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After much discussion, stress, angst, and posturing about the future of the rivalry, multiple media outlets in Utah are reporting via Twitter that BYU and Utah have agreed to another home-and-home series that will keep the rivals playing -- but not every year. Utah AD Chris Hill told reporters at a media luncheon that the following schedule has been arranged:
2013: Utah @ BYU
2014: --
2015: --
2016: BYU @ Utah
While the sides were unable to schedule games to keep the game a yearly occurrence, the arrangement does show Utah's willingness to continue playing despite difficult Pac 12 scheduling restrictions in regards to non-conference games.
On BYU's side, the 2013 schedule -- repeatedly called the toughest in BYU history by Bronco Mendenhall and AD Tom Holmoe -- has taken further shape. I'm guessing you'll want season tickets:
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BYU 2013 SCHEDULE |
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HOME |
ROAD |
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Notre Dame |
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Georgia Tech |
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*All dates currently set but Washington State. BYU is tentatively set to travel to Wazzu to complete the home-and-home that starts in 2012. BYU also has the option of a 7th home game as it travels to Hawaii.
There is some confusion, however, as currently, the first four weeks set up like this:
1. --
2. Texas
3. --
4. Boise and Utah
FBSchedules.com confirmed today that Boise State at BYU in 2013 was moved to week four, but that is also the date being reported for the Utah game. This leaves several possibilities: Boise State moves to week three (which it does currently have open) or to later in the schedule (November?), or Chris Hill misspoke and the Utah game is not slated for week four -- after all, that would break the Pac-12's non-conference scheduling rules, which stipulate all non-conference games must be played in the first three weeks of the season. (Or, I could be missing something there....)
Given that non-conference scheduling rule, if the Washington State game happens it is almost assured to be in week one.
Whatever it is, that is already one hell of a schedule. Even if BYU fills in with three WAC teams, it is already far and away the best schedule in memory. Hopefully we will learn more about the remaining games soon.