Thursday, July 19, 2012

7/19/2012: BYU 2013 Football Scheduling

If the rumors are true (and since the story broke by an outlet not named ESPN, I tend to believe it more), BYU football will travel to Wisconsin next season, in addition to road contests at Utah State, Houston, Notre Dame, Hawaii, and Washington State.  The home games are currently: Texas, Boise State, Georgia Tech, and Utah.

That's 10 games scheduled, with two (or three) more to go.  Even if you add an FCS school at home and another mediocre-to-bad non-BCS school, it's still a quality schedule.  It may not be one of them "famed" SEC schedules (though even that usually includes 3 Sun Belt schools in addition to Vandy, Kentucky, Ole Miss with 7 or 8 games at home), but I'll take it every day of the week over the old MWC schedules, or the first two Indy schedules.  8 of the 10 are perennial bowl teams, with Utah State and Washington State the others.  Utah State did make a bowl last year, and will likely do so again this year.  Washington State used to be a top 25 team as often as it wasn't (but it's been a decade since then), and just hired Mike Leach as a head coach.

There are 5 games against teams in BCS conferences, not counting Notre Dame.  Boise State and Houston are joining the Big East next season, if you count that.  Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Hawaii, Washington State, Texas, Boise State, Georgia Tech, and Utah have played in BCS bowls.  Houston was one game short of playing in one last season.

Unfortunately, the 2013 team will be a rebuilding team.  Too bad BYU fans couldn't see this year's team play next year's schedule.  Looking at the schedule: an undefeated BYU team would make the National Championship game next season, almost regardless of what happens elsewhere (two 13-0 BCS conference champs might have a say, but in any other scenario, I think the Cougars could easily get the nod).  I couldn't say that about any other schedule BYU has had in the last 15 years.

Of course, looking at the schedule: BYU's chance at going undefeated will be gone by week 3, if not earlier!  Either way: good for BYU and hooray for Independence!

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