BYU and University of Arizona athletic directors Tom Holmoe and Greg Byrne announced on Friday that the Cougars and the Wildcats will have a three-game football series.
The announcement was made on the Arizona Athletics website on a Google+ Hangout.
BYU running back Jamaal Williams rushes for a touchdown against San Jose State last season. BYU athletic director, Tom Holmoe, announced a football series with the University of Arizona on Friday. (Photo by Mark Philbrick)
'We're looking to play the best teams on the biggest stages as well, so it'll be an awesome experience for us,' BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said.
Byrne announced that BYU and Arizona will play in Phoenix in 2016, in Tucson in 2018 and in Provo in 2020.
'We just really appreciate BYU's willingness to be a part of this,' Byrne said.
Holmoe said BYU will be able to generate a lot of fans to come out in Arizona, and it will be a great atmosphere for Cougar and Wildcat fans.
'It's a neutral venue, but it's in Arizona, (and) I'm sure that Arizona fans will come out in the droves. ... Our fans — it's a few years down the road — but our fans will come out in big numbers down there.'
The universities' athletic directors and coaches all spoke about what a benefit for their respective programs this three-game series will be.
'I think it's a win-win situation all the way around,' Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez said.