Does BYU Struggle In The East? A Look At Sitake-Era Road Games
Sep 16, 2025, 10:33 PM | Updated: Sep 17, 2025, 1:38 am
One of the great BYU football wins in the Eastern Time Zone under Kalani Sitake was against Michigan State in 2016. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
PROVO, Utah – BYU will take on East Carolina this Saturday in Greenville, North Carolina (5:30 p.m., ESPN2, KSL NewsRadio).
Coming off a bye week, the extra rest should benefit the Cougars as they prepare for a trip of more than 2,000 miles across the country.
Kalani Sitake joked earlier this week about the thick air on the East Coast, and the extra day of travel will be good for the pores. But he also made a real point: now that BYU is in the Big 12, the travel is easier to manage with better funding and resources behind the program.
He also explained that no matter the conditions, his team will be ready to perform for themselves and for Cougar Nation.
How BYU football has fared in games played in the Eastern Time Zone under Kalani Sitake
This weekend will mark just the third time BYU has traveled to the Eastern Time Zone since joining the Big 12. But looking back through Sitake’s tenure, the Cougars have had plenty of experiences in the time zone. Here’s a quick look at the timeline.
2016: West Virginia 35, BYU 32 in Landover, Maryland
In 2016, BYU traveled three times to the Eastern Time Zone. The first was a close 35-32 loss to West Virginia in Landover, Maryland. The game ended with a last-minute Mountaineer interception.
2016: BYU 31, Michigan State 14
Later that season, BYU beat Michigan State 31-14. The now NFL stars, but at the time BYU Cougars, Jamaal Williams and Taysom Hill, heavily contributed to the score. Williams rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns, while Hill had a rushing touchdown and threw for another.
2016: BYU 20, Cincinnati 3
That same year, BYU also traveled to Cincinnati and dominated the Bearcats 20-3. This BYU victory snapped Cincinnati’s 30-game non-conference home win streak, as BYU rushed for 207 yards in the victory.
2017: East Carolina 33, BYU 17
In 2017, BYU fell to East Carolina 33-17. The game was tied at halftime, but ECU scored on its first four drives of the second half. Former Pirate and now NFL quarterback Gardner Minshew came in late in the third quarter and extended the lead with a nine-yard touchdown pass.
2018: BYU 35, UMass 16 in Foxborough, Massachusetts
In 2018, BYU defeated UMass 35-16 in Amherst. Former BYU Cougar and now NFL QB Zach Wilson threw two touchdown passes.
2019: Toledo 28, BYU 21
In 2019, BYU suffered a pair of tough road losses. First came a 28-21 defeat at Toledo. Zach Wilson was picked off in the final minute, setting up the Rockets for a game-winning touchdown.
2019: USF 27, BYU 23
Later that season, the Cougars lost 27-23 to USF. The Bulls rushed for 243 yards and headed into that game being ranked third nationally in turnovers forced and second in fumbles recovered.
2020: No. 18 Coastal Carolina 22, No. 13 BYU 17
In 2020, BYU lost a top-15 matchup at Coastal Carolina, 22-17, a game that was scheduled 72 hours before kickoff in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the Cougars’ first loss of the season and a historic win for Coastal, their first win ever against a top-10 opponent.
Heartbreak in Myrtle Beach.#BYUvsCCU #BYU #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/Dt1jyw3QGs
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 6, 2020
2020: No. 16 BYU 49, UCF 23 in Boca Raton, Florida
Later that same year, BYU bounced back in the Boca Raton Bowl, dominating UCF 49-23. Zach Wilson set a bowl record with 425 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Tyler Allgeier added a career-high 173 rushing yards and a touchdown.
2021: No. 14 BYU 34, Georgia Southern 17
In 2021, BYU traveled to Georgia Southern and won 34-17. Tyler Allgeier helped lead the offense with 136 yards, extending the Cougars to their fourth straight win and a 9-2 record at the time.
2022: No. 25 BYU 50, USF 21
In 2022, BYU demolished USF 50-21 in Tampa. Jaren Hall passed for 261 yards and had two touchdowns. Now, NFL Star Puka Nacua also stood out with 102 yards and two touchdowns. But later that year, BYU endured one of the most heartbreaking losses, falling 41-14 at Liberty. After taking a 14-3 lead in the first quarter, the Cougars gave up 38 unanswered points.
2022: Liberty 41, BYU 14
Former Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze treated the game as a Super Bowl for the Flames. They delivered, crushing BYU at a time when the Cougars’ defense was struggling.
2023: West Virginia 37, BYU 7
In 2023, BYU lost to West Virginia 37-7 in Morgantown. Jake Retzlaff made his first career start in place of the injured Kedon Slovis, throwing for 210 yards but facing heavy pressure all night. West Virginia became bowl-eligible off this win against BYU.
2024: No. 11 BYU 37, UCF 24
Last season, BYU beat UCF 37-24 in Orlando. Running back LJ Martin rushed for 101 yards, and the Cougars dominated the clock, holding the ball for 40 minutes, taking advantage of time and key opportunities. The win helped extend BYU’s undefeated record at the time.
2025: BYU at East Carolina in Greenville, North Carolina
In 13 games played in the Eastern Time Zone under Kalani Sitake, BYU has a 7-6 record. They will look to improve that mark in Greenville, North Carolina, this Saturday, searching to add another Eastern Time Zone win to the books.
BYU vs. East Carolina
Date: Saturday, September 20, 2025
Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. (MDT)/7:30 p.m. (EDT)
TV: ESPN2
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM) — Extended pregame coverage from Greenville begins at Noon.
Jasmine Poppinga is a BYU Football Intern during the 2025 season for KSL NewsRadio and KSL Sports. Poppinga contributes to ESPN+ broadcasts for BYU women’s sports. Follow her on Instagram: @jasminepoppinga.
