The BYU Cougars have moved their football game against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds in 2023 to September, according to a report by the Desert News.
BYU was previously scheduled to host Southern Utah at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. According to a copy of an amendment to the original contract obtained by the Deseret News, the two schools will now meet in Provo in Week 2 on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.
Per the original contract between the two schools that was signed back in 2019, the Cougars will pay the Thunderbirds a $425,000 guarantee for playing the game. BYU will also pay Southern Utah an additional $50,000 for moving the date of the game in 2023, although it does come with a stipulation.
From the contract amendment:
The visiting team agrees that this $50,000 payment shall be considered in good faith by the parties in the negotiation of a guarantee payment due for a future football game, if any, between the parties (e.g., to reduce that future guarantee by an equivalent amount should the game be played at BYU).
In their first and only meeting on the gridiron, BYU defeated Southern Utah 37-7 at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Nov. 12, 2016.
The date change for the Southern Utah game is the latest in a bevy of scheduling moves made by the Cougars as they prepare to begin play in the Big 12 next season. A couple of weeks ago, the Tennessee Volunteers canceled their season-opening game at BYU in lieu of playing the Virginia Cavaliers in Nashville, Tenn.
BYU is also scheduled to travel to play at the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. The Cougars need one more non-conference opponent, which will likely be the season-opener.
Football Schedules
Kevin Kelley,
I’m very excited for this 2022’s Week 7 Game VS UArkansas Razorbacks.
The Razorbacks current program Administration / Coaching seems to have the confidence to schedule Road Games outside the SEC Footprint.
Only Trust Five Conference Schools UWisconsin & USC’s most recent Contracts have been willing to play BYU Home & Home in the Independence Era, play BYU in Provo & follow through on their Contracts.
Everyone else has required a Two for One or BYU to play @ their Stadium multiple One Offs before they will return a Game to Provo.
Notre Dame, 2 for 1, contracted in 2010: BYU played the Fighting Irish in south Bend in 2012 & 2013. Notre Dame is playing BYU in Allegiant Stadium in the Shamrock Classic as the Home Team this Season, biggest Welsh on a Football Game Contract in Twelve Years. Texas, 2 for 1. Stanford, 2 for 1. Washington, 1 for 1. UTennessee, BYU played in September in Knoxville in 2019. UTennessee cancelled 2023’s Game in Provo. Refuses to follow through on a First Week of the Season mutually beneficial Date for both Schools.
When major Power-5 schools construct their out-of-conference schedules against Group of 5 programs, it is either for a one-time meeting or a 2-for-1 series. BYU is not alone in this situation. For some of the lesser Power-5 programs, the major Power-5 schools prefer, “our turn is at our house, your turn is at a neutral site.” It’s not personal; it is just business as usual.
USC and Wisconsin were not even deals, they were 2 for 1s.
Stanford’s was in fact even, a 2 for 2 then 4 for 4. Also even deals for BYU were Michigan State, Missouri, Minnesota, Miami, Georgia Tech, Oregon State, Virginia, Utah, Washington State, Cal, UCLA, Mississippi State, Washington, Arizona State, NC State. Va Tec, etc .
I’m excited to see what the 2023 Big 12 looks like. As a Big 12 fan, should be fun.
Jay,
Me too.
Have there been any concrete Announcements from the B12 Spring Meetings this Weekend?
I’ve heard Nothing Substantive.
Do You think the B12 conference will wait to announce whether Divisions will be scrapped before the …”CFP, BCS, Holdings LLC Bill Hancock: Chief Executive Manager – SEC Administration announce which they’re going to do?
Looked it over. In 2023, if they’re trying to add their third non-con (most likely G5) in week 1, looks like they can add James Madison, UNLV, FIU, MTSU, Jacksonville State, or Sam Houston State without any of those schools changing their current 2023 schedules. I don’t think it’ll be UNLV as it will give them a third P5 opponent. Doubt they’re looking to do that.
UNLV would just be putting the game BYU recently cancelled back on the schedule for 2023.
Fresno State needs a name and could play at BYU in Week Zero, but that would leave them with only 5 home games, so BYU would likely have to play them a very large guarantee to do that.
Stanford could also play at BYU in Week Zero without changing their schedule, if they want to play a 13-game schedule in 2023, perhaps in connection with updating their overall contract.
I’m guessing they will just add one of the new FBS schools given they are already going to be playing ten P5 teams.
It’s still a bit surprising that Tennessee didn’t pull the plug on their Week 1 game before BYU had gotten all the way down to 3 games for 2023.