Estimated read time: 8-9 minutes
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SALT LAKE CITY — Not even seven weeks separates us from college football. Close enough to actually look at schedules and opponents and have some sense of how things will play out.
This week KSL.com looked at the swing games for the local schools. If someone picked the nine biggest games of the season schools like USC, Oregon, Stanford, Boise State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Texas would probably make be the list. Throw in the rivalry games and there are some very good games to check out.
However they might not be the most important games for the local teams. A true measure of how good Utah is probably won't be whether they can beat Oregon on the road. That would be nice, but incredibly hard to pull off. How the Utes, and Cougars and Aggies, perform this season will depend on the swing games.
These are the games that can go either way and show where a program is as a whole. The crew that put this together this week was Greg Wrubell for BYU, Robert Jackson and [Mike Grant](<https://twitter.com/mikegrantksl >) of the Crimson Corner for Utah and Matt Glade for Utah State.
Each expert had three swing games for their school. And discussed why they fit the bill of swing games.
[BYU's Swing Games:](<http://www.ksl.com/?sid=25909717&nid=498&title=byus-three-swing-games-in-2013 >)
Utah Sept. 21 in Provo:
"BYU's last win over Utah came in 2009, and if the Cougars can't beat the Utes at home in 2013, they won't get another crack at their in-state rivals until 2016 at the earliest. Seven-year itch, indeed.
"A fourth straight loss to Utah would be BYU's second such losing skid since 2001, and would give the Utes nine wins in the last 12 meetings, as well as six wins in nine games against the Bronco Mendenhall-era Cougars.
#byu
"BYU needs this win."
Boise State Oct. 25 in Provo:
"Boise State is not only a nationally-renowned college football powerhouse, it has quietly turned itself into a BYU nemesis, winning all three meetings-—in 2003, 2004 and 2012. While the last two wins were nail-biters, both were particularly galling.
"BYU's meeting with Boise State could conceivably result in one or other being eliminated from BCS consideration, should either team be rolling on October 25th. At the very least, the game affords BYU the chance to finally break through against Boise State—one of only four teams BYU has faced at least three times without a win (BYU is 0-3 v. Boise State and Ohio State; 0-4 against Florida State and Iowa State)."
Notre Dame Nov. 23 in South Bend:"A participant in last season's BCS Championship game, Notre Dame was pretty much played to a standstill by BYU last October. Leading the Irish at the half and again after three quarters, BYU allowed one too many big run plays late and misfired on a would-be fourth-quarter touchdown pass that might have given the Cougars the win.
"This season, the Notre Dame game is placed on the schedule about a month later than last year's meeting. It will be colder, and more wintry than autumnal, with potentially more on the line for BYU. Should the Cougars arrive at Notre Dame under the national microscope, the game in South Bend could affix a pigskin imprimatur."
Utah, Boise State and Notre Dame are the three games Wrubell has decided will shape the landscape for BYU. He had one for each month and the Cougars lost to all three teams last year.
[Utah's Swing Games:](<http://www.ksl.com/?sid=25945998&nid=840&title=utahs-three-swing-games-in-2013 >)
Utah State Aug. 29 in Salt Lake City:
"The number one game has to be the number one game of the season versus the Utah State Aggies. The last few years Utah has not gotten off to great starts against the week one opponents.
"Most of the time the Utes will open with an FCS team - but there is no time for a warmup this season. Utah State and Chuckie Keeton come to Rice-Eccles on August 29th.
#utah
"Make no mistake Utah fans, this is a swing game to get off to a good start to the 2013 season. The Utes goal to get to a bowl game will largely depend on the first five games of the season."
Oregon State Sept. 14 in Salt Lake City:
"The number two swing game is week three against Oregon State.
"In its first two years in the Pac-12 conference, Utah has started 0-4. That will not cut it in 2013. The Utes first chance to start the conference season out right is at home in week three.
