BYU's Troy Warner stretches out for a catch late in the second quarter against Central Florida in the Boca Raton Bowl NCAA college football game Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, in Boca Raton, Fla. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
BYU Football has been around for 100 seasons this fall when the Cougars kickoff against Southern Illinois. The article below will be about the top ten seasons since BYU started playing football in 1922. This will be one of many articles in the next two months before the Cougars kick off the 2024 season. This 2024 season marks 100 years of BYU football.
10. 2007
11-2
In the 2007 season, the Cougars finished 11-2 and ranked 14th in the AP poll. They went 8-0 in conference and beat Utah 17 to 10. They also won the Mountain West that season. BYU also went on to win the Las Vegas Bowl over UCLA after losing to them earlier in the season.
- Max Hall QB- Pass Completions, Pass Attempts, Pass Yards, Pass TDs, Total Yards,
- Austin Collie WR- Receiving TDs, Kickoff Returns, Kickoff Return Yards
- Harvey Unga RB- TDs
- Jan Jorgensen DL- TFLs, Sacks
9. 2006
11-2
This season the Cougars went 11-2 and finished 16th in the AP poll. They won the Mountain West that season and went undefeated in the conference. The Cougars beat TCU, Utah, and then Oregon in the Las Vegas Bowl. BYU beat Utah in a thriller on the final play with Beck to Harline.
- John Beck QB- Pass Completions, Pass Attempts, Pass Yards, Pass TDs, Total Yards
- Johnny Harline RB- Receiving Yards, Receiving TDs, TDs
- Jared McLaughlin K- Points, Extra Points Made
- Nathan Meikle WR- Punt Returns, Punt Returns Yards
8. 2020
11-1
The 2020 season was one for the history books and also one for the Cougars record books. They were one of the few schools that played a whole season. BYU finished 11-1 and ranked 11th in the final AP poll. The Cougars beat Boise State and UCF in the Boca Raton Bowl.
- Zach Wilson QB- Completions, Attempts, Yards, TDs, Total Plays, Total Yards
- Tyler Allgeier RB- Attempts, Yards
- Dax Milne WR- Receptions, Yards
- Isaac Rex TE- TDs
- Jake Oldroyd K- Points, Attempts, Extra Points Made, Field Goals Made
- Caleb Christensen DB- Kickoff Returns
- Isaiah Kaufusi LB- Tackles, Forced Fumbles
7. 1983
11-1
In the Cougars 1983 season, they went 11-1 and finished seventh in the AP poll. They went undefeated in the conference and won the WAC that year. The Cougars also held the Beehive boot that season when they beat both Utah and Utah State. They then capped off their season with a win at the Holiday Bowl over Missouri.
- Steve Young QB- Completions, Yards, TDs, Total Plays, Total Yards
- Kirk Pendleton WR- TDs
- Lee Johnson K- Attempts, Extra Points Made
- John Young DB- Interceptions
6. 1979
11-1
BYU went 11-1 in 1979 and finished 13th in the final AP poll. They won the WAC and finished undefeated in the conference. The Cougars also held the Beehive Boot in 1979 after beating Utah, Utah State, and Weber State. They capped off the season by losing to Indiana in the Holiday Bowl.
- Marc Wilson QB- Completions, Attempts, Yards, TDs, Total Plays, Total Yards
- Eric Lane RB- TDs
- Homer Jones WR- Receptions, Kickoff Returns, Kickoff Return Yards
- Bills Davis WR- TDs
- Matt Braga WR- TDs
- Brent Johnson K- Points, Attempts, Extra Points Made
- Dave Francis DB- Punt Returns
5. 1985
11-3
In 1985 BYU went 11-3 and finished 16th in the final AP poll. They went 7-1 in conference and tied with Air Force for the WAC conference title. The Cougars shut out San Diego State and also beat Utah and Utah State that year. They then went on to lose to Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl.
- Robbie Bosco QB- Competitions, Attempts, Yards, TDs, Interceptions, Total Plays, Total Yards
- Lakei Heimuli RB- TDs,
- Mark Bellini WR- TDs,
- Gary Webster K- Extra Point Attempts,
- Vai Sikahema RB- Punt Returns, Punt Return Yards
4. 2001
12-2
BYU went 12-2 and finished 25th in the final AP poll in 2001. The Cougars went 7-0 and won the Mountain West Conference that year. BYU beat Utah, Utah State, and Mississippi State and then lost to Louisville in the Liberty Bowl.
- Brandon Doman QB- Attempts, Yards, TDs, Total Plays, Total Yards
- Luke Staley RB- Yards, TDs, Points
- Reno Mahe- Receptions, Yards, TDs,
- Matt Payne K- Extra Points Made, Attempts
- Mike Rigell WR- Punt Returns, Punt Return Yards, Kickoff Returns, Kickoff Return Yards
3. 1980
12-1
The Cougars went 12-1 and finished 12th in the AP poll. BYU went 6-1 and won the WAC that year. BYU beat Utah, Utah State, and then SMU in the Holiday Bowl in 1980.
- Jim McMahon QB- Completions, Attempts, Yards, TDs, Total Plays, Total Yards
- Eric Lane RB- TDs
- Scott Phillips WR- Receptions
- Clay Brown WR- Yards, TDs, Points
- Kurt Gunther K- Extra Points Attempts, Made
- Tom Holmoe DB- Interceptions
2. 1996
14-1
BYU went 14-1 and finished fifth in the AP poll. They went on to win the WAC and went 9-0 in 1996. BYU beat Texas A&M, Utah, Utah State, and Wyoming. The Cougars then beat Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl.
- Steve Sarkisian QB- TDs
- Ethan Pochman K- Extra Point Attempts, Field Goal Attempts, Field Goals Made
- James Dye DB/WR- Punt Return Yards, TDs
1. 1984
13-0
The Cougar’s number one season over the 100 years was the 1984 season. They went 13-0 and finished first in the AP poll. They won the WAC and went undefeated in the conference. That season they beat Pitt, Baylor, Tulsa, Hawaii, Colorado State, Wyoming, Air Force, New Mexico, UTEP, San Diego State, Utah, and Utah State. They then finished the season by beating Michigan in the Holiday Bowl.
- Robbie Bosco QB- Completions, Yards, Attempts, TDs, Total Plays, Total Yards
- Vai Sikahema RB- Punt Returns, Punt Return Yards
