​The college football season is just over a month away, with Week 0 set to kick off soon. Before long, tailgates will be packed, drum majors will lead their bands onto the field, and the race for the College Football Playoff will begin. ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) has already identified the favorites, but history suggests the season rarely unfolds exactly as projected.Every year, a handful of dark horse contenders emerge. Programs like Tulane and James Madison have surprised the college football world by earning unexpected postseason opportunities. This year, one prominent college football analyst believes another unexpected team could make a run to the College Football Playoff.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMORE: ESPN college football FPI rankings unveiled entering 2026 seasonJosh Pate made his prediction on Josh Pate’s College Football Show, declaring that BYU is a team on the rise in the Big 12. He believes the Cougars have what it takes to reach the College Football Playoff.“I am betting with this schedule, and that roster, (BYU) is a legitimate playoff threat,” Pate said. “I imagine the vibe out there, too. Just picture them, regardless of what happened out there with Texas Tech, picture them in isolation, and the only team they couldn’t beat last year was Texas Tech, and otherwise ran the table. Then they kept most of their players, including their quarterback … I’d think the vibes are pretty high.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBYU is coming off another strong season, having won at least 11 games in consecutive years. Last season, the Cougars fell to the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Big 12 championship game. Pate’s prediction looks even more reasonable considering how the offseason unfolded.MORE: Paul Finebaum’s trolling of caller also reveals truth about ClemsonBYU also came close to losing head coach Kalani Sitake during the most recent coaching cycle, as multiple major programs reportedly expressed interest in hiring him.Instead, Sitake chose to remain at BYU and continue building the Cougars’ program. Now, the team will look to take the next step. With Texas Tech losing its star quarterback because of a gambling-related issue, the Big 12 race could be wide open.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSince joining the Big 12, BYU has compiled a 17-10 conference record and appears poised to make another run at the conference title. To do so, the Cougars will need to replicate last season’s success, when they finished 8-1 in Big 12 play.If BYU wins the Big 12, it would almost certainly secure a spot in the College Football Playoff. The question now is whether the Cougars can dethrone Texas Tech and capture the conference title in 2026.