**BYU Coach Kalani Sitake Highlights Opportunities in New 12-Team College Football Playoff**

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake has been candid with his players about the new opportunities presented by the 12-team College Football Playoff. The Cougars, now in their second year in the Big 12, are experiencing the playoff's expanded format for the first time. Sitake acknowledged that it was extremely challenging for the team to secure a national title shot as an independent, emphasizing that the new setup provides a more realistic path to the championship for programs like BYU.

"These kids aren't dumb," Sitake remarked, pointing out that past playoff qualifications required near-perfect performance and additional factors like "style points." He highlighted that, even with an undefeated record, teams previously had no guarantee of making the playoffs, citing examples from other teams' experiences. The new structure ensures that the five highest-ranked conference champions have a clear route to the playoffs.

Currently, BYU is undefeated and moving in a promising direction. Conversely, Ole Miss suffered a crucial home defeat to Kentucky, putting both teams on the bubble this week. The evolving landscape of the college football season is closely monitored by the College Football Playoff selection committee, which reviews data over the first five weeks to determine its rankings.

In the hypothetical scenario based on this week’s projected top 12, specific seeding and bracket positions are under scrutiny. Moreover, attention is given to eight additional bubble teams and the top five schools from the Group of 5 conferences. This ongoing analysis will play a crucial role in shaping the playoff picture as the season progresses.