SALT LAKE CITY — A "people's national championship" is good, but all are striving to lift up the College Football Playoff trophy in the end.
On Monday, Indiana capped off an improbable undefeated run to the title and a No. 1 standing in the final Associated Press Top 25 rankings that was released Tuesday morning. It's a storybook run that gives hope to the rest of the college football world that a national title could become a reality.
The Hoosiers went from a middling Big Ten team to a national power in just two short seasons with Curt Cignetti — and a first-time national champion.
Could that same formula work for others, including those in the Beehive State?
Nothing is impossible, but both BYU and Utah hope to first make a College Football Playoff appearance. The Cougars were the closest this season and finished just outside the playoff seed line.
But that shouldn't mar the impressive season for the Cougars, who finished with a 12-2 record, a Big 12 title game appearance and a No. 11 spot in the final AP Top rankings — all with a freshman quarterback in Bear Bachmeier, who should only improve in the years to come.
The 2025 season was the first 12-win campaign for BYU in 24 seasons, but it felt more like a beginning than an end point.
Sure, the Cougars will have a new defensive coordinator after Jay Hill followed former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham to Michigan, but BYU retained much of its roster while adding key pieces to fill out the gaps left by graduating players.
Maybe BYU is in for a similar rise like Indiana.
But the Cougars aren't the only Big 12 program in the Beehive State hoping for a similar run. Utah capped off its 2025 season with a 44-22 win over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl to give the Utes its fourth 11-win season in program history.
Utah ends the season ranked No. 14 in the AP Top 25, and much of its offensive roster intact for a run at a Big 12 title next season, with quarterbacks Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin returning to lead the Utes.
Utah will be doing it with a new head coach in Morgan Scalley, who has already declared that the Utes can win a national championship in the future. A top-15 finish will certainly add some weight to what the school hopes to be an even better 2026 season.
The two in-state and Big 12 opponents were joined in the AP Top 25 by fellow conference opponents Texas Tech, who finished the season ranked No. 7, followed by No. 22 Houston and No. 25 TCU. The Red Raiders were the only team to not have a postseason win, but were the only team from the Big 12 in the College Football Playoff.
At the top of the final rankings for the 2025 season is national champion Indiana at No. 1 as a unanimous selection. The Hoosiers are followed by No. 2 Miami, No. Ole Miss, No. 4 Oregon, and No. 5 Ohio State.
The offseason now begins, especially with the singular transfer portal period closed and rosters mostly already filled out for the upcoming 2026 season.
To see the full list of the rankings look below, or click here.
