The preseason AP Top 25 is out and BYU checks in at No. 14, tied with USC with 839 points. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper reacts to the Cougars' highest preseason ranking since the 1985 season, the year after BYU's national championship. It's only the 13th time in program history BYU has appeared in the preseason AP poll and just the second time in the Kalani Sitake era. Four Big 12 teams made the cut — Texas Tech at No. 12, BYU at No. 14, Utah at No. 21, and Houston at No. 23 — and BYU's October 17 home date with No. 4 Notre Dame is already circled in red. Historically, BYU has finished higher than its preseason AP ranking only twice (1981, 2009). Can the Cougars make it a third? Mitch discusses what this ranking means for expectations, the College Football Playoff picture, and how voters are viewing BYU's returning production, headlined by Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year LJ Martin and quarterback Bear Bachmeier. The ongoing Kalani Sitake–BYU football resources and athletic department remains front and center for pockets of Cougar Nation. The speculation that dominated the past two weeks shows no signs of fading, even as the season draws closer. Since Sitake told reporters at picture day, "I'm easy to get along with as long as you take care of our football team," the conversation has only intensified. Sitake's earlier comment that BYU has been "given the challenge of doing the most with the least" added fuel. The hiring of Kentucky's Marc Hill as deputy AD and Santiago's need to post on CougarBoard to debunk firing rumors have kept this story in the backdrop of fall camp. KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper shares his thoughts and insight into the situation and makes it clear that BYU has to take care of Kalani Sitake. Finally, Mitch recaps an eventful scrimmage as BYU enters week three of fall camp. The Cougars ran 102 plays at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, and the offense had the upper hand. Bear Bachmeier was in a "great rhythm," according to Sitake, who gave the offense a "slight edge" over the defense. Subscribe to the Cougar Tracks Podcast to stay up-to-date with all the daily episodes. Cougar Tracks is on YouTube and X every weekday at Noon (MT), and KSL NewsRadio at 6:30 p.m. (MT). Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-tracks/id1146971609 YouTube Podcast: https://kslsports.com/category/podcast_results/?sid=2035&n=Cougar%20Tracks Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NCF1KecDsE2rB1zMuHhUh Download the KSL Sports app Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonneville.kslsports&hl=en_US iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ksl-sports/id143593 Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper. Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go. Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up-to-date on all your favorite teams.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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