The Cincinnati Bearcats and the BYU Cougars have scheduled a 2015-16 home-and-home football series, UC announced today. The two schools have never met in football.
BYU will host the first game of the series at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Oct. 24, 2015. The second and final game of the series will be played at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Nov. 12, 2016.
“We are very pleased to announce this home and home series with BYU,” said UC director of athletic Whit Babcock.” They have a storied history and we look forward to competing against an opponent of their caliber. It should be a wonderful addition to our home schedule in Nippert Stadium for our ticket holders as well as serving as a great student-athlete experience for our players when we travel to Provo.”
Cincinnati’s 2015 non-conference schedule currently includes road games against Miami (FL) and Miami (OH) and a home game against Air Force. However, the Bearcats and Air Force are likely to cancel their 2015/2017 series.
The Cougars now have six games on their 2015 schedule. BYU opens the season at Nebraska and later travels to Southern Miss and Hawaii. Home games currently include Boise State, Utah State, and Cincinnati. Under The Hawaii Exemption, BYU can play 13 games in 2015.
“I like this series with Cincinnati. This will be the first time our football program has ever played in Ohio,” said BYU director of athletics Tom Holmoe. “It meets our objective of playing in different regions of the country and brings another quality football opponent to LaVell Edwards Stadium.”
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Good one!
Independence = failure
BYU will catch on eventully.
Now there’s a compelling, well thought out argument. Good one, Jared.
BYU’s current level of competition already exceeds what they had in the Mountain West. BYU next season (just 3rd year of independence, btw) will enjoy the best single season lineup that it has *ever* had. Furthermore, from my perspective as a fan, I get to see ALL of BYU’s home games live on BYUtv (in HD even, if you can get it OTA), and the contract with ESPN so far has offered me almost all of its road games. From a revenue perspective, BYU is taking in way more $$$ from its contract with ESPN than it ever did with its lackluster share of the Mountain West pie.
How is this failure?
No, Jared. Membership in the Mountain West = failure.
Oh, wait. BYU can’t contend for a conference championship as an independent. Ah, yes, that’s right. But you actually have to WIN your conference in order to cash in on that benefit.
Why Jared? if the average caliber of October and November BYU opponents were to be Cincinnati, Cougar fans would be quite happy.
Didn’t BYU play 2 top 10 teams this October, 1 at home? And wasn’t that on a short scheduling notice? November will be better starting next year.
How is cincy average? They did beat Va tech lost to a Toledo team who’s only lost is Arizona and to lousiville who is undefeated. I for one would love to see both these teams added to the big 12. Both would add depth in football and basketball to a conference.
Cincinnati is an above average FBS school.
An average level of opponent equal to (above average) Cincinnati would be great for BYU.
I think BYU wants to be in the range between YTD 2012 schedule (31st toughest YTD per per Sagarin) and where a schedule of Cincinnatis would put them (21st toughest YTD 2012)