History of BYU Cougars football in Timeline

The BYU Cougars football team represents Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, fielding a college football program since 1922. They have a history of success, highlighted by 23 conference championships and a national championship victory in 1984.

1900: Football Banned from LDS Church Schools

In 1900, following a football-related death in Utah, football was banned from all LDS Church schools.

1903: Brigham Young Academy Converted into a University

In 1903, Brigham Young Academy (the precursor to BYU) was converted into a university.

1919: Football Returns to BYU on Intramural Basis

After a 20-year ban, football was brought back to BYU on an intramural basis in 1919.

1920: Intercollegiate Games Resume at BYU

In 1920, intercollegiate games resumed at BYU under coach Alvin Twitchell after football was brought back the prior year.

1921: BYU Admitted to Rocky Mountain Conference

In 1921, BYU was admitted to the Rocky Mountain Conference.

1922: BYU Cougars Begin Collegiate Football Competition

In 1922, the BYU Cougars football program started collegiate football competition, marking the beginning of its football history.

1928: Start of New Era in Cougar Football

In 1928, G. Ott Romney and his successor Eddie Kimball ushered in a new era in Cougar football.

1929: BYU Has First Winning Year

In 1929, BYU had its first winning year under coach G. Ott Romney, who was recruited from Montana State University the year before.

1932: Cougars Post 8-1 Record

In 1932, the Cougars posted an 8–1 record and outscored their opponents 188–50, which remains one of the school's finest seasons on record.

1942: End of Era in Cougar Football

In 1942, the era in Cougar football, ushered in by G. Ott Romney and his successor Eddie Kimball in 1928, came to a close.

1943: BYU Does Not Field a Team

In 1943, the university did not field a team due to World War II.

1945: BYU Still Does Not Field a Team

In 1945, the university still did not field a team due to World War II.

1949: BYU Suffers Only Winless Season

In 1949, BYU suffered its only winless season, going 0–11.

1957: BYU Achieves Winning Season

In 1957, BYU, led by quarterback Jared Stephens and nose tackle Gavin Anae, achieved a winning season.

1958: BYU Achieves Back-to-Back Winning Seasons

In 1958, BYU, led by quarterback Jared Stephens and nose tackle Gavin Anae, achieved back-to-back winning seasons.

1961: Eldon "The Phantom" Fortie Becomes First All-American

In 1961, Eldon "The Phantom" Fortie became the school's first All-American.

1962: BYU Moves to Western Athletic Conference

In 1962, BYU moved to the Western Athletic Conference.

1964: Cougar Stadium Built

In 1964, Cougar Stadium was built, with a capacity of 30,000.

1965: BYU Wins First Conference Championship

In 1965, head coach Tommy Hudspeth led the Cougars to their first conference championship with a record of 6–4.

1972: LaVell Edwards Promoted to Head Coach

In 1972, assistant coach LaVell Edwards was promoted to head coach, succeeding Hudspeth, and installed a drop-back passing game.

1974: Start of Conference Championship Streak

In 1974, the Cougars began a streak of winning the conference championship every year except one until 1985.

1979: LaVell Edwards receives Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award

In 1979, LaVell Edwards received the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award.

1980: "Miracle Bowl" Victory

In 1980, BYU won its first post-season game in the Holiday Bowl, which has become known as the "Miracle Bowl" after trailing SMU 45–25 with four minutes left and then coming back to win.

1981: BYU Wins Bowl Game

In 1981, BYU won another bowl game, continuing its success in post-season play.

1983: BYU Wins Bowl Game

In 1983, BYU won another bowl game, continuing its success in post-season play.

1983: Start of Winning Streak Leading to National Championship

Starting in 1983, BYU began an 11-game winning streak that would continue into the 1984 season, ultimately contributing to their national championship victory.

1984: BYU Recognized as College Football National Champions

In 1984, BYU achieved college football's pinnacle, recognized as national champions with an undefeated 12–0–0 record. They finished the season with a 24-17 victory over the Michigan Wolverines in the Holiday Bowl.

1984: BYU awarded consensus National Championship

In 1984, BYU was awarded a consensus National Championship.

