4. One of my favorite things in college football is to track the arc of the surprise team, which often goes something like this: Fairly manageable early-season schedule. Win a close game or two, maybe with the benefit of some good fortune/turnover luck. Get to about 6-0, and suddenly, that team starts believing they are as good as their record, and that confidence fuels further improvement. Among this season’s first-half surprises — defined as teams expected to finish near the bottom of the conference but now ranked — BYU appears to best fit this growth path. I don’t think this is a team that can pull a Playoff upset if it gets in, but quarterback Jake Retzlaff and the Cougars have a good-looking path to the Big 12 title game. “I believe in Jake as much as any quarterback I’ve ever coached,” BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick said.

5. BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill’s side of the ball has taken a big leap in Year 2 under his leadership, and the former Weber State coach is expected to get a really long look to fill the opening at Utah State, which is 1-5 under interim Nate Dreiling, who walked into a difficult situation after Blake Anderson’s summer firing.