BYU football finalizes its 2020 schedule

Provo • If the 2019 season seemed hard, the 2020 season is only going to be tougher.

A year after starting the season against four Power 5 schools, BYU will face six Power 5 conference opponents, per the 2020 schedule released by BYU on Wednesday.

The schedule will also feature three matchups with teams that finished in the top-25 last season: Minnesota (No. 10), Utah (No. 16) and Boise State (No. 23). In all, the Cougars will play opponents from 10 different states and seven conferences — SEC, Big Ten, Pac-12, American, Mountain West, Mid-American and Big South. And seven teams on the schedule earned a bowl invitation in 2019.

The Cougars will once again start their season against in-state rival Utah, this time in Salt Lake City, and will play on the road in three of the first four games — all against Pac-12 and Big Ten foes. BYU will renew a dormant WAC rivalry with Arizona State, which the Cougars haven’t faced since 1998. Then, they make their first-ever trip out to Minnesota.

Utah State will come to Provo at the start of October, in the first of a three-game home stand, to try to reclaim the Wagon Wheel. Other teams coming into LaVell Edwards Stadium are Michigan State, Missouri, Houston, San Diego State and North Alabama. The Cougars will hit the road for Northern Illinois, Boise State and close out the regular season at Stanford.

BYU’s November schedule, which once traditionally featured a string of unappetizing opponents, has been beefed up considerably for next season, with the Cougars facing the Broncos, Aztecs and Cardinal.

Television plans and kick times are yet to be announced. Dates are subject to change to accommodate television plans.