History of BYU Cougars football in Timeline

BYU Cougars football represents Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, fielding a team since 1922. They've achieved considerable success, securing 23 conference championships. The program's pinnacle was winning the national championship in 1984, marking a significant achievement in its history.

1900: Football Banned

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

1903: Brigham Young Academy Becomes a University

In 1903, Brigham Young Academy was converted into a university.

1919: Football Ban Lifted

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

1919: Return of Football on Intramural Basis

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

1920: Resumption of Intercollegiate Games

In 1920, intercollegiate football games resumed at BYU under coach Alvin Twitchell.

1921: Admission to Rocky Mountain Conference

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

1922: First Season of Collegiate Football

In 1922, the BYU Cougars football team began its first season of collegiate football competition, representing Brigham Young University.

1928: Start of New Era

In 1928, a new era in Cougar football began under coach G. Ott Romney.

1929: First Winning Year

In 1929, BYU had its first winning year under coach G. Ott Romney.

1932: Outstanding Season

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

1942: End of Era

In 1942, an era in Cougar football ended.

1943: Team Absence Due to World War II

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

1945: Continued Absence Due to World War II

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

1949: Only Winless Season

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

1957: Winning Season

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

1958: Back-to-Back Winning Season

In 1958, BYU achieved a second consecutive winning season, led by quarterback Jared Stephens and nose tackle Gavin Anae.

1961: First All-American

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

1962: Move 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: 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 Tommy Hudspeth.

1974: Start of Conference Championship Streak

In 1974, BYU began a run 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 the Holiday Bowl against SMU in a game known as the "Miracle Bowl", trailing 45–25 with four minutes left.

1981: Bowl Game Win

In 1981, BYU won its bowl game.

1983: Winning Streak

In 1983, BYU had 11 consecutive wins to close out the season.

1983: Bowl Game Win

In 1983, BYU won its bowl game.

1984: BYU wins national championship

BYU won the national championship in 1984 and BYU paid tribute to the 25-year anniversary in 2009.

1984: BYU awarded consensus National Championship

In 1984, BYU was awarded a consensus National Championship.

1984: LaVell Edwards receives AFCA Coach of the Year Award

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

1984: National Championship Win

In 1984, the BYU Cougars football team won a national championship.

1985: End of Conference Championship Streak

In 1985, BYU's run of winning the conference championship every year except one since 1974 came to an end.

1985: Heisman Trophy Candidate

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

1986: Outland Trophy Winner

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

1989: Outland Trophy Winner

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

1990: Victory Over Top-Ranked Team and Heisman Trophy Winner

In 1990, the Cougars achieved their first victory over a top-ranked team by defeating the No. 1 Miami Hurricanes, and quarterback Ty Detmer became BYU's first and only Heisman Trophy winner.

1996: WAC Championship and Cotton Bowl Victory

In 1996, BYU won the first-ever WAC Championship Game and earned a bid to play in the Cotton Bowl against Kansas State, which they won 19–15, finishing ranked No. 5.

1999: BYU school colors were royal blue and white.

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

1999: Formation of the Mountain West Conference and New Color Scheme

In 1999, BYU left the WAC to form the Mountain West Conference and debuted a new color scheme, including a darker shade of blue, a redesigned cougar logo, and the introduction of tan as an accent color. The controversial "bib" home uniforms were also introduced, lasting only one season.

1999: BYU school colors switch

In 1999, Coach Edwards' penultimate year, the BYU 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, BYU added 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.

2000: White bib removed from home jersey

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

2000: Edwards' Final Season and Stadium Renaming

Just prior to the 2000 season, LaVell Edwards announced it would be his final year as head coach. Before Edwards' final home game, Cougar Stadium was renamed "LaVell Edwards Stadium".

2001: Successful First Season for Crowton

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

2001: Navy helmet recognized the successful 2001 team

2003: LaVell Edwards receives Amos Alonzo Stagg Award

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

December 1, 2004: Crowton Resigns

On December 1, 2004, Gary Crowton was forced to resign as head coach.

