BYU's 2015 schedule becomes official Thursday

[Fido]

I read stories that speculated the reason for the late schedule release (BYU is the last in FBS to officially release it) is the complications around having Missouri pay for half of the Wagner game as part of the change for adding them this year. I guess they aren't allowed to officially announce the game until the contracts are signed by all parties.

[IowaCougar]

Any guess as to whether they'll have a bowl affiliation announcement at the same time?

[scott715]

I was wondering that. I will be watching on the internet.

[Fido]

BYU Announces Bowl Agreements with Las Vegas & Hawai’i Bowls
Duff Tittle | BYU Athletic Communications | Posted Apr 30, 2015 10:39 AM

PROVO, Utah (April 30, 2015) — Brigham Young University has accepted an invitation to play in either the Hawai’i Bowl or the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl following the 2015 football season. The Cougars will play in the other bowl game at the conclusion of the 2019 season. Both invitations hinge upon BYU being bowl eligible and not selected to participate in the College Football Playoff.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in these two bowl games,” said BYU Director of Athletics Tom Holmoe. “We look forward to returning to Las Vegas and Honolulu. We are fortunate to have a large fan base in both areas and it will be great to renew the many longtime friendships we’ve enjoyed in these two cities.”
The Cougars are certainly no stranger to the Las Vegas Bowl. From 2005 to 2009 BYU participated in five-straight Vegas bowls, going 3-2 versus Pac-12 opponents Cal, Oregon, UCLA, Arizona and Oregon State. BYU has also played one bowl game in Honolulu, losing a closely contested 23-20 battle to Kansas in the 1992 Aloha Bowl.
Since its first appearance in the 1974 Fiesta Bowl, BYU has played in 33 bowl games (13-19-1) over the past 41 seasons, including 10 straight (6-4) under current head coach Bronco Mendenhall. The Cougars are one of only 12 programs to earn a bowl invitation each of the past 10 seasons. Of those teams, only Florida State (7-3) has won more bowl games than BYU. Through the years, the Cougars have played in 17 different bowl games in 10 different states.
The 2015 bowl selection, including date, opponent, kickoff time and telecast plans will be announced at a later date. The Hawai’i Bowl and the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl are both owned and operated by ESPN Events.

[snoscythe]

Nice to see BYU is leveraging all their offensive star power to get fans excited to throw down some money for a ho-hum home schedule this seas....

Manoa Pikula??? WTH?! Where is Taysom/Jamaal/LeBronson/Mathews/Blackmon/Nacua's black eye, or any of the myriad other players BYU could use to pump up this schedule.

Strange choice, for sure.

[YNot]

Nice to see BYU is leveraging all their offensive star power to get fans excited to throw down some money for a ho-hum home schedule this seas....

IMO, much better than the 2014 home schedule: Virginia, Houston, Utah St., Nevada, UNLV, and Savannah St.

Boise St. trumps anyone on last year's slate. If you've watched any of BYU's recent games against AAC competition, Cincinnati and ECU will actually be exciting games. Fresno St. has potential.

And the overall schedule is light years better than 2014:

at Texas = at Nebraska
at Boise St. < at Michigan
at California < at UCLA
Utah St. << at Missouri
Virginia << Boise St.
at UCF < Cincinnati
Houston < at Utah St.
Nevada < ECU
UNLV << Fresno St.
at UConn < UConn
at MTU = at SJSU
Savannah St. = Wagner

[IowaCougar]

BYU Announces Bowl Agreements with Las Vegas & Hawai’i Bowls
Duff Tittle | BYU Athletic Communications | Posted Apr 30, 2015 10:39 AM

PROVO, Utah (April 30, 2015) — Brigham Young University has accepted an invitation to play in either the Hawai’i Bowl or the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl following the 2015 football season. The Cougars will play in the other bowl game at the conclusion of the 2019 season. Both invitations hinge upon BYU being bowl eligible and not selected to participate in the College Football Playoff.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in these two bowl games,” said BYU Director of Athletics Tom Holmoe. “We look forward to returning to Las Vegas and Honolulu. We are fortunate to have a large fan base in both areas and it will be great to renew the many longtime friendships we’ve enjoyed in these two cities.”
The Cougars are certainly no stranger to the Las Vegas Bowl. From 2005 to 2009 BYU participated in five-straight Vegas bowls, going 3-2 versus Pac-12 opponents Cal, Oregon, UCLA, Arizona and Oregon State. BYU has also played one bowl game in Honolulu, losing a closely contested 23-20 battle to Kansas in the 1992 Aloha Bowl.
Since its first appearance in the 1974 Fiesta Bowl, BYU has played in 33 bowl games (13-19-1) over the past 41 seasons, including 10 straight (6-4) under current head coach Bronco Mendenhall. The Cougars are one of only 12 programs to earn a bowl invitation each of the past 10 seasons. Of those teams, only Florida State (7-3) has won more bowl games than BYU. Through the years, the Cougars have played in 17 different bowl games in 10 different states.
The 2015 bowl selection, including date, opponent, kickoff time and telecast plans will be announced at a later date. The Hawai’i Bowl and the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl are both owned and operated by ESPN Events.

Any ideas on what the criteria will be as to which game it will be (assuming qualification)?

[Wolverine]

BYU Announces Bowl Agreements with Las Vegas & Hawai’i Bowls
Duff Tittle | BYU Athletic Communications | Posted Apr 30, 2015 10:39 AM

PROVO, Utah (April 30, 2015) — Brigham Young University has accepted an invitation to play in either the Hawai’i Bowl or the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl following the 2015 football season. The Cougars will play in the other bowl game at the conclusion of the 2019 season. Both invitations hinge upon BYU being bowl eligible and not selected to participate in the College Football Playoff.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in these two bowl games,” said BYU Director of Athletics Tom Holmoe. “We look forward to returning to Las Vegas and Honolulu. We are fortunate to have a large fan base in both areas and it will be great to renew the many longtime friendships we’ve enjoyed in these two cities.”
The Cougars are certainly no stranger to the Las Vegas Bowl. From 2005 to 2009 BYU participated in five-straight Vegas bowls, going 3-2 versus Pac-12 opponents Cal, Oregon, UCLA, Arizona and Oregon State. BYU has also played one bowl game in Honolulu, losing a closely contested 23-20 battle to Kansas in the 1992 Aloha Bowl.
Since its first appearance in the 1974 Fiesta Bowl, BYU has played in 33 bowl games (13-19-1) over the past 41 seasons, including 10 straight (6-4) under current head coach Bronco Mendenhall. The Cougars are one of only 12 programs to earn a bowl invitation each of the past 10 seasons. Of those teams, only Florida State (7-3) has won more bowl games than BYU. Through the years, the Cougars have played in 17 different bowl games in 10 different states.
The 2015 bowl selection, including date, opponent, kickoff time and telecast plans will be announced at a later date. The Hawai’i Bowl and the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl are both owned and operated by ESPN Events.

Any ideas on what the criteria will be as to which game it will be (assuming qualification)?

TH said that ESPN would help broker the best matchup available for each bowl or something along those lines.

[Mars]

Nice to see BYU is leveraging all their offensive star power to get fans excited to throw down some money for a ho-hum home schedule this seas....

Manoa Pikula??? WTH?! Where is Taysom/Jamaal/LeBronson/Mathews/Blackmon/Nacua's black eye, or any of the myriad other players BYU could use to pump up this schedule.

Strange choice, for sure.

[scott715]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... ing-top-25" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

MU #15
BSU #16
UCLA #20

BYU just missed the cut.