BYU Football 2020 Schedule: A Brief History of 2020 Matchups
BYU is preparIng for perhaps the toughest schedule under Kalani Sitake. BYU will play both familiar and unfamiliar teams during the 2020 season. Today, let’s go over a brief history with all 2020 opponents.
Week 1: BYU at Utah
BYU fans don’t need a reminder - the Cougars have not beaten their biggest rival in over a decade. This year, the Cougars will visit Rice-Eccles Stadium for the last time before the two programs take a two-year break in their rivalry for the 2022-23 seasons. BYU’s all-time record against their biggest in-state rival is 31-57-4. (BYU Athletics)
Week 2: BYU vs Michigan State
Michigan State will travel to Provo for the first time in program history. The Spartans and the Cougars have only played each other one time in their history - BYU defeated Michigan State at Spartan Stadium in 2016. BYU’s all-time rushing leader, Jamaal Williams, rushed for a total of 163 yards and two touchdowns. (BYU Athletics)
Week 3: BYU at Arizona State
Former Western Athletic Conference rivals, BYU and Arizona State, have not played each other since 1998. The teams first matchup took place 85 years ago in Tempe where the Cougars and Sun Devils will play in 2020. The Sun Devils have defeated the Cougars 20 times in a total of 27 matchups. The last matchup took place on September 12, 1998 in Provo where the Cougars defeated the Sun Devils 26-6. (BYU Athletics)
Week 4: BYU at Minnesota
The BYU Cougars and Minnesota Golden Gophers have never played each other. BYU will take a trip up north to play the Golden Gophers on their home turf on Saturday, Sept. 26.
Week 5: BYU vs Utah State
This is a historic matchup that dates back to 1922 when the Aggies first defeated the Cougars by a score of 40-24. In their first seven matchups, the Aggies won six and they drew the seventh with a score of 0-0. Since then, the Cougars have gained an edge in the overall series record earning 48 wins, 38 losses, and 3 draws in their 98-year history. Last year, the Cougars reclaimed the Wagon Wheel at Maverick Stadium in Logan. This year, the Aggies will travel to Provo in an attempt to take back what they lost. (BYU Athletics)
Week 6: BYU vs Missouri
The series is tied at 1-1 between the BYU Cougars and the Missouri Tigers. The teams first and only regular season matchup was played in Columbia, MO at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in 2015 when the Tigers scored a fourth quarter touchdown to beat the Cougars 20-16. The two programs first met in San Diego at the 1983 Holiday Bowl when the Cougars – led by Steve Young - defeated the Tigers 20-17. (1983 Holiday Bowl)
Week 7: BYU vs Houston
BYU and ESPN announced that the matchup between BYU and Houston on Friday, Oct. 16 will be a nationally televised game. The BYU Cougars are 2-0 against the Houston Cougars. This game will be the second time Houston has visited LaVell Edwards Stadium. Both of the previous matchups have been high scoring contests, the first ending with a final score of 47-46 and the second ending with a final score of 33-25. (ESPN)
Week 8: BYU at Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois upset BYU in the first game between the two schools. The Huskies travelled to Provo in 2018 and defeated the Cougars who were led by true freshman Zach Wilson. The low-scoring game ended when the Huskies intercepted a Zach Wilson pass to seal a 7-6 victory. BYU will travel to Northern Illinois for the first time to play the Huskies in the 2020 Huskie Chi-Town Showdown.
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: BYU at Boise State
BYU will travel to Boise State to play BYU on the smurf turf during the 2020 season. The two rivals have played a total of ten times since 2003. Most recently, BYU upset the no. 19 Broncos by a score of 28-25. The Cougars and Broncos have played each other nine times in their history, BYU has only won 3 of the ten matchups. (ESPN)
Week 11: BYU vs San Diego State
The first matchup between the Aztecs and the Cougars took place at Balboa Stadium in 1947 when the Aztecs defeated the Cougars by a score of 32-7. Though the Cougars lost their first and most recent matchup with the Aztecs, they still have an edge in the overall series record, with a record of 28-8-1. (BYU Athletics)
Week 12: BYU vs North Alabama
BYU has yet to play North Alabama. The Lions will travel to Provo for a first ever matchup against the Cougars on Saturday, Nov. 21.
Week 13: BYU at Stanford
The Cougars and the Cardinal have played just two times in their history, when the two programs agreed to a home-an-home series for the 2003-04 seasons. Stanford won both matchups. In 2003, Stanford traveled to Provo and defeated the Cougars by a score of 18-14. The Cougars then traveled to Palo Alto and lost by a score of 37-10; John Beck threw three interceptions on the night. The two teams will meet again during the 2020 season in Palo Alto. (ESPN)