The Future Opponents Thread

[Applejack]

This is a thread to discuss our future opponents' results.

Weber St (1-0): Beat Austin-Peay 50-40.
Oregon St (0-1): Lost to Eastern Washington 49-46.
BYU (0-1): Lost to Virginia 19-16.
UCLA (1-0): Beat Nevada 58-20. A good start for the Bruins as Nevada is supposed to be a decent MWC team.
Stanford (0-0): Bye
Arizona (1-0): Beat Northern Arizona 35-0. That means nothing.
USC (1-0): Beat Hawaii 30-13. Lots of grumbling from USC fans about a 17 point win.
Arizona St (0-0): Bye (followed by Sac State this week)
Oregon (1-0): Beat Nichols St 66-3.
Washington St (0-1): Lost 31-24 to Auburn.
Colorado (1-0): Beat Colorado State 41-27. A nice win for the Buffs.

The big surprises over the weekend were
(1) Oregon State laying a turd at home. This is a bad result for Utah - it looked like we would have a ranked team coming to Rice-Eccles, but now we'll just have a pissed off OSU squad. I also don't think this tells us too much about OSU's team - I think they were caught napping by a decent team.
(2) BYU's offense. I caught the second half of this one and BYU's offense looked bad, MAFU bad. I had never seen Taysom Hill before and he looked awful. Their defense looked very good, although it was hard to tell how good their DBs are because UVA's qb was almost as bad as Hill.
(3) WSU and Colorado. I've heard a lot of talk from Utah fans that these two games to end the year are gimmes. They both looked pretty good this weekend.

[OrangeUte]

I have had a feeling since the 2011 game that Colorado wasn't far from being on the road back. A new coach inspiring the players may be igniting a surprisingly good season. Wazzou shouldn't be overlooked by anyone. They have talent and a schemer as a coach.

[sancho]

I have had a feeling since the 2011 game that Colorado wasn't far from being on the road back. A new coach inspiring the players may be igniting a surprisingly good season. Wazzou shouldn't be overlooked by anyone. They have talent and a schemer as a coach.


We'll learn a lot about Wazzu this weekend. See if they can score against a good defense.

[Applejack]

We'll learn a lot about Wazzu this weekend. See if they can score against a good defense.

Admittedly, I don't follow the SEC, but doesn't Auburn have a decent defense?

[sancho]

Admittedly, I don't follow the SEC, but doesn't Auburn have a decent defense?

I guess we'll have to wait and see to be sure, but they did not have a very good defense last year.

[Applejack]

Bump

Oregon St (1-1): Beat Hawaii 33-14.
BYU (1-1): Beat Texas 40-21
UCLA (1-0): Bye
Stanford (1-0): Beat San Jose State 34-13
Arizona (2-0): Beat UNLV 58-13 (see, this is who we should schedule, not Weber)
USC (1-1): Lost 10-7 to Washington State
Arizona St (1-0): 55-0 over Sac State
Oregon (2-0): Beat Virginia 59-10
Washington St (1-1): Beat USC 10-7
Colorado (2-0): Beat Central Arkansas 38-24

The big surprises:

1. I told you not to sleep on Washington State. They will be tough.
2. BYU! Wow, that was a different team out there.

[U-Ute]

BYU isn't as good as they looked against Texas, but they aren't as bad as they looked against Virginia. Somewhere inbetween.
USC looks very beatable. Bad QB play is killing them.

[NorthwestUteFan]

I completely agree on scheduling UNLV. I think a roadie to Las Vegas would be fantastic, especially if they mortgage away what is left of their future and go ahead with the Billion Dollar stadium upgrade...

RE: WSU, I think Leach rode a perfect storm in Texas Tech to those outstanding seasons, but I think the Cougs will surprise a lot of teams along the way to a bowl game (I think next year definitely, but undecided this year).

We stack up nicely against USC, and I think they go 0-2 vs the State of Utah this year. (granted they are in a major funk right now) Marquise Lee regrets returning to school for another year.

I want badly for DE to get us over the ASU hump. We just don't look very good against them.

[Solon]

Do these "Players-Only" meetings ever work? Obviously, USC is going to play better than they did last week, but still - the Trojans are looking for answers.

And was Marquise Lee talking to espn on a walkie-talkie? That quote isn't exactly English Major material.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/college-football/story/_/id/9661183/marqise-lee-confirms-usc-trojans-held-players-only-meeting

[U-Ute]

Do these "Players-Only" meetings ever work? Obviously, USC is going to play better than they did last week, but still - the Trojans are looking for answers.

