History Shows BYU Football Is Good In Season Openers At Home

PROVO, Utah – BYU football has a unique opportunity in front of them to kick off the 2019 football season.  The Cougars will host a nationally ranked team in Provo to begin a new campaign.

Starting off a season in Provo usually means victories for BYU to open.

Since 1972 (LaVell Edwards first season), BYU is 14-5 in season openers at home in Provo.  That’s a 74-percent winning percentage.

The No. 14 Utah Utes, a rival, and winners of eight straight over BYU might be the Cougars toughest challenge to open a season at home since 1972.

Here are some of the notable season-opening games in Provo dating back to 1972.

1996 Pigskin Classic: BYU 41, No. 13 Texas A&M 37

BYU delivers the “K.O. Punch” to nationally-ranked Texas A&M in the Pigskin Classic to open up the 1996 season. This is BYU’s lone victory in a season opener at home against a nationally ranked team. Could Utah be the second?

1999: BYU 35, Washington 28

Quarterback Kevin Feterik threw for 501 yards to spoil Rick Neuheisel’s debut as the Huskies new head coach.

2001: BYU 70, Tulane 35

Gary Crowton’s debut as head coach of BYU started out with a bang. The Cougars who were standing on the west sideline to avoid the heat and get into the shade put up 70 points on the Green Wave’s defense that had no answer for running back Luke Staley and quarterback Brandon Doman.

2004: BYU 20, Notre Dame 17

Amid scandals off the field, BYU pulled off a victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to open the 2004 campaign. Quarterback Matt Berry was thrown into the game after John Beck suffered an injury. It was the beginning of the end for Notre Dame head coach Tyron Willingham who was fired after that season.

2007: BYU 20, Arizona 7

Coming off of a season where there were the Mountain West champions, BYU had a lot of questions entering 2007. The Cougars put a lot of those questions to rest as young promising players Max Hall and Harvey Unga delivered a revenge game victory over the Wildcats.

2010: BYU 23, Washington 17

In a night where BYU was honoring their history of quarterbacks, the Cougars defeated Pac-10 foe Washington with a two-quarterback system in Jake Heaps and Riley Nelson. Former BYU QB Steve Sarkisian was the head man for the Huskies in that game.

2012: BYU 30, Washington State 6

The battle of the Cougars and it was the debut of Mike Leach as the head coach of the Cougs from the Palouse. BYU rolled to a dominating victory and it was never in doubt.

Just arrived at LaVell Edwards Stadium. I’m covering the #BYU vs Washington State game tonight. #GameDay is here. http://t.co/l32NdqQe

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) August 30, 2012

BYU’s losses against ranked teams in home season openers

Next Thursday’s game against No. 14 Utah will mark the first time BYU has hosted a ranked team in Provo to open a season since 2005. The Cougars are 1-2 against ranked teams in home season-opening games.

Utah checks in at No. 14 in the first AP Poll of the 2019 season.

Last time #BYU played a ranked team to open a season was 10 years ago against Oklahoma.

The Utah game will be the first season-opener vs ranked team in Provo since Boston College in 2005.

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) August 19, 2019

1997: No. 4 Washington 42, BYU 20

Sophomore quarterback Brock Huard was straight dealing on BYU’s depleted roster who lost every one of significance from the previous year’s 14-1 squad in 1996.

2005: No. 22 Boston College 20, BYU 3

Bronco Mendenhall’s debut as head coach and Robert Anae’s first game as offensive coordinator did not go smoothly. The Cougars were dominated by Boston College’s defense led by defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka and BYU was held to just three points. Cougar fans reigned down boo’s that Mendenhall never forgot in his days coaching in Provo.

Rivalry game history to open a season in Provo

BYU’s game against Utah next Thursday will be only the second time since 1972 that the Cougars have opened a season at home against an in-state rival.

1986: BYU 52, Utah State 0

Jason Buck and BYU’s defense completely dominated the Utah State offense that was led by first year offensive coordinator and former BYU tight end Brian Billick.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.