"The Utes need to start showing some signs of improvement - and we will look for that this season, even with the tough schedule. One way to do that is to start winning your conference home games - all of them. We realize that the Utes also host UCLA, Stanford, and Arizona State and winning all of those will be extremely difficult."
Arizona State Nov. 9 in Salt Lake City:
"While the Utes have at least been competitive in most of the conference matchups since joining the Pac-12 in 2011, one team clearly has had the Utes' number.
"In the two contests as Pac-12 South division foes, the Arizona State Sun Devils have throttled the Utes by a combined 72-21, including a 37-7 victory in Tempe last season.
"Sandwiched between four road games - two of which are against USC and Oregon, Utah's week 10 (9th game of season) home showdown with Arizona State could be the difference between the Utes going to a bowl game and sitting home in December for the second straight season."
Three home games for the Utes. The Utes are still trying to find their footing the Pac-12 and winning at home is the first big step. Rice-Eccles has been a tough place to walk into and win, but the Pac-12 has removed some of the fear. If the Utes are going bowling they will need to hold serve at home.
[Utah State's Swing Games:](<http://www.ksl.com/?sid=25960022&nid=858&title=utah-states-3-swing-games-in-2013 >)
Utah Aug. 29 in Salt Lake City:
"This game falls under the category of building confidence. "In 2012, Utah State beat Utah in an absolutely incredible game that took overtime to decide. The Utes made a tremendous comeback but the Aggies outlasted them for the 27-20 victory. Let's remember that that win was their first win over the Utes since 1997.
#usu
"Compare it to 2011 and their opening game loss to the defending national champions, Auburn. They led that game by double digits with three minutes left and lost. You think that wasn't in their head for a while? Two weeks later, Colorado State rallied back in the fourth quarter and beat the Aggies in double overtime. The next week at BYU.
"The point of this is, that fourth quarter collapse set the tone for the first half of the 2011 season — it was in their head."
BYU Oct. 4 in Logan:
"This game falls under the possibly stop-the-bleeding category.
"The Utes and the Cougars bookend THE most crucial stretch for the Aggies in 2013; they have to have those 2 games. Losing at Utah sets them up for the daunting task of winning two of three against Air Force— always good at home — USC or San Jose State in order to come out that stretch with a 3-2 record.
"Conversely, if they finish their first five games with a record of 2-3, or even 1-4 — both of which are very realistic considering the circumstances — their game against BYU becomes a must win if Utah State is going to have a chance at going to a bowl game. Being 1-5 heading into the heart of MWC play is not ideal."
Boise State Oct. 12 in Logan:
"This one falls under kick-starting momentum.
"I am fully aware that this game comes right after the BYU game and that putting two swing games right next to each other might seem a bit far-fetched, but hey, don't blame me, that's just how the schedule plays out. "The reason I pick Boise is because a) it's the beginning of the heart of conference play and b) it's Boise State!"
Local Swing Games:
Nine games, six matchups, among three teams that could make this season full of grief or greatness. These aren't the biggest games per se, but the ones that will define these programs for the year.
#poll
It isn't hard to argue that the BYU-Utah rivalry game is the biggest game of the season. Mostly because of the external factors including not playing for two more years and the current role Utah is on. And, sorry Utah State, but these two are the premier programs, at least for another year.
The Utah-Utah State game probably comes next. If the Aggies can get three in a row then they earned the right to be in the discussion of the top programs. The BYU-Utah State game will come next. Again, if Utah State gets the win then the brother isn't little anymore it is three schools who are at the top of the state.
The next game in line would probably be Utah vs. Oregon State. They need to be competitive in their conference and these are the games that will do that. Utah State's schedule isn't nearly as daunting and BYU doesn't have a conference to worry about.
After that game the pair of BYU games come next. The Notre Dame game is all about exposure. BYU and Utah State need to win against Boise State to become a BCS threat.
Utah's final swing game against Arizona State rounds out the list.
Is there a game that means more to these schools? Do you think one of these games doesn't matter, let us know on Twitter, in the comments or any other way you see fit.
Next week KSL.com will take another look at the opponents for the local schools.
