Who will BYU play in 2013?

Last Updated July 25, 2012.

Now that Wisconsin and we know the date, here is the schedule.  BYU has two home dates to add, and an optional 13th game should they chose.  I also have some brief comments to add about the rumored BigSky/WAC merger in the section about the WAC.

A31--Open--probably @ Washington State
S7--Texas
S14--Open, probably Utah
S21--Boise State
S28--Open
O4--@Utah State (Rumor--May move to November 28, 29 or 30 of season if MWC cooperates.  Then this week could become a bye.)
O12--Ga Tech
O19--@Houston
O26--Open
N2--Open
N9--@ Wisconsin
N16--Open
N23--@Notre Dame
N30--Open
D7--@ Hawaii

TBA--Utah and @ Washington State

Needed: 2 or 3 home games depending on whether or not BYU uses the Hawaii exception.  They did not use the Hawaii exception in 2011.  But, there are five open weeks and only two games to schedule.  The Hawaii exception may be used unless Utah, Wisconsin or Washington state is schedule later in the season.  Probably the home games will be against WAC leftovers Idaho and New Mexico State.

TBA @Washington State, @Wisconsin, Utah.

Who is available?

ACC--In 2013, the ACC adopts a 9-games schedule with the addition of Syracuse and Pittsburgh.  Some ACC teams, like Clemson, are over-scheduled and will have to drop a game.  This will open up some interesting possibilities for the Cougars.  Here are the teams with games left to schedule.

Duke--Needs 1 game.
Miami--scheduled a game in 2013 at Yankee Stadium, but they are still looking for an opponent.  Most likely this will be a conference game.

Over-scheduled:

Clemson...most likely to drop 9/14 game vs. Kent
Virginia...most likely to drop 11/02 game vs UTSA

Note: Boston College is over-scheduled, but one game is against Syracuse which will become a conference game.
NC State and Virginia Tech are over-scheduled, but both have a game against Pittsburgh which will become conference games.

BYU's future games vs. ACC:
Ga Tech in 2013.  Games in 2014 and 2017 have been cancelled.

Big 12

Oklahoma State--Needs 1 game
Texas Tech--Needs 1 game

BYU's future games vs Big 12
2014 @ Texas
2016 vs West Virginia in Landover, MD

Big East

Memphis--Needs 1 game
San Diego State--Needs 1 game

BYU's future games vs Big East
Boise State--Annual through 2023
Houston 2013 and 2014

Big 10

Illinois--Needs 1 game

BYU's future games vs Big 10
2013--@Wisconsin, 2014--Wisconsin
2015--@ Nebraska

Conference USA

Marshall--Needs 1 game
Tulane--Needs 2 games and contracted to play a game in Provo in 2013 or 2014
UAB--Needs 1 game
UTEP--Needs 2 games
La Tech--Needs 1 game
UTSA--Has a November 2 game against Virginia, who is over-scheduled

BYU's future games vs C-USA:
Southern Mississippi 2014 and 2015
East Carolina 2017 and 2018
BYU had a home and home agreement with La Tech as part of the WAC scheduling agreement, but now that La Tech has been invited to join C-USA, that agreement may be cancelled.

Other Independents

Army--Plays at Hawaii and has the option to add a 13th game.  The only date this could fit into Army's schedule is November 23.

BYU's future games vs other Independents
Notre Dame--2013 and 4 others TBA

MAC

Central Michigan--Needs 2 games
Eastern Michigan--Needs a game
Kent--Needs a game, plus a game against over-scheduled Clemson could be dropped.
UMass--Needs 1 game
Western Michigan--Needs 2 games

BYU has no games scheduled vs. MAC.

Mountain West

Note: Do not know if the MWC will play a 8 or 9 game schedule in 2013, but it will probably be an 8-game schedule in 2013 and beyond that depends on whether the conference expands to 12.

Air Force--Plays at Hawaii and can add another game
Colorado State--Plays at Hawaii and can add another game
Fresno State--Needs 1 game also plays at Hawaii
New Mexico--Needs 1 game
Wyoming--Needs 1 game

BYU's future games vs. MWC
Hawaii--Annual through 2022
Utah State--Annual through 2015

PAC-12

Arizona--Needs 1 game
California--Needs 1 game
Washington--Needs 1 game
Utah--Needs 2 games

BYU's future games vs. PAC-12
2013--@ Washington State
2013 & 2016 -- Utah, @Utah

SEC

Alabama--Needs 1 game
Arkansas--Needs 2 games
Auburn--Needs 1 game
Missouri--Needs 1 game
Tennessee--Needs 1 game
Texas A&M--Needs 2 games

BYU--No future games scheduled vs. SEC

Sun Belt

Arkansas State--Needs games
FIU--Needs 1 game
FAU--Needs games
Georgia State--Needs games
Middle Tennessee--Needs games
North Texas--Needs 1 game
Troy--Needs 1 game
UL Laf--Needs games

BYU--No future games scheduled vs. Sun Belt

WAC

Idaho--Needs games
New Mexico State--Needs games

BYU's future games vs. WAC

The WAC only has two teams in conference for the 2013 season and it does not look like more are coming on board.  Both Idaho and New Mexico State can give BYU November homes games unless they both reclassify to the FCS for 2013.  There are also rumors of a merger with the Big Sky Conference, but so far that will not involve football in 2013.  If it does, the NCAA will need to grant an exception to the 6 or so current Big Sky schools to transition to the FBS in 2013, as the June 1 deadline has passed.  Schools that could do this include Montana, Eastern Washington, Sacramento State, Portland State, UC Davis, Cal Poly, Montana State, Northern Arizona and Weber State.


My Prediction

A31--@ Washington State
S7--Texas
S14--Utah
S21--Boise State
S28--bye
O4--@Utah State
O12--Ga Tech
O19--@Houston
O26--Wyoming/Idaho
N2--Southern Utah (to avoid 2 late-season byes)
N9--@ Wisconsin
N16--bye
N23--@Notre Dame
N30--New Mexico State
D7--@ Hawaii

The WAC/Big Sky merger will not be complete for football in 2013, therefore only Idaho and New Mexico State, who will likely be independent in 2013, will need games and are available for BYU to schedule.  Idaho may be desparate enough to schedule BYU in Provo for the 3rd year in a row...maybe.  If not, I have a source in Laramie telling me that the Cowboys are really interested in putting BYU back on the schedule.  I only half believe this, however.  Wyoming is the last old MWC rival that I though would come to Provo, I was expecting UNLV or New Mexico first.  I suspect that BYU will use the Hawaii execption to avoid too many byes late in the season.  I suspect that this will be a Big Sky team.  If this happens on October 26, it will be Portland State.  If on November 2nd, it will be Southern Utah.  If on November 16, it will be Idaho State.  (Link for Big Sky Conference schedules.)  BYU fans will need to get used to seeing New Mexico State on the November slate.  But if these creme puffs are insterspersed regularly with Wisconsin and Notre Dame and like schools, it may end up being livable.