BYU football schedule update: 2020

I’d like to see us avoid the dregs of the other conferences. Avoid SJSU instead play CSU OR SDSU.

mormonrasta wrote:

Our schedule every year should be:



1. Utah

2. USU

3. BSU

4. FCS team

5. other MWC team

6-8. 3 AAC teams

9-10 2 other G5

11-12 2 other P5s



That is a plenty challenging schedule that makes us likely bowl eligible most years, gives us a shot at 10 wins regularly, and allows for some national noise if everything breaks right.

Only three P5 teams in one year? With a schedule like this it would make more sense to just join a G-5 conference wouldn't it?

ABYUFAN wrote:

Our schedule every year should be:



1. Utah

2. USU

3. BSU

4. FCS team

5. other MWC team

6-8. 3 AAC teams

9-10 2 other G5

11-12 2 other P5s



That is a plenty challenging schedule that makes us likely bowl eligible most years, gives us a shot at 10 wins regularly, and allows for some national noise if everything breaks right.

Only three P5 teams in one year? With a schedule like this it would make more sense to just join a G-5 conference wouldn't it?

I agree. It would be better to just join the AAC in football only, along with Boise State if you’re interested in this type of schedule.

Yuck.

I agree with Rasta. Challenge your team, don't bury them.

mormonrasta wrote:

Our schedule every year should be:



1. Utah

2. USU

3. BSU

4. FCS team

5. other MWC team

6-8. 3 AAC teams

9-10 2 other G5

11-12 2 other P5s



That is a plenty challenging schedule that makes us likely bowl eligible most years, gives us a shot at 10 wins regularly, and allows for some national noise if everything breaks right.

We need more average and lower-level P5s on the schedule. I like the games with Arizona, Cal, Oregon St., Washington St., Missouri, Mississippi St., Virginia, Minnesota, etc.



I don't mind to play Utah St. each year because it's nice to have games with regional intrigue. I realize there is a ton of cross-over in the fan bases and divided familes, etc. BUT, we need to get them back on a 2-for-1 schedule (it was a 3-for-1 at one point)- pay them if we have to. If Utah St. isn't willing to come to Provo more often, this isn't a must-keep series for me.



Speaking of regional intrigue, it makes sense to play some of our former MWC and WAC foes because of history and regional/geographic considerations. I'd prefer we play one of Hawaii or SDSU each year. I would prefer to see more PAC schools on the schedule and fewer SJSU, Nevada, or Fresno.



Regarding payday games, I would much rather pay a MWC, MAC or Sun Belt team to play in Provo each year than to see another McNeese St., Wagner, or Savannah St. in this spot. Don't mind buying a home game, just get an FBS opponent. Act like a big boy - we should have payday games with UMass, Liberty, Toledo, NIU, and Middle Tennessee - not home-and-home series with schools that average 15-20K home game attendance.



It would be nice to develop some cross-country rivalries, like Notre Dame developed over the years as an independent with USC, Georgia Tech, Miami, and Pitt. I like the AAC and think there would be opportunities to develop some cross-country rivalries. I'd choose UCF and Houston, because they are trending upwards and are located near high fan and alumni concentrations and in recruiting hotbeds. But, SMU could turn into something - BYU shows the Holiday Bowl highlight at every home game.



I'd LOVE to see BYU get aggressive to play an annual game in the new Las Vegas stadium against marquee opponents.



Here's my preferred schedule:



AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

- PAC or MWC -focus on Hawaii and SDSU - play Hawaii in August, using their schedule flexibility

- Marquee P5 opponent in Las Vegas

- AAC - rivalry with UCF, Houston, SMU?

- P5



OCTOBER

- Utah St. - General Conference Friday night(or other regional MWC team, mostly in Provo)

- P5 (ACC a good candidate, to fill in gaps created by Notre Dame-ACC games)

- BYE

- MWC/MAC/Sun Belt/UMass/Liberty pay day home game

- Boise St. (annual Halloween week game)



NOVEMBER

- P5 (even if usually a road game)

- AAC - focus on UCF, Houston, SMU

- PAC or MWC - Hawaii/SDSU

- Utah, over Thanksgiving weekend, where it should be! 2018 shows that it can be done.

(if Utah won't do this, I actually like the current plan to end the season in California against Stanford or USC. As scheduled on future slates, this moves Utah game to early September).



So, that's 5-7 P5 opponents plus Boise St., and 1-2 interesting MWC opponents and a couple of interesting AAC opponents. This template provides an interesting, exciting, and varied schedule.



Most years, we will get at least 4 wins from among the P5 opponents, Boise St., and UCF/Houston/SMU. Win the payday game and one of Utah St. or MWC other and we're bowl eligible. If we don't get 6 wins, we don't deserve to go bowling. In 2017, we would not have won 6 games against this schedule - not because of the schedule but because the team wasn't very good. I'd rather that than hide behind a G5 schedule.



If we have a good year, we actually have the resume to be in the CFP and NY6 at large conversation. We will have earned it. Even in a 6-6 or 7-5 year, we will have interesting games and some solid wins to entertain us and to discuss.

ABYUFAN wrote:

Our schedule every year should be:



1. Utah

2. USU

3. BSU

4. FCS team

5. other MWC team

6-8. 3 AAC teams

9-10 2 other G5

11-12 2 other P5s



That is a plenty challenging schedule that makes us likely bowl eligible most years, gives us a shot at 10 wins regularly, and allows for some national noise if everything breaks right.

Only three P5 teams in one year? With a schedule like this it would make more sense to just join a G-5 conference wouldn't it?

If I recall correctly, BYU loses money by joining a G5, even the AAC.

A few things to address in this thread.



Only 3 P5 games a year? Yes. We need to understand how we perform against P5 teams especially on the road. We are 21-39 on the road vs. teams from the B1G, PAC, Big 8/12, SWC, ACC, SEC, Big East and Major Independents like Notre Dame since 1972. Even worse, when they manage to finish with a winning record and at least 7 wins our road record drops to 4-25. This includes ZERO road wins vs. winning P5s in the last 20 years. Our home record against these 7+ win above .500 P5s during the same span is 9-14.



So is the solution to schedule bottom level P5 teams? That sounds like a good idea, but the problem is who are they? If you look at the 65 P5 schools which includes Notre Dame, the reality is that 2/3 of these schools will finish with a winning record in a given year. This has held true over the last 5 years. There are only 16 P5 schools that have finished with a losing record in at least 3 out of the last 5 years. Only 7 of them are in Pac-12 and Big 12 territory which makes the most regional sense (Colorado, Cal, Oregon St., Iowa St, Kansas, Texas Tech and Texas).



Keep in mind the recruiting disadvantage that we have with P5 teams. This gap has widened since becoming independent, playing more P5s and spending less time in the national polls. We have been consistently outrecruited by every P5 program except Kansas and Purdue.



https://www.sbnation.com/college-football-recruiting/2018/2/8/16990550/college-football-recruiting-rankings-2018-class



I wouldn't be against joining a G5 conference, but that would limit the scheduling flexibility (and possibly revenue) that we currently enjoy. We couldn't play 3 P5s including Utah, Utah St., Boise St and a FCS team every year if we were in the AAC.



Given our history, how we recruit, and our future prospects 3 P5s is plenty. It allows us to play Utah, and gives us a decent shot at a nationally recognized good team to validate a special season. However, in the likely chance we lose 2-3 games to these teams it still gives us a chance to win 10 games a year.



If you can't beat 'em, and you can't join 'em, avoid 'em.

mormonrasta wrote:



If you can't beat 'em, and you can't join 'em, avoid 'em.

DII, here we come!