The Brigham Young University Cougars football team began collegiate football competition in 1922. The Cougars have won 23 conference championships and one national championship in 1984 when they were the only NCAA Division I-A program to finish undefeated. To date, the Cougars have played in 37 bowl games, with a record of 17-20-1 and have had 18 national top-25 finishes, including four top-10 finishes.
According to a BYU online magazine article, "BYU gained its Cougar nickname from BYU athletic director Eugene L. Roberts (AB 1916), who had written newspaper accounts saying BYU athletes had played like cougars. The university officially adopted “Cougars” for its teams on Oct. 1, 1923."
The team has competed in several different athletic conferences during its history, from July 1, 2011 to 2022, they competed as an FBS Independent. On September 10, 2021, the Big 12 Conference unanimously accepted BYU's application to the conference. BYU officially joined the Big 12 on July 1, 2023.
Some of the most notable players in BYU football history include:
- Ty Detmer
- Jim McMahon
- Steve Young
- Chad Lewis
- Dennis Pitta
- Marc Wilson