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SALT LAKE CITY — Even though the Utes bludgeoned the Wildcats, 70-7, in week two, Weber State hopes to continue a regular football series with the University of Utah.
“We hope that every three or four years we’re on their schedule,” Wildcats athletic director Jerry Bovee said. “The best case scenario for us would be able to get BYU on the schedule, to be able to get Utah State and play Utah and keep these games for us close to home and keep some guaranteed money in the state. I think that’s good for everybody.”
Bovee said playing in pay-to-play games is a priority for Weber State.
“We’re in the mindset of playing at least one a year,” Bovee said. “We’re getting out of the mindset of playing two money games if we can. But, if you’re going to play one, why not play one close to home?”
Utah athletic director Chris Hill is also supportive of keeping a dialogue open for future scheduling of the Wildcats.
“I think it’s going to be every so many years,” Hill said. “You can’t do it too often, and Weber wants to get around other places for their athletes. So, I think it’s just a mix-and-match, and Jerry and I will talk.”
Hill said at this point there haven’t been discussions about a future Utah-Weber State matchup because of the change in the landscape of college athletics.
#UtesCats
“We don’t schedule out as far as we used to 10, 15 years ago,” Hill said. “With nine games, we don’t have as much pressure to schedule too far out.”
Bovee said Weber State is committed to playing in-state competition, and made the point that Weber is an attractive schedule partner for FBS schools.
“Our philosophy is if you’re going to pay a guarantee to have someone come play, it might as well be us,” Bovee said. “Matching up schedules is more difficult than people think — it’s like a puzzle to some degree. But if the puzzle fits, I know they (Utah) want to play us and we want to be here.”
