BYUs remaining video games, for now, are against Utah State (Oct. 2), Missouri (Oct. 10), Houston (Oct. 16), at Northern Illinois (Oct. 24), at Boise State (Nov. 6), San Diego State (Nov. 14) and North Alabama (Nov. 21).
The BYU-Utah rivalry has actually been disrupted only a couple of times considering that the series formally kicked off in 1922– World War II (1943-45); Utahs two video games set up versus Michigan (2014-15); and the current pandemic.
” The Utah game, especially since BYU has actually ended up being an independent, is the video game that BYU hangs its hat on. BYU has three video games versus members of its previous conference, the Mountain West, on the schedule (Utah State, Boise State, San Diego State). The league lost 13 scheduled video games against the Pac-12 this fall. There may be a chance for other groups who are experiencing comparable things, that also had games versus teams in those conferences, they might be looking for games as well,” Hale said. “Maybe theres a chance that they might do some last-minute shuffling in the schedule and bring some of those teams in and discover a way to play 3 or four games that month.
That was, a minimum of, till the previous 2 days, when the Big Ten and the Pac-12 revealed they will be playing conference video games only this fall due to the continuous COVID-19 pandemic.
“Theyre not going to play college football with a lot of people in the stands. If they play at all, my guess is theyll play with small crowds there. There might be games still canceled if the virus doesnt get under control.”
Now the Cougars have just 7 games remaining on the 2020 schedule after contests at archrival Utah (Sept. 3), Michigan State (Sept. 12), at Arizona State (Sept. 19), at Minnesota (Sept. 26) and at Stanford (Nov. 28) were canceled.
On social media, there are lots of solutions (some hopeful, some serious and some facetious) being proffered by experts and fans, from BYU scheduling Alabama (the Crimson Tide were arranged to play the Pac-12s USC on Sept. 5), to the Cougars briefly joining the Big 12 to BYU temporarily returning to the Mountain West this fall, to the Cougars playing weekly against fellow independent Notre Dame (which is expected to be accommodated schedule-wise by its partner, the Atlantic Coast Conference), to playing other independents like Liberty, Army, UMass, UConn and New Mexico State.
Pac-12 released a declaration Friday on its choice to play conference-games just in football, maless and womens soccer and womens beach ball.
On Thursday, in the wake of the Big Tens statement, BYU released a statement.
PROVO– BYUs 2020 football schedule had been considered among the very best in school history.
” The health and security of our student-athletes and all those linked to Pac-12 sports continues to be our top priority,” Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott stated. “Our choices have and will be directed by science and data, and based upon the trends and signs over the previous days, it has actually become clear that we need to offer ourselves with maximum flexibility to schedule, and to delay any motion to the next phase of return-to-play activities.”
And with the method the coronavirus is spreading out, theres no doubt that the college football season is hanging in the balance.
Former BYU athletic director Val Hale, who served because position from 1999-2004, prior to BYU went independent, has a concept what present athletic director Tom Holmoe– who has actually invested years creating the 2020 schedule– is going through today.
” We are fully engaged with our membership and advisors on a nearly day-to-day basis exploring the myriad of possible scenarios around going back to competition,” commissioner Craig Thompson said. “We … will continue to evaluate the proper choices and the correct timing moving forward.”
” The Big Tens announcement today certainly has particular ramifications relating to the 2020 BYU football schedule,” read the declaration. “As we browse the uncertainties of the existing pandemic, BYU will continue to have discussions with other universities and our stakeholders to make the finest possible decisions for our student-athletes and our athletic program.”
The majority of athletic directors just need to stress about scheduling three or four nonconference games each year. Holmoe, whos at the helm of an independent program, need to arrange 12 games for every season. Holmoes tough task just ended up being even tougher.
Certainly, his video games in September are now gone. There might be a possibility for other teams who are experiencing similar things, that also had video games versus groups in those conferences, they may be looking for video games as well,” Hale said. “Maybe theres a chance that they could do some last-minute shuffling in the schedule and bring some of those groups in and find a method to play 3 or 4 video games that month.
BYU has three video games versus members of its former conference, the Mountain West, on the schedule (Utah State, Boise State, San Diego State). The Mountain West is handling a similar issue as the Cougars. The league lost 13 arranged games against the Pac-12 this fall. Will the Mountain West decide to play a conference-only schedule as well?
BYUs broadcast partner, ESPN, is anticipated to help the school in finding additional games. In January, BYU announced that its house football games will be televised by the ESPN network through 2026 as part of a seven-year agreement extension.
Tom might be rushing to find some teams that can come in and play. Football generates many of the revenue for the program. How do you deal with the loss of Television revenue if those games arent played?
Easily, the independent Cougars whole September schedule, against 4 Power Five opponents, has been eliminated.
The Pac-12s decision came Friday, one day after the Big Tens.
” There might be a possibility for other groups who are experiencing comparable things, that also had video games against teams in those conferences, they might be trying to find video games too.”– Former BYU athletic director Val Hale
” The Utah video game, especially since BYU has actually become an independent, is the video game that BYU hangs its hat on. Thats a game that, if they can win it, a lot of the rest of the season is a success,” Hale stated.
BYU will have to wait another year to have a shot at ending its nine-game losing streak versus the Utes.
