PROVO, Utah (Jan. 24, 2018) — Brigham Young University today released its 2018 football schedule featuring three matchups with top-25 teams and eight games against bowl teams from this past season.
The 12-game slate includes six home games and six road contests against schools from 11 different states and five conferences—Big Ten, Pac-12, Mountain West, Mid-American, Southland—as well as fellow independents New Mexico State and UMass. BYU opponents in 2018 earned a collective 90-63 (.589) record this past season.
The Cougars will face the top-10 Wisconsin Badgers of the Big Ten and four teams from the Pac-12 with games against the Arizona Wildcats, California Golden Bears, Washington Huskies and Utah Utes.
Wisconsin finished 2017 ranked No. 6/7 in the final polls after a 13-1 season and an Orange Bowl victory. Washington (No. 15/16) and Boise State (No. 22) of the Mountain West also finished last season in the final rankings with 10-3 and 11-3 records, respectively. Arizona, Utah State, Utah, Northern Illinois and New Mexico State join the Badgers, Huskies and Broncos as Cougar opponents coming off bowl seasons in 2017.
BYU opponents in 2018 represent the states of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. The Cougars will face two in-state rivals, including a Friday night matchup on Oct. 5 at LaVell Edwards Stadium versus Utah State and the regular-season finale against Utah in the Deseret First Duel Rivalry game on Nov. 24 in Salt Lake City.
BYU opens the season against the Wildcats at Arizona Stadium in Tucson on Sept. 1, before hosting the Cal Bears in the home opener at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Sept. 8. The Cougars travel to Madison to face Wisconsin on Sept. 15, and then return to Provo to host McNeese State from Lake Charles, Louisiana, of the Southland Conference on Sept. 22. The Cougars wrap up the first month of the season against Washington at Husky Stadium on Sept. 29.
The Cougars will be at home for the entire month of October. After playing Utah State on Oct. 5, BYU welcomes Hawai’i of the MW to Provo on Oct. 13 and, following a bye week, hosts Northern Illinois of the MAC on Oct. 27.
BYU and Boise State face off in a growing regional rivalry on the blue turf in Boise on Nov. 3, before the Cougars play UMass on Nov. 10 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, home of the reigning Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots. BYU hosts New Mexico State in the home finale on Nov. 17 and then makes the short drive to Salt Lake City for the Thanksgiving week matchup with Utah to finish the regular season on Nov. 24.
Television plans and kick times are still to be announced. Dates are subject to change to accommodate television.
2018 BYU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date
Opponent
Location
Sat., Sept. 1
Arizona Wildcats
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Arizona
Sat., Sept. 8
California Bears
LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
Sat., Sept. 15
Wisconsin Badgers
Camp Randall Stadium, Madison Wisconsin
Sat., Sept. 22
McNeese State Cowboys
LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
Sat., Sept. 29
Washington Huskies
Husky Stadium, Seattle, Washington
Fri., Oct. 5
Utah State Aggies
LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
Sat., Oct. 13
Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors
LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
Sat. Oct. 20
BYE WEEK
Sat., Oct. 27
Northern Illinois Huskies
LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
Sat., Nov. 3
Boise State Broncos
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, Idaho
Sat., Nov. 10
UMass Minutemen
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Sat., Nov. 17
New Mexico State Aggies
LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
Sat., Nov. 24
Utah Utes
Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah
* Television and kick times yet to be announced. Dates subject to change
