Texas, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Boise State, Georgia Tech, Utah State and the University of Utah.
Not bad for an independent program.
The BYU football team announced its schedule for the 2013 season Tuesday. The Cougars will play the seven teams mentioned above along with Virginia, Middle Tennessee State, Houston, Idaho State and Nevada.
“I really like the way this schedule came together,” BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said in a release. “I like the balance of home and away games and the opportunity to play in different regions of the country. It’s one of the best schedules in program history.”
Four teams on BYU’s 2013 schedule finished in the AP top 25, including No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 16 Utah State, No. 18 Boise State and No. 19 Texas.
The Cougars will host six games at home and play six games on the road.
BYU’s Sept. 21 game at home against the University of Utah marks the last time the two rivals will play until 2016, when the Cougars will travel to Salt Lake City to battle the Pac-12 squad. The two in-state foes first met in 1922, and the Utes own a 53-31-4 record over BYU. BYU’s last win in the series came in 2009 at LaVell Edwards Stadium, when Max Hall led the Cougars to a 26–23 win in overtime.
The Cougars will get another shot at Notre Dame in South Bend on Nov. 23. After last year’s 17–14 loss the Cougars fell to 1–4 all-time against Notre Dame when playing at Notre Dame Stadium.
On Oct. 4 in Logan the Cougars will play Utah State in their traditional pre-General Conference Friday game. Last year, the Cougars came out on top 6–3 against the Aggies in a defensive battle that was highlighted by the play of freshman quarterback Taysom Hill. It was one of only two losses for Utah State last season.
Big Ten champion Wisconsin, now coached by former Utah State head coach Gary Anderson, will be the Cougars’ opponent on Nov. 9 in Madison. It will be just the second meeting all-time between the two storied programs. The first meeting occurred in 1980 when the Cougars, led by Jim McMahon, defeated Wisconsin 28–3 at Camp Randall Stadium.
BYU will also play Texas from the Big 12 for the second time in three years. The two teams last met in 2011 when Texas came away with a 17–16 win. It will mark the fourth meeting for the two teams with BYU holding a 2-1 advantage.
Among the teams BYU will play in 2013 are teams from the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and ACC. Eight of the 12 teams had winning records in 2012, and seven played in bowl games.
BYU is among just seven programs to have won six bowl games Since 2005.
2013 BYU Football Schedule
Date Opponent
Aug. 31 at Virginia
Sept. 7 Texas
Sept. 14 BYE
Sept. 21 Utah
Sept. 27 Middle Tennessee State
Oct. 4 at Utah State
Oct. 12 Georgia Tech
Oct. 19 at Houston
Oct. 26 Boise State
Nov. 2 BYE
Nov. 9 at Wisconsin
Nov. 16 Idaho State
Nov. 23 at Notre Dame
Nov. 30 at Nevada