1984: National championship won

In 1984, BYU won one national championship.

1984: BYU Wins National Championship

In 1984, BYU won the national championship.

1984: LaVell Edwards receives AFCA (Kodak) Coach of the Year Award

In 1984, LaVell Edwards received the AFCA (Kodak) Coach of the Year Award.

1984: LaVell Edwards Wins National Championship

In 1984, LaVell Edwards won one national championship while coaching at BYU.

1984: 25-year anniversary of the 1984 national championship

In 2009, BYU used a throwback jersey paying tribute to the 25-year anniversary of the 1984 national championship.

1985: Robbie Bosco Finishes Third in Heisman Balloting

In 1985, quarterback Robbie Bosco finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting.

1985: End of Conference Championship Streak

In 1985, the Cougars' streak of winning the conference championship every year except one from 1974 came to an end.

1986: Jason Buck Wins Outland Trophy

In 1986, defensive lineman Jason Buck became the first BYU player ever to win the Outland Trophy.

1989: Mo Elewonibi Wins Outland Trophy

In 1989, offensive lineman Mo Elewonibi also won the Outland Trophy.

1990: BYU Achieves First Victory Over Top-Ranked Team

In 1990, the Cougars achieved their first victory over a top-ranked team when they defeated the No. 1 Miami Hurricanes early in the season. Also, quarterback Ty Detmer became BYU's first and only Heisman Trophy winner.

1996: BYU Wins First WAC Championship Game

In 1996, BYU won the first ever WAC Championship Game in Las Vegas and earned a bid to play in the Cotton Bowl against Kansas State of the newly formed Big 12 Conference, making it BYU's first ever New Year's Day bowl game, which they won 19–15. BYU finished ranked No. 5 in both the Coaches and AP polls, and became the first team in NCAA history to win 14 games in a season.

1999: BYU school colors

From the 1970s to 1999, BYU school colors were royal blue and white. The football team generally wore royal blue jerseys and white pants at home, and white jerseys and royal blue pants on the road.

1999: BYU Leaves WAC to Form Mountain West Conference

In 1999, BYU left the WAC along with seven other teams to form the Mountain West Conference, winning a share of the inaugural MWC championship. That year also featured the controversial "bib" home uniforms.

1999: School colors and helmet change

In 1999, Coach Edwards' penultimate year, the school colors switched to dark blue, white, and tan, and the football helmets switched from white to dark blue. The block 'Y' remained on the sides of the helmet but received a new, more modern treatment. The home uniforms consisted of dark blue jerseys with white "bib" and dark blue pants, and the away uniforms consisted of white jerseys with white pants.

1999: Navy blue helmets reminiscent of the combinations used from 1999-2004

In March 2021, the BYU program added two new helmets to their collection, with navy blue helmets reminiscent of the combinations used from 1999-2004

2000: Uniform modification required by NCAA

In 2000, the NCAA required the team to remove the white bib on the front of the blue home jersey because NCAA rules require that a team's jersey have a single dominant color. The home jersey thereafter was modified with blue replacing the white on the bib area.

2000: Edwards Announces Final Year as Head Coach

Just prior to the 2000 season, Edwards announced that it would be his final year as the program's head coach. Also, Cougar Stadium was renamed "LaVell Edwards Stadium".

2001: Gary Crowton's First Season as Head Coach

In 2001, Gary Crowton's first season as head coach was successful, earning a 12–2 record and running back Luke Staley earning the Doak Walker Award.

2001: The navy helmet recognized the highly successful 2001 team

In March 2021, the navy helmet recognized the highly successful 2001 team that featured players such as Luke Staley and Brandon Doman.

2003: LaVell Edwards receives Amos Alonzo Stagg Award

In 2003, LaVell Edwards received the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award for career achievement.

December 1, 2004: Gary Crowton Resigns

On December 1, 2004, Gary Crowton was forced to resign. BYU offered the job to Utah defensive coordinator Kyle Whittingham, who opted instead to become head coach at Utah, the Cougars instead offered the job to BYU defensive coordinator Bronco Mendenhall, who accepted.

