Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PROVO — BYU's dance with Southern Methodist isn't over just yet.
In conjunction with the ACC's announcement of a seven-year scheduling model Monday, the Cougars and Mustangs revealed they will meet for the fifth time next year at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas. The return game of the home-and-home series between the ACC newcomers and new Big 12 foe BYU will be played in 2027 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo.
BYU leads the all-time series 4-0, including a 24-23 win in last year's New Mexico Bowl when Jakob Robinson stopped SMU on a 2-point conversion attempt short of the goal line in the final seconds.
The first meeting is perhaps the most famous, when All-American quarterback Jim McMahon rallied BYU from 20-down in the final four minutes of the 1980 Holiday Bowl, scoring the game-winning touchdown on a Hail Mary pass to All-American tight end Clay Brown as time expired.
BYU and SMU also met twice as members of the 16-team Western Athletic Conference in 1996 and 1997.
BYU and SMU have announced the two schools have agreed to play a two-game football series in 2024 and 2027, while the Cougars and Weber State also announced future football games between the two in-state universities will take place in 2027 and 2030. pic.twitter.com/ytLDhz1YJU
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) October 30, 2023
The Cougars were originally scheduled to open the 2024 season — their second in the Big 12 — against Southern Illinois on Aug. 31, followed by a Sept. 7 trip to in-state rival Utah and a road game Sept. 14 at Wyoming.
With that Utah game now included as part of the soon-to-be 16-team Big 12 schedule, it's likely the SMU game will take the place of that contest, though BYU did not immediately confirm it. The Mustangs have a scheduled opening Sept. 7, with previously scheduled nonconference tilts Sept. 14 at Vanderbilt and Sept. 21 against TCU that were set prior to SMU's move to the ACC.
The Cougars' Sept. 4, 2027 game against Weber State will be the first meeting between the two in-state opponents since 2012 and just the fourth meeting in the history of both programs. BYU will also host the Wildcats on Aug. 31, 2030.
The Cougars' 2027 nonconference schedule previously included a home game against Utah and a road game at Arizona — both newcomers to the Big 12 in 2024 — while the 2030 scheduled included Utah and a home game with Virginia Tech.








