Future BYU/Utah State Football Games Canceled Due To Big 12 Move
May 12, 2022, 11:29 AM
BYU vs Utah State in the trenches of the 2019 game. (Nate Edwards/BYU Photo)
(Nate Edwards/BYU Photo)
SALT LAKE CITY – The annual in-state football rivalry between BYU and Utah State will pause for the foreseeable future.
#BYU’s future football games from 2023-26 against Utah State are off.
BYU AD Tom Holmoe’s statement#BYUFootball @kslsports pic.twitter.com/YviKFfA4Ie
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) May 12, 2022
A series that dates back to 1922, the in-state game will not play out the remaining contracted games. The cancelation is due to BYU’s move to the Big 12 Conference. BYU and Utah State were scheduled to play annually from 2023 to 2026.
BYU/Utah State games from 2023-2026 are canceled
The annual “Battle for the Old Wagon Wheel” is another casualty due to conference realignment. However, both schools still have a resolve to try and schedule future games against one another.
“As we prepare to enter Big 12 membership, we’ve had to make many adjustments to nonconference games on our future schedules,” said BYU AD Tom Holmoe in a written statement. “We are grateful to Utah State for being a willing partner in scheduling games throughout the years, especially the last decade as we’ve navigated independence. While we don’t have the Aggies scheduled beyond 2022 at this point, we will continue to work together to play this in-state game again in the future.”
The Aggies are “committed to continuing” a series with BYU into the future from the Utah State side.
Utah State Football Committed to Continuing BYU Series.
🔗➡️ https://t.co/PdXAhhNAVy#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/sUlFCkzuay
— Utah State Athletics (@USUAthletics) May 12, 2022
“Utah State and BYU have a long-standing history of annual competition on the football field and our goal is to continue the rivalry,” said USU Vice President and Director of Athletics John Hartwell. “While we are disappointed to see the series go away for now, we are committed to working with BYU to find scheduling opportunities in the future.”
Battle for the Old Wagon Wheel dates back to 1922
BYU and Utah State have met 90 times on the gridiron. The 2022 meeting on Thursday, September 29, will be played at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo.
The two programs haven’t had a season off against one another since 2007. BYU leads the all-time series 50-37-3.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
