U of U Non-conference Scheduling

[UtahUte1978]

Looks like the PAC12 - Big10 is kick-starting their agreement and many teams are already signing 1 for 1 deals as early as 2014.

Utah appears to be making a deal with Michigan in 2014 and 2015. http://www.fbschedules.com/2012/06/m...otball-series/

With an additional Big 10 opponent to add to the mix of nine PAC 12 opponents, look for Utah to limit its non-conference opponents to programs who are willing to agree to 2 for 1 deals. Having a seven or eight game home schedule will be paramount to Utah remaining competitive in the PAC 12. Alternating USU/BYU to fill one slot, along with alternating a former MWC foe/FBS team to fill the other slot.

Having Michigan as the first Big10 foe would be a huge get for Utah! Michigan at RES?! Awesome!

[DU Ute]

Welcome! Stick around, fellow Ute fan.

[UtahUte1978]

U of U's 2014 and 2014 Schedules, assuming Michigan deal goes through:

2014 Home games Bold.

FBS team
USU
Michigan
Arizona
Arizona State
UCLA
USC
Stanford
Oregon
Oregon State
Washington
Colorado

2015

MWC team
BYU
Michigan
Arizona
Arizona State
UCLA
USC
California
Oregon
Oregon State
Washington State
Colorado

Amazing schedules!

My only beef is that the Michigan deal is rumored to have Utah at Michigan in 2014, and host Michigan 2015. It would make much more sense for Utah to host Michigan in 2014 since they only have 4 PAC 12 home games in even years. But I'm sure Michigan has their own restrictions. I'm willing to have just 6 home games in 2014 if we get 8 in 2015, and host Michigan.

[Sullyute]

With an additional Big 10 opponent to add to the mix of nine PAC 12 opponents, look for Utah to limit its non-conference opponents to programs who are willing to agree to 2 for 1 deals. Having a seven or eight game home schedule will be paramount to Utah remaining competitive in the PAC 12. Alternating USU/BYU to fill one slot, along with alternating a former MWC foe/FBS team to fill the other slot.

Not my first choice but I think alternating BYU and Utah State each year is a good compromise.

[The_Douger]

I'm not sure BYU is going to be available to play at your fancy.

[Brian]

I'm not sure BYU is going to be available to play at your fancy. Rimshot!

FIFY.

[TripletDaddy]

it's a sting.

[Top Ute]

U of U's 2014 and 2014 Schedules, assuming Michigan deal goes through:

2014 Home games Bold.

FBS team
USU
Michigan
Arizona
Arizona State
UCLA
USC
Stanford
Oregon
Oregon State
Washington
Colorado

2015

MWC team
BYU
Michigan
Arizona
Arizona State
UCLA
USC
California
Oregon
Oregon State
Washington State
Colorado

Amazing schedules!

My only beef is that the Michigan deal is rumored to have Utah at Michigan in 2014, and host Michigan 2015. It would make much more sense for Utah to host Michigan in 2014 since they only have 4 PAC 12 home games in even years. But I'm sure Michigan has their own restrictions. I'm willing to have just 6 home games in 2014 if we get 8 in 2015, and host Michigan.

Until I see otherwise, I'm going to assume we go to Provo in odd-numbered years, host BYU in even-numbered years. Just as things stand now.

Going to Ann Arbor in 2014 and hosting UM in 2015 allows Utah to go ahead and schedule BYU for the 2013-14 seasons. Add the requisite FCS teams, and your schedule is set through 2015.

[UtahUte1978]

I'm not sure BYU is going to be available to play at your fancy.

BYU has two open Saturdays in September in each of the upcoming seasons. So, I'm not believing the availability issue. But even if BYU's September schedule was full, I'm not sure it makes sense for BYU to schedule Boise State in September like it has in 2012 and 2015. To me it would make more sense to play Utah in September given that Utah CAN'T play BYU any other time and insist Boise State play BYU in October and November where independent scheduling is tougher to work out. I doubt the Big East has the same restrictions as the PAC 12.

[The_Douger]

BYU has two open Saturdays in September in each of the upcoming seasons. So, I'm not believing the availability issue. But even if BYU's September schedule was full, I'm not sure it makes sense for BYU to schedule Boise State in September like it has in 2012 and 2015. To me it would make more sense to play Utah in September given that Utah CAN'T play BYU any other time and insist Boise State play BYU in October and November where independent scheduling is tougher to work out. I doubt the Big East has the same restrictions as the PAC 12.

My point is, and this is secondhand info, BYU feels like they've accomodated Utah enough by playing when it's convenient for you, i.e. earlier in the year.

BYU isn't sitting by the phone like a hopeful schoolgirl waiting for a call from good ol' buddy Utah to see when they can play at their convenience. BYU wants to play, but wants some stability on the issue, and if Utah continues to play coy and not schedule something, chances are this might be revisted in the future down the road.

You'd have BYU bent over a barrell over this if it was a November game, but there's plenty of interesting opponents to play at the start of the year.

[UtahUte1978]

Until I see otherwise, I'm going to assume we go to Provo in odd-numbered years, host BYU in even-numbered years. Just as things stand now.

Going to Ann Arbor in 2014 and hosting UM in 2015 allows Utah to go ahead and schedule BYU for the 2013-14 seasons. Add the requisite FCS teams, and your schedule is set through 2015.

