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