Kyle Bonagura Oct 25, 2026, 01:52 AM ET

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Covers college football.

Joined ESPN in 2014.

Attended Washington State University.

Call it the year of the hangover in college football.

We're seeing it every week: A team coming off a big, emotional win follows it up with a disappointing, sometimes inexplicable loss. There were more high-profile flops this week, headlined by BYU .

After beating No. 2 Notre Dame last week to replace the Irish as the No. 2 team in the AP poll -- the program's highest ranking since winning the national title in 1984 -- the Cougars appeared well on their way to a special season. UCF , meanwhile, came into the weekend having dropped back-to-back games to Houston and Oklahoma State , setting up the expectation that BYU would pick up another win with the possibility of a matchup of unbeatens in the Holy War against Utah looming Nov. 7.

The 10th-ranked Utes took care of their end of the bargain, coming back to beat No. 14 Houston 21-13.…