The bottom line is, Utah absolutely has to have 7 home games at a MINIMUM to remain competitive with the rest of the PAC 12 teams who are scheduling 7 or even 8 home games. With only two non-conference opponents to schedule, it's asking way too much of Utah to accommodate BYU with a yearly 1 for 1 agreement, especially considering the U of U is a state school and should feel obliged to play USU on a regular basis as well. Alternating BYU and USU is the compromise that will need to be made, especially if BYU won't let Utah have an additional home game in the agreement.

Look at other PAC 12 teams' non-conference schedules:

Arizona: 8 home games in 2012, non-conference games against UNLV, Texas-San-Antonio, and Nevada in 2013-2015.

Arizona State: 7 home games in 2012, non-conference games against Weber State, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Notre Dame in 2013-2015.

Colorado: 7 home games in 2012, non-conference games against Sacramento State, Central Arkansas, UMASS, Hawaii, and Fresno State in 2013-2015.

UCLA: 7 home games in 2012, non-conference games against Nevada, Nebraska, Virginia, New Mexico State, and Texas in 2013-2015.

USC: 6 home games in 2012, non-conference games against Notre Dame, Utah State, Boston College, and Hawaii in 2013-2015.

California: 7 home games in 2012, non-conference games against Nevada, Southern Utah, Northwestern, and Ohio State in 2013-2015.

Oregon: 8 home games in 2012, non-conference games against Nevada, Wyoming, Tennessee, and Michigan State in 2013-2015.

Oregon State: 7 home games in 2012, non-conference games against Eastern Washington, Hawaii, San Diego State, Portland State, and Weber State in 2013-2015.

Stanford: 6 home games in 2012, non-conference games against Notre Dame, Army, San Jose State, Northwestern in 2013-2015.

Washington: 6 home games in 2012, non-conference games against Idaho State, Eastern Washington, Hawaii, Boise State, Sacramento State, and Illinois in 2013-2015.

Washington State: 6 home games in 2012, non-conference games against Idaho, BYU, Auburn, Wisconsin, and Nevada in 2013-2015.

The pattern is 7 home games per year, with one tough Big10 game, one mid-major, and one lower mid-major or a DII team. After Utah schedules a tough Big 10 game to go along with 9 PAC 12 games, you're being ridiculous if you think it's wise for Utah to fill their remaining two games with hard-fought in-state rivalry games year in and year out. Especially if it means only getting 6 home games to fulfill BYU's wishes of playing in Provo every other year. The only PAC 12 team who has bent over backwards to continue a rivalry is USC. BYU fans love to point to USC v. Notre Dame, but forget to look at Colorado and Colorado State. Colorado only continues to play Colorado State on a yearly basis on the condition that ZERO games are played at CSU. Utah should pattern its scheduling after teams like the Arizona schools and Colorado rather than USC, let's get real here.

[UtahUte1978]

My point is, and this is secondhand info, BYU feels like they've accomodated Utah enough by playing when it's convenient for you, i.e. earlier in the year.

BYU isn't sitting by the phone like a hopeful schoolgirl waiting for a call from good ol' buddy Utah to see when they can play at their convenience. BYU wants to play, but wants some stability on the issue, and if Utah continues to play coy and not schedule something, chances are this might be revisted in the future down the road.

You'd have BYU bent over a barrell over this if it was a November game, but there's plenty of interesting opponents to play at the start of the year.

Playing BYU in September isn't "convenient" for Utah. It is the ONLY time Utah can play BYU. There is no compromise there to be had. If BYU feels neglected because Utah can't fit them onto the schedule every year, BYU should be angry at the PAC-12 for not inviting them and re-visit that in the future down the road and boycott future scheduling of PAC-12 teams if it's so inclined. Utah is just doing what is best for itself, just like EVERYONE else. The PAC-12 went out if its way to leave BYU out, BYU's beef should be with the PAC-12, not Utah.

[UtahUte1978]

Attempt to sway thread back to its original intention.

I'm going to attempt to sway this thread back to its original intention: discussing upcoming non-conference opponents. The blame game as to who is at fault for BYU-Utah likely not playing every year should be in another thread.

I actually already miss playing some MWC teams like Wyoming, New Mexico, and CSU. No way in hell I'd ever want to schedule anyone like TCU or AFA. But I'd love to see the U fill a slot with a lower tier MWC opponent rather than a DII team.

I hope Chris Hill sees this as well. Who would you like to see Utah schedule? Granted, scheduling WYO, CSU, or New Mexico does little for recruiting, whereas, scheduling a team like Houston or SMU could potentially win over a couple Texas recruits every year.

[Scorcho]

I'm going to attempt to sway this thread back to its original intention: discussing upcoming non-conference opponents. The blame game as to who is at fault for BYU-Utah likely not playing every year should be in another thread.

I actually already miss playing some MWC teams like Wyoming, New Mexico, and CSU. No way in hell I'd ever want to schedule anyone like TCU or AFA. But I'd love to see the U fill a slot with a lower tier MWC opponent rather than a DII team.

I hope Chris Hill sees this as well. Who would you like to see Utah schedule? Granted, scheduling WYO, CSU, or New Mexico does little for recruiting, whereas, scheduling a team like Houston or SMU could potentially win over a couple Texas recruits every year.

once the Big 10 cross-over games begin, there are virtually 2 spots open ever year. I assume BYU or Utah State will fill those spots on a regular basis. That leaves one out of conference game per year. While I would like to play occasionally in Texas, all of those schools are going to require return visits. I foresee Utah playing Big Sky Schools and either Utah State or BYU from here on out. I really don't see there is room for much else.

[TripletDaddy]

The PAC 12 will soon be begging BYU to play Utah in November.