2004: New uniform style introduced

In 2004, a new uniform style incorporating New York Jets-style shoulder stripes was introduced (the helmets remained the same). The new uniforms were worn in a "mix-and-match" strategy.

2004: Navy blue helmets reminiscent of the combinations used from 1999-2004

In March 2021, the BYU program added two new helmets to their collection, with navy blue helmets reminiscent of the combinations used from 1999-2004

2005: Traditional uniform design re-introduced

In 2005, the traditional uniform design with the white helmet and former logo was re-introduced. While the uniforms were also changed to be similar to the 1980s uniforms, the darker blue remained instead of the former royal blue, but all tan highlights were eliminated.

2006: Top 25 Finish

In 2006, Mendenhall led BYU to a Top 25 finish.

2007: Top 25 Finish

In 2007, Mendenhall led BYU to a Top 25 finish.

2007: Small 'Y' logo added to collar

In the 2007 season, a small traditional 'Y' logo was added to the bottom of the collar of the BYU uniforms.

2008: BYU Cougars in professional football

As of 2008, 146 BYU Cougars football players have gone on to play professional football. Team alumni have competed in 48 NFL Super Bowls, including Super Bowl MVP Steve Young and two-time Super Bowl winner Jim McMahon. One former Cougar has won multiple Super Bowls as a coach, Andy Reid who won Super Bowl LIV, Super Bowl LVII, and Super Bowl LVIII as a head coach with the Kansas City Chiefs and Super Bowl XXXI as an assistant with the Green Bay Packers.

2008: Top 25 Finish

In 2008, Mendenhall led BYU to a Top 25 finish.

2009: BYU used a throwback jersey

In 2009, BYU used a throwback jersey paying tribute to the 25-year anniversary of the 1984 national championship. They were the same design as the contemporary jerseys, but used royal blue instead of navy blue. They were introduced against rival University of Utah and again in the Las Vegas Bowl against Oregon State.

2009: Top 25 Finish

In 2009, Mendenhall led BYU to a Top 25 finish.

September 1, 2010: BYU Announces Football Independence

On September 1, 2010, BYU announced it would begin competition as a football independent starting in the 2011 season. That same day, BYU announced an 8-year contract with ESPN.

February 2011: Ben Cahoon Joins Coaching Staff

In February 2011, CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award-winner Ben Cahoon joined the coaching staff as the wide receivers coach.

July 1, 2011: BYU Competes as FBS Independent

On July 1, 2011, BYU began competing as an FBS Independent, which lasted until June 30, 2022.

2011: BYU Changes Quarterbacks Mid-Season

In 2011, BYU changed quarterbacks mid-season from sophomore Jake Heaps to junior Riley Nelson.

2011: BYU Begins Football Independence

In the 2011 season, BYU began competition as a football independent.

October 13, 2012: BYU debuts blackout jersey

On October 13, 2012, BYU debuted a "blackout" jersey for a home game against Oregon State with royal blue accents and black facemasks. The endzones were also painted black for the occasion. In subsequent seasons, BYU has often had one blackout game per year.

2012: Three Different Quarterbacks Utilized

In 2012, three different quarterbacks were utilized at different points in the season. During the 2012 offseason, graduated defensive end Ziggy Ansah was drafted as the No. 5 overall pick of the 2013 NFL draft, tied for the highest draft BYU alumnus with Jim McMahon '82.

2013: BYU Season Against Pre-Season-Ranked Teams

For the 2013 BYU football season, the Cougars were slated to compete against four pre-season-ranked teams.

2013: All-royal combination introduced

In 2013, BYU introduced an all-royal combination (with the exception of the helmets, which remained its traditional white) against Utah.

January 2015: ACC and SEC Initially Exclude BYU for Power 5 Scheduling Requirement

In January 2015, the ACC announced that games against BYU would not count toward the "Power 5" requirement for non-conference games, a stipulation also held by the SEC.

July 2015: Big Ten Announces BYU Games Count Toward Power 5 Requirement

In July 2015, the Big Ten announced that games against BYU would count toward the conference's "Power 5" scheduling requirement that takes effect in 2016.

