College Football’s Top 50 Fanbases

39. BYU

The good

BYU is one of, if not the most unified fan base in the country, drawing on its rich religious roots with a smattering of all-time football greats.

The bad

The stretch outside the state of Utah is almost nonexistent, and the Utah Utes from down the road are continuing to make inroads as they continue to dominate the Holy Way rivalry game.

The bottom line

LaVell Edwards and the WAC are as synonymous with BYU as the Mormon faith itself. The Cougars were juggernauts throughout most of the 1980s into the 1990s, reaching the Top 25 at least once in 16 of the 20 years which span those two decades. That included a No. 1 finish in 1984, ending with a Holiday Bowl win over Michigan. That history alone makes BYU a fixture in all discussions of fandom and college football success.

Independence has brought with it a decline in the Cougars’ success and reach outside of the state. Their geographic limitations and lack of a conference have much of BYU’s proudest moments stuck in the past.