The University of Utah and Brigham Young University have agreed to not play rivalry games in 2022 and 2023 to allow the Utes football program to play the Florida Gators.

Utah and BYU originally had agreed to play each other those years, but the Utes’ athletic program reached out to the Cougars about the opportunity it had to have a home and home series with the University of Florida.

Utah will play at Gainesville, Florida in 2022 and will host the Gators in 2023. However, as part of the agreement the the Utes and Cougars agreed to reschedule and add two more games. Meaning between 2020-2028 the two football teams will play each other seven times.

“We appreciate the tremendous relationship and cooperation we have with Tom Holmoe and BYU to work together to not only ensure the future of this rivalry but to demonstrate the strong partnership that is in place,” said Utah Athletics Director Mark Harlan. “We each share the intention to continue this great rivalry in football and across all of our teams for many years to come.”

BYU Athletic Director Tom Holmoe shared similar sentiments about the importance of the rivalry game.

“I appreciate the great working relationship we have with Mark Harlan and many others at Utah,” said Holmoe. “We have a responsibility to take care of the future of this great rivalry, not just in football but across all of the sports. There may come a time in the future where we need to ask Utah to make an adjustment for us. That’s how a relationship works. Utah approached us about an opportunity they have and we agreed to work with them.”

BYU Football announces games with UCF and Rice

BYU kept busy filling out the schedule in future years as well in announcing a home and home series with both University of Central Florida and Rice University.

The Cougars will play UCF on November 11, 2023 in Orlando Florida and then will host the school August 31, 2024 at Lavell Edwards Stadium.

BYU last played UCF in 2014 losing in overtime on the road. They also played them in 2011 in a win at Lavell Edwards Stadium.

The Cougars will host Rice September 29, 2023 in Provo and the next game will be September 27, 2025 at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas. BYU beat Rice 49-0 in 1996 and lost to the Owls 27-14 in the following season.