abilities are critical, along with winning the turnover margin.

BYU hasn’t turned it over against the Utes in the last three meetings between the in-state rivals. To no surprise, BYU has won the last three contests.

BYU is looking for its first four-game winning streak in the rivalry since 1992.

We’ll call for BYU to escape with another nail-biting win over the Utes at Rice-Eccles.

Score prediction: BYU 21, Utah 20

November 14: Baylor Bears

Will Dave Aranda still be coaching Baylor by the time the Bears roll into Provo in November? There might not be a hotter seat in the country than Aranda’s this fall.

Former K-State assistant Joe Klanderman is now calling the defense.

Baylor has some firepower on offense with running back Dawson Pendergrass and former Florida QB DJ Lagway, but the defense remains a mystery. At this point, it’s a spot where BYU should roll in Provo.

Score prediction: BYU 49, Baylor 28

November 21: at Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas has been a thorn in BYU football’s side.

The Cougars’ first Big 12 game was an underwhelming showing in Lawrence in 2023, then the Jayhawks rolled into Provo and knocked off an undefeated BYU team in 2024. BYU fans would probably love nothing more than to get revenge for that pooch punt from a couple of years ago.

Kansas will be stingy once again under head coach Lance Leipold, but it might have one of the weakest quarterback units in the Big 12.

Score prediction: BYU 28, Kansas 17

November 28: Cincinnati Bearcats

Cincinnati might have bowl eligibility riding on this game when they return to Provo for the first time since 2023.

The Bearcat defense could be spicy this season with new defensive coordinator Nate Woody coming in from Army West Point.

It won’t be enough to hang with BYU in Provo to close out the regular season.

Score prediction: BYU 34, Cincinnati 20