Are the unranked BYU Cougars genuinely that impressive, or are the No. 23 Kansas Jayhawks just struggling?

After BYU’s dominant 91-57 victory over Kansas in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday night, this question reverberated across the nation, especially among power poll voters and those involved in NCAA Tournament selections for March.

As anticipated by the Deseret News, much of the focus has shifted to Kansas’ significant decline from being preseason No. 1 to an underperforming team in the Big 12, a trend that is not surprising given Kansas’ storied history compared to BYU.

Special Collector’s Issue: “1984: The Year BYU was Second to None”

Explore the highlights of BYU Football’s 1984 National Championship season.

Not yet, at least not in the rankings.

ESPN’s “Sports Center” host Scott Van Pelt remarked, “It’s absurd that BYU isn’t ranked because they are a really strong team,” before interviewing BYU’s coach Kevin Young after the Cougars handed Kansas its most significant loss since 1974.

Young has maintained that he has a “really good team” since last summer, reiterating this after a narrow loss to rival Utah that dropped BYU to 2-4 in Big 12 play. He made the same claims following a tough home loss against Arizona and a surprising defeat at Cincinnati, despite having previously triumphed over the Bearcats.

Recently, BYU (18-8, 9-6) has accomplished three convincing victories, triumphing over Kansas teams by a total of 49 points in their last two outings after narrowly overcoming West Virginia.

Are the Cougars a legitimate contender?

The upcoming road trip to Arizona (Saturday) and Arizona State (Wednesday) will provide more insight, but for now, it appears Young’s team is practically assured a spot in the NCAA tournament. The Cougars are ranked No. 31 in both the NET and KenPom rankings and have four Quad 1 victories.

Importantly, the entire team has embraced Young’s philosophy this season: they are as capable as most of the teams within their conference.

“We are working for each other, and we always seem to gain momentum at the right moments,” stated graduate Trevin Knell, who reached the 1,000-point mark with a 3-pointer in the early minutes of the game. “This was an incredible team win, a real statement.”

In the last three weeks, BYU has achieved four Quad 1 victories. With Arizona ranked No. 9 in the NET and ASU No. 66, the next two games present further Quad 1 opportunities. Saturday’s match at McKale Center will be significant as BYU attempts to redeem its earlier 85-74 defeat at home on February 4.

“This win against Kansas reflects our recent performance. It’s another team victory stacked on top of what we’ve achieved,” Knell shared. “Our practices emphasize competition, and that translates to our performance on game day. The trust we’ve built and the intensity we display, offensively and defensively, are evident.”

A sign of their cohesive offensive play emerged in the first half when the Cougars assisted on all 15 of their successful field goals.

“This reflects our team’s focus on executing the game plan. This stretch of games has been our most concentrated effort of the season regarding sticking to our strategy,” Young noted. “We’re starting to see the benefits.”

But can this performance travel to Tucson?

That’s the upcoming challenge, as the McKale Center (capacity: 14,545) can be just as boisterous as the Marriott Center. BYU’s away performances have been inconsistent — featuring wins at UCF, Colorado, and West Virginia, overshadowed by heavy defeats at Houston and Cincinnati, along with a disappointing loss to Utah.

Young expressed his admiration for his team’s resilience, noting their ability to move on quickly from both devastating losses and thrilling victories.

“I’ve stated this throughout the season: our days have been largely positive,” Young said. “Each day builds upon the last, and by the season’s conclusion, it all merges. I believe that’s showing.”

“I’m really proud of our team for their maturity and how they manage the larger rotation, celebrating their teammates’ success even when they’re not in the spotlight. This collective ethos has placed the group in a great position.”

Their defensive game has also seen significant improvement, with Young offering more playing time to defensive stalwarts like Mawot Mag and Trey Stewart while deploying newcomer Mihailo Boskovic at center against spread-out opposing teams.

Young remarked he has rarely seen a team achieve 14 steals with ten different players recording one, as occurred against Kansas.

Regarding player rotations, Young explained that freshman Kanon Catchings’ limited playing time on Tuesday was due to tactical choices rather than a lack of effectiveness, assuring his contributions remain pivotal to the team’s success.

Reflecting on BYU’s comeback—having won seven of their last nine matchups—Young characterized Tuesday’s performance as a “collective success.”

“We’ve definitely showcased what we’ve been building,” he stated.

While Young is confident, he acknowledges the unpredictable nature of momentum in college basketball, recalling the highs and lows experienced by BYU throughout the season.

“I understand the importance of securing wins against notable opponents. Consistency is critical, and this victory was significant for league standings. I hope it makes an impression,” he remarked, after BYU secured fifth place in the Big 12 standings.

“I’m still learning about the selection committee and its criteria,” he added. “The priority is to continue winning games, which often leads to favorable outcomes. Having our performance highlighted on ESPN is a tremendous boost, and I hope the key decision-makers are taking note.”