And was Marquise Lee talking to espn on a walkie-talkie? That quote isn't exactly English Major material.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/college-football/story/_/id/9661183/marqise-lee-confirms-usc-trojans-held-players-only-meeting

It can work if the players come up with a solution or some ideas that they are able to present to the coaching staff, which it sounds like didn't happen since the coaching staff knew nothing about this.

A players only meeting, with only certain players, and no resolution? Sounds like a bitch-fest meeting to me, which are unproductive and divisive.

[Applejack]

Utah schedules Northern Illinois U. for home-and-home in 2018-2019.

http://www.wrex.com/story/26164789/2014/07/31/niu-adds-utah-to-future-football-schedule

Not excited at all. Why do we schedule this game? If we want a bodybag game, let's get Weber to come to town. If we want a lose-lose game (if you win it drops your SOS, if you lose people laugh) let's schedule Utah State. If we need a recruiting trip game, let's schedule Rice or Houston.

I don't understand this one at all.

[UTEopia]

Utah schedules Northern Illinois U. for home-and-home in 2018-2019.

http://www.wrex.com/story/26164789/2014/07/31/niu-adds-utah-to-future-football-schedule

Not excited at all. Why do we schedule this game? If we want a bodybag game, let's get Weber to come to town. If we want a lose-lose game (if you win it drops your SOS, if you lose people laugh) let's schedule Utah State. If we need a recruiting trip game, let's schedule Rice or Houston.

I don't understand this one at all.

I get it. I think this is consistent with Utah's scheduling model in the PAC 12.

1 FCS opponent (home only)
1 next 5 opponent (home/home)
1 Big 5 opponent.

I also think this is a quality next 5 opponent. Would it be better to have someone like Houston or Rice, maybe La Tech or Louisiana Lafayette? Maybe, but maybe Christensen and Harding will recruit more in the mid-west. Where is NIU? I like Chicago, maybe I will go.

This gives us:

2015: Michigan, Utah St., @ Fresno St, 5 home PAC games (I think we over scheduled a bit, but hopefully we have a returning senior starting QB)
2016: BYU, SUU, @SJSU, 4 home PAC
2017: @ BYU, North Dakota, SJSU, 5 home PAC
2018: BYU, Weber St., @ NIU, 4 home PAC
2019: Idaho St., NIU, @ ?, 5 home PAC

[Sullyute]

Utah schedules Northern Illinois U. for home-and-home in 2018-2019.

http://www.wrex.com/story/26164789/2014/07/31/niu-adds-utah-to-future-football-schedule

Not excited at all. Why do we schedule this game? If we want a bodybag game, let's get Weber to come to town. If we want a lose-lose game (if you win it drops your SOS, if you lose people laugh) let's schedule Utah State. If we need a recruiting trip game, let's schedule Rice or Houston.

I don't understand this one at all.

So NIU is the Fresno State of opponents for those years. I agree with AJ, when we play teams like this then at least do it in areas that we recruit to. If these are the kind of decisions that Dr. Chris Hill is making these days, then I don't want him picking our next football coach. :anger:

[Applejack]

So NIU is the Fresno State of opponents for those years. I agree with AJ, when we play teams like this then at least do it in areas that we recruit to. If these are the kind of decisions that Dr. Chris Hill is making these days, then I don't want him picking our next football coach. :anger:

At least we recruit Fresno. I don't think we recruit in DeKalb.

[Sullyute]

At least we recruit Fresno. I don't think we recruit in DeKalb.

Maybe UTEopia has a point. If we are going to a little place like AnnArbor in order to recruit Detroit, then maybe we can go to DeKalb in order to recruit Chicago.

[sancho]

1 FCS opponent (home only)
1 next 5 opponent (home/home)
1 Big 5 opponent.



Ok, but we have no Big5 opponent in '16, '17, or '18.

USC and Stanford really blew it for us when they whined about a Pac-12/Big10 annual showdown. That would have become one of the great college football traditions, and it would have given us a beatable P5 team every year. I hope water mains blow up on each campus and flood them deeper than UCLA. Pansies.

[sancho]

I don't understand this one at all.

Utah scheduling is simple: Either USU or BYU every year for the rest of time, 1 FCS until the P5 man up and stop playing FCS (not for a long time), and one P5 team. Is that so hard? ACC and SEC have mandated games against P5, so there are opponents out there to play.

There is no need to ever go on the road to CUSA, MAC, SunBelt, American, or MWC (except USU).

[Applejack]

Utah scheduling is simple: Either USU or BYU every year for the rest of time, 1 FCS until the P5 man up and stop playing FCS (not for a long time), and one P5 team. Is that so hard? ACC and SEC have mandated games against P5, so there are opponents out there to play.

There is no need to ever go on the road to CUSA, MAC, SