Utah gets to determine future of BYU series


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SALT LAKE CITY — The future of a great college football rivalry appears to rest almost completely in the hands of one school, with the administration in the position to dictate the terms.

As it stands, Utah holds the power when it comes to scheduling games with BYU. Neither side actually needs the other anymore, but the Utes are in a stronger position to determine any future agreement.

If the series is to continue beyond the three games remaining on multiyear contracts, BYU will have to agree to Utah’s terms of playing early in the season. It’s clear Utah athletic director Chris Hill has no intention of playing the game in late November, as was traditional for decades when both teams belonged to the same conference.

In all likelihood, the late-season tradition will die Nov. 24, 2018, in Rice-Eccles Stadium. The other two games between Utah and BYU are scheduled for September 2016 and 2017.

The Utes are intent on keeping late November reserved for fellow Pac-12 conference member Colorado.

“We’re playing (BYU) at the end of the year one game, but it’s mainly not something we’re going to do on a regular basis,” Hill said.


I just want to make sure that we have the series. I think it's not as easy as some people think that we could just come up with a date one way or the other. It does come down to us not being in the same conference.

–Tom Holmoe


For BYU, the problem is finding open dates early in the given seasons. As an independent, BYU is a well-known brand name that has no trouble finding strong opponents to play in September.

Athletic director Tom Holmoe already has scheduled games in September for several seasons, meaning it might be hard to find open dates to play the Utes. Somewhere along the line, both sides might have to compromise.

“I just want to make sure that we have the series,” Holmoe said. “I think it’s not as easy as some people think that we could just come up with a date one way or the other. It does come down to us not being in the same conference.”

For Utah, it’s too risky to schedule BYU for November. If the Utes should find a way to win the Pac-12 South Division, there’s no way they could play the typical emotional game against the Cougars and then rebound in time for the conference championship game the following week.

Since joining the Pac-12, Utah has beaten BYU three times only to follow up with a conference loss in the next game all three seasons. As we’ve seen, Utah’s team and fans expend a lot of emotion for the rivalry game.

For those wanting the series to continue, the good news is Holmoe likely will clear a date for Utah.

“I’m not exactly sure how it will work out,” he said. “We at BYU are willing to just work it out. It’s not that we’re just going to stand on our head, but it’s harder sometimes for us to schedule an earlier game now than it is to schedule a later game, but for them, it’s easier to schedule an earlier game. We’re just going to have to work it out.”

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Hill’s preference obviously is to put the Pac-12 ahead of BYU, which desperately needs to find quality opponents for late-season games. He agreed to the 2018 game to help prevent a Pac-12 team from having to play 12 consecutive weeks without a bye.

Given that Notre Dame alternates between playing Pac-12 members Stanford and USC each November, the conference needs another time to fill the schedule. BYU has filled the need to even out the schedule by agreeing to play several Pac-12 teams.

In an email exchange obtained and published by the Salt Lake Tribune, Hill asked Holmoe about the possibility of continuing the series for September 2019 and 2020. Holmoe responded by citing a date in November 2019 and then September 2020.

Hill shot down the November possibility but is open for continuing the series.

“Tom and I have a good relationship, so we’ll talk about it,” he said.

BYU’s best bet to schedule a quality in-state game in November is Utah State. The Aggies have traditionally played BYU on the first Friday in October, preceding the LDS Church general conference weekend.

The two teams are scheduled to play in Logan Nov. 28 this season. Holmoe said both sides will evaluate the November date to determine which time is best.

“It’s a tradition that we both want to keep going,” Holmoe said. “We’ll have to work it out to see.”

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