2004: New York Jets-style uniforms introduced

In 2004, a new uniform style incorporating New York Jets-style shoulder stripes was introduced, with the helmets remaining 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.

2005: Traditional design re-introduced

For the 2005 season, the traditional design with the white helmet and former logo was re-introduced, with the darker blue remaining instead of the former royal blue, and all tan highlights were eliminated. This change was done at the insistence of new head coach Bronco Mendenhall.

2006: Top 25 Finish

In 2006, BYU achieved a Top 25 finish.

2007: Top 25 Finish

In 2007, BYU achieved 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 football uniform.

2008: BYU Cougars football players 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.

2008: Top 25 Finish

In 2008, BYU achieved a Top 25 finish.

2009: Top 25 Finish

In 2009, BYU achieved a Top 25 finish.

2009: BYU used a throwback jersey paying tribute to the 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. 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.

September 1, 2010: Announcement of Football Independence

On September 1, 2010, BYU announced it would begin competition as a football independent starting in the 2011 season.

February 2011: Ben Cahoon Joins Coaching Staff

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

July 1, 2011: Competed as an FBS Independent

On July 1, 2011, the BYU Cougars began competing as an FBS Independent.

2011: Start of Football Independence

In 2011, BYU began competition as a football independent.

2011: Quarterback Change

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

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 Quarterbacks Utilized

In 2012, three different quarterbacks were utilized at different points in the season.

2013: Ansah NFL Draft

In 2012, Ziggy Ansah was drafted as the No. 5 overall pick of the 2013 NFL draft.

2013: BYU introduces all-royal combination

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

January 2015: Initial ACC/SEC Policy on BYU Games

In January 2015, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) announced that games against BYU would not count toward the "Power 5" scheduling requirement, a policy also held by the SEC. Weeks later, both leagues reversed course.

July 2015: Big Ten's "Power 5" Scheduling Requirement

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

December 4, 2015: 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 appear

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: Kalani Sitake hired as head coach

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 Requirement Takes Effect

In 2016, The Big Ten's games against BYU started to count towards the conference's 'Power 5' scheduling requirement.

2017: Royal blue combinations worn more regularly

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

2017: Start of ACC Scheduling Rule

In 2017, the Atlantic Coast Conference required that all members play at least one non-conference game each season against a "Power 5" team.

2018: BYU wears all-royal combination against Western Michigan

In 2018, BYU wore the all-royal combination against Western Michigan in the Potato Bowl.

2018: BYU's Revenue Ranking

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

2019: ESPN Extends Contract

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

2019: New uniform 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. This last alternate uniform was accompanied by a throwback midfield logo and an endzone paint scheme that matched the field design used by BYU in the 1960s. A more modern design of the retro combination appeared in a game at the end of the season at San Diego State.

2020: SEC Games Scheduled with BYU

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

2020: Team reintroduces gray facemask

In 2020, the BYU Cougars 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: New helmets added to collection

In March 2021, BYU 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: 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 Era

On June 30, 2022, the BYU Cougars ended their time as an FBS Independent.

2022: BYU leads the series with Utah State 51-37-3

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

July 1, 2023: Official Start in Big 12 Conference

On July 1, 2023, BYU officially joined 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: Competition in the Big 12 Conference

BYU began competing in the Big 12 Conference in the 2023 season.

2023: BYU struggles in first Big 12 season

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

September 25, 2024: Future schedules

As of September 25, 2024, future BYU Cougars football schedules are available.

2024: Utah leads the series 59-36-4

As of the 2024 season, Utah leads the series against BYU 59-36-4.

2024: Official record against Big 12 opponents

As of the completion of the 2024 regular season and bowl games, this entry reflects the official record against all current Big 12 opponents.

2024: BYU finishes in four-way tie for first in Big 12

In 2024, BYU improved significantly 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.