BYU football: Undefeated Cougars climb to No. 20 in AP Poll

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Matt Johns (15) looks to pass the ball during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Brigham Young Cougars running back Jamaal Williams (21) celebrates his touchdown run during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill (4) during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Greyson Lambert (11) throws the ball under pressure from Brigham Young Cougars defensive lineman Remington Peck (44) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Donovan Dowling (19) is tackled by Brigham Young Cougars linebacker Alani Fua (5) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Brigham Young Cougars defensive back Robertson Daniel (4) nearly intercepts the ball intended for Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Darius Jennings (6) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Virginia Cavaliers safety Brandon Phelps (21) defends Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Mitch Mathews (10) as Mathews can't make a potential touchdown catch during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Miles Gooch (17) makes a catch past Brigham Young Cougars defensive back Robertson Daniel (4) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill (4) runs past Virginia Cavaliers linebacker Henry Coley (44) and Virginia Cavaliers linebacker Max Valles (88) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Jimmer Fredette and Brandon Davies watch during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Mitchell Juergens (87) celebrates his touchdown during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Greyson Lambert (11) remains on the ground during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill (4) is tackled by Virginia Cavaliers safety Anthony Harris (8) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. No flag was thrown on the play. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Jordan Leslie (9) scores a touchdown past Virginia Cavaliers cornerback DreQuan Hoskey (22) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Brigham Young Cougars running back Adam Hine (28) runs for a 100-yard touchdown during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33.

1 of 15

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Matt Johns (15) looks to pass the ball during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars running back Jamaal Williams (21) celebrates his touchdown run during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill (4) during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Greyson Lambert (11) throws the ball under pressure from Brigham Young Cougars defensive lineman Remington Peck (44) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Donovan Dowling (19) is tackled by Brigham Young Cougars linebacker Alani Fua (5) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars defensive back Robertson Daniel (4) nearly intercepts the ball intended for Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Darius Jennings (6) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Virginia Cavaliers safety Brandon Phelps (21) defends Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Mitch Mathews (10) as Mathews can't make a potential touchdown catch during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Miles Gooch (17) makes a catch past Brigham Young Cougars defensive back Robertson Daniel (4) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill (4) runs past Virginia Cavaliers linebacker Henry Coley (44) and Virginia Cavaliers linebacker Max Valles (88) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Jimmer Fredette and Brandon Davies watch during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Mitchell Juergens (87) celebrates his touchdown during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Greyson Lambert (11) remains on the ground during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill (4) is tackled by Virginia Cavaliers safety Anthony Harris (8) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. No flag was thrown on the play. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Jordan Leslie (9) scores a touchdown past Virginia Cavaliers cornerback DreQuan Hoskey (22) during the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. Virginia is winning the game 16-13 at halftime. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars running back Adam Hine (28) runs for a 100-yard touchdown during the second half of the game at LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday September 20, 2014. BYU won the game 41-33.

By Jay Drew The Salt Lake Tribune

· September 21, 2014 4:45 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Provo • Undefeated BYU continues to climb in the national rankings.

A day after defeating Virginia 41-33 in an uneven performance at LaVell Edwards Stadium, BYU jumped to No. 20 in the Associated Press Top 25 media poll and to No. 21 in the Amway Coaches Poll.

The Cougars were No. 21 in the AP Poll last week, and No. 23 in the coaches' poll.

Utah received votes in both polls, and would be No. 31 in the AP Poll if it extended that far.

Florida State remained No. 1 after escaping with an overtime win over Clemson on Saturday night, while Oregon stayed at No. 2 despite struggling mightily against Washington State. Alabama stayed at No. 3 after pummeling Florida.

BYU has a bye this week, and won't play again until Oct. 3 at home against Utah State.

The Cougars are 4-0 for the first time since 2008 and only the seventh time in school history.

How good are they?

"Hard to say," coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "The players will determine that. Their grit, their determination, their resiliency, their day-to-day [diligence] their ability to keep out the things that aren't important, their ability to focus on the things they can control. I have seen that escalate each week - their ability to really embrace the roles they have, and stay together as a team. All those things really, player leadership has a ton to do with that. I don't absolve myself, but there is a ton right now that will come from the players that will be critical. I like our chances."

However, BYU is no longer the team seen as most likely to win the rest of its games in the ESPN Football Power Index. That honor now belongs to Marshall, which has a 25.8 percent chance of winning the rest of its games. BYU has a 25 percent chance, according to the data.

"As a team, it was huge [to beat Virginia]," quarterback Taysom Hill said. "Virginia is a really good, physical football team. They played UCLA tough, they beat a really good Louisville team.

So for us to come and win the football team the way that we did [was big]. There was a lot of talk, and I think that just solidified some of the conversations out there for our team."

drew@sltrib.com

Twitter: @drewjay