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A 2015 BYU Football schedule that already includes a game at Nebraska got more of a Big Ten boost today with the news that the Cougars will visit Ann Arbor to face the University of Michigan.
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BYU announced the game on Monday afternoon, in a press release that reads as follows:
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PROVO, Utah (Nov. 6, 2012) — BYU and the University of Michigan today announced the two football programs will meet on Sept. 26, 2015, at Michigan Stadium, in Ann Arbor.
Michigan Stadium, known as The Big House due to its seating capacity of 109,901, is one of the most widely recognized sporting facilities in the country.
"It's a great opportunity to play an outstanding football team in one of the legendary football stadiums in the country," said BYU director of athletics Tom Holmoe. "Michigan had an opening in its 2015 schedule and the circumstance was right for BYU. We hope to develop a long-term relationship with Michigan."
BYU and Michigan have met just once in football with the Cougars earning a 24-17 victory in the 1984 Holiday Bowl. The win capped off a perfect 13-0 season for BYU and set the stage for the Cougars winning the 1984 National Championship.
BYU played its first season of intercollegiate football in 1922. In 87 seasons the Cougars have appeared in 30 bowl games, had 71 All-Americans and is the only school in the country with at least one winner of the following major awards: Heisman Trophy, Outland Trophy, Doak Walker Award, Davey O'Brien Award and Sammy Baugh Trophy.
Recently, BYU has been ranked in the Top 25 each of the past seven years, while appearing in seven straight bowl games. The Cougars have captured at least 10 wins in five of the past six seasons and are No. 12 nationally in total wins since 2005.
Michigan began playing intercollegiate football in 1879, and has won more football games than any other FBS school in the country (895 wins entering the 2012 season). The Wolverines have played in 41 bowl games and have been ranked in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll in 38 of the last 44 seasons.
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BYU's 2015 schedule includes announced games with:
Nebraska (road)
Michigan (road)
Southern Miss (road)
Hawai'i (road)
Boise State (home)
Utah State (home)
Cincinnati (home)
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BYU has additionally contracted games with Texas (2013, 2014), Georgia Tech (2013), Wisconsin (2013, 2017, 2018), Notre Dame (2013; up to four more games to be determined), West Virginia (2016), Houston (2013, 2014), Cincinnati (2016) and Southern Miss (2014).
Game have also been scheduled with Middle Tennessee State (2013, 2014), East Carolina (2017, 2018) and Central Florida (2014). BYU is due to return a game with Washington State in Pullman, but a year and date for that game has yet to be announced.
Boise State, Utah State and Hawaii remain on the schedule for 2013 and 2014, with the Broncos and Warriors having entered into long-term annual scheduling deals with BYU.
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BYU is not scheduled to face Utah in either 2014 or 2015. Interestingly, Utah's rationale for dropping the BYU game was centered on a two-game series with Michigan; the Utes will visit the Wolverines in 2014, and host U-M in 2015.
BYU has a tentative deal in place to meet Utah in 2013 (Provo) and 2016 (Salt Lake City).
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It is expected that one of the above-listed 2013 games will disappear from the schedule, after Holmoe reported last week that one of next season's contracted teams asked out its agreement with BYU.
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Photo/Graphic: Courtesy BYU Athletic Communications
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