Taking Inventory Of BYU Football’s Future Nonconference Schedules
Sep 12, 2024, 6:14 PM | Updated: 6:14 pm
BYU football will face SMU in a future nonconference game in 2027. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – As BYU football continues to sort out its future nonconference schedules after the Big 12 added the “Four Corner” schools, it’s a good time to get a snapshot of where things stand.
BYU finalized its 2025 opponents for next season. For 2026, there are still questions.
BYU has games scheduled from 2025 up to the 2035 season.
2025 BYU Football Nonconference Schedule
August 30 – Portland State
September 6 – Stanford
September 20 – at East Carolina
The 2025 nonconference schedule has been finalized, with Portland State and Stanford added to the out-of-league schedule. Stanford moves up from the 2031 season, and Portland State slides in as the FCS opponent.
We mentioned the possibility of Stanford moving up in May. Tom Holmoe has a long history with Stanford brass, as shown by his connections to the Bay Area. It made a lot of sense, especially with Stanford’s series with Notre Dame up in the air.
BYU stayed true to honoring the return visit to East Carolina after the Pirates played in Provo in 2022.
2026
September 5 – Utah Tech
September 19 – at Colorado State
October 17 – USF
BYU has three nonconference games scheduled, but they need a Power Four opponent. Who would have thought that a game at Colorado State would be a matchup against a Pac-12 team?
The game against USF will be interesting to monitor. But what’s notable is that the date of the USF game moved to October 17 after BYU was invited to the Big 12.
In BYU’s history since receiving the Big 12 invite in 2021, the games that received new dates after BYU got the call up to the power league club ended up being played (Arkansas, Wyoming).
Perhaps BYU can move up its 2027 meeting with SMU in Provo to 2026. Neither program announced a date for the return visit to Utah. The Mustangs need two non-ACC games for the 2026 season.
2027
September 4 – Weber State
Home Game – vs. SMU
See the note above regarding SMU. After the victory in Dallas earlier this month, BYU is 5-0 all-time against SMU. Even more interesting is that those victories spread out over four conferences for the Mustangs (Southwest, WAC, American, ACC).
2028
September 16 – Ole Miss
Ole Miss has four non-SEC games scheduled for the 2028 season. That’s great if the SEC maintains the eight-game conference schedule. If they go to nine, could that throw a wrench in this series? The thought as of now would be no, considering that SEC teams are required to play one power opponent in nonconference each year.
This is a valuable series to protect, as the first game is in Provo.
2029
September 8 – Colorado State
Road Game – at Ole Miss
Pac-12 and SEC opponents in one year.
2030
August 31 – Weber State
September 14 – Virginia Tech
The series with Virginia Tech was originally lined up in 2017. Initially, BYU was scheduled to go to Blacksburg in 2026, then Provo in 2030. The game in Provo hasn’t changed, as it remains on Virginia Tech’s official site. On the flip side, BYU’s trip to Blacksburg got pushed back after BYU received a Big 12 invite to 2033.
Who knows what college football will look like in 2030, but this schedule would be the perfect spot to add a Group of Five team to Provo in an effort to get an assumed eight home games (if the Big 12 gives BYU five league games in Provo this season).
2031
August 30 – Southern Utah
This will be the first year of new Big 12 media rights, so who knows what college football will be like in 2031?
2032
September 11 – Michigan State
Home Game – vs. Army West Point
If this game between BYU and Michigan State is played, it will be the return visit from a game played in East Lansing in 2016. Initially, this game was supposed to be played in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic took that away.
The Army West Point series was added because of the COVID pandemic, but the 2020 game never materialized on the banks of the Hudson River due to a COVID outbreak within the BYU program at the time.
I’d be surprised if Army travels to Provo, especially since they are now a football member of the American Athletic Conference. It would be a game that Tom Holmoe has dreamed of lining up for years.
2033
September 10 – at Virginia Tech
September 17 – Coastal Carolina
Enter Sandman in Blacksburg and a chance at revenge over Coastal; the 2033 slate is already loaded. What’s interesting about the Coastal Carolina game is that it will be the return visit for the legendary 72-hour notice 2020 game in Conway.
When BYU traveled across the country, they had no contract for a future game. It’s great that a game is on the books for Provo, but it’s a shame it isn’t scheduled sooner.
2034
No Games Scheduled
I’m happy we don’t need to plan our schedules a decade from now.
2035
September 8 – Missouri
September 15 – at Troy
The Missouri game stems from the 2020 COVID season. Meanwhile, the Troy series was added during the 2020 season when BYU was cobbling a schedule together. What’s interesting about the Troy series is that the return visit to Troy, Alabama, received the 2035 date last year.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