December 4, 2015: Bronco Mendenhall Accepts Head Coach Position with Virginia

On December 4, 2015, Bronco Mendenhall accepted the head coach position with Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

2015: Throwback royal blue uniforms appeared

In 2015, renditions of the "throwback" royal blue uniforms appeared, once in the team's Homecoming game against East Carolina, and again against Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl.

2015: Hiring of Kalani Sitake

With the hiring of Kalani Sitake as head coach at the end of 2015, BYU has seen the gradual return of wearing royal blue combinations.

2016: Big Ten Scheduling Requirement Takes Effect

In 2016, the Big Ten's "Power 5" scheduling requirement, for which games against BYU would count, took effect.

2017: ACC Members Must Play Non-Conference Game Against Power 5 Team

From 2017 forward, all members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) had to play at least one non-conference game each season against a "Power 5" team.

2017: Royal blue combinations worn more regularly

From 2017 onward, royal blue combinations have been worn more regularly.

2018: BYU's Annual Revenue

In 2018, BYU's estimated $67 million in annual revenue placed it 55th in total revenue.

2018: All-royal combination reappeared

In 2018, the all-royal uniform combination reappeared in the Potato Bowl against Western Michigan.

2019: ESPN Extends Deal Through 2019 Season

In 2019, ESPN exercised an option to extend its deal with BYU through the 2019 season.

2019: New combinations introduced

In 2019, several new combinations were introduced, including an all-white combination with royal accents, and a variation on the "away" combination with some styling changes to pay tribute to the uniforms of the 1960s.

2020: SEC Teams Scheduled Games with BYU

From 2015 to 2020, three SEC teams had a total of five games scheduled with BYU.

2020: Team reintroduced a gray facemask

In 2020, the BYU team reintroduced a gray facemask that paid tribute to former Cougar and Houston Oilers quarterback Gifford Nielsen for their game at the University of Houston. The team wore the gray facemasks several times that season, which was highlighted by the most frequent usage of the royal blue in decades.

March 2021: Program added two new helmets

In March 2021, the BYU program added two new helmets to their collection, with royal blue helmets paying tribute to the teams of the 1970s and navy blue helmets reminiscent of the combinations used from 1999-2004; the navy helmet especially recognized the highly successful 2001 team that featured players such as Luke Staley and Brandon Doman.

September 10, 2021: BYU Accepted into Big 12 Conference

On September 10, 2021, the Big 12 Conference unanimously accepted BYU's application to join the conference.

June 30, 2022: End of FBS Independent Status

June 30, 2022, marked the end of BYU's period as an FBS Independent, which began on July 1, 2011.

2022: BYU leads series with Utah State

Through the 2022 season, BYU leads the series with Utah State 51–37–3.

July 1, 2023: BYU Officially Joins Big 12 Conference

On July 1, 2023, BYU officially became a member of the Big 12 Conference.

November 1, 2023: BYU's Big 12 opponents revealed

On November 1, 2023, BYU's Big 12 opponents from 2024 through 2027 were revealed, with their rivalry game against Utah being a protected annual game.

2023: BYU struggles in first Big 12 season

In 2023, BYU struggled during its first season of Big 12 play, finishing with a 5-7 overall record and a 2-7 conference record.

2023: BYU Begins Competing in Big 12 Conference

In the 2023 season, BYU began competing in the Big 12 Conference, having accepted the invitation on September 10, 2021.

2024: Utah leads the series

As of 2024, Utah leads the series against BYU with a 59–36–4 record.

2024: Official record against Big 12 opponents

As of the completion of the 2024 regular season and bowl games, this entry refers to BYU's official record (including any NCAA imposed vacates and forfeits) against all current Big 12 opponents.

2024: BYU improves significantly in second Big 12 season

In 2024, BYU significantly improved in their second season of Big 12 play, finishing in a four-way tie for first in the conference with an 11-2 overall record (7-2 in conference). They ended the season with a 36-14 win over a ranked Colorado team in the Alamo Bowl, and finished ranked 14th in the Coaches' poll and 13th in the AP poll.