BYU Football to Open 2023 Season Versus Sam Houston State

BYU announced Wednesday morning that they will open the 2023 season versus Sam Houston State, BYU’s first game as a member of the Big 12. BYU also announced a game with SUU in 2025.

The Bearkats are currently a FCS program, but the 2023 season will be their first as a FBS member. They join Conference-USA on July 1, 2023. The Bearkats won the FCS national championship in 2020.

With the move BYU’s 2023 schedule appears to be set. BYU will play 9 Big 12 games and the below 3 non-conference games.

September 2 — vs Sam Houston State

September 9 — vs SUU

September 16 — at Arkansas

This format could be a pattern for many of BYU’s future non-conference schedules — one FCS team, one G5, and one P5 game. BYU will likely lose many contributors from the 2022 team, so going with SHSU over another P5 team is probably the best move as just getting bowl eligible may be the goal for BYU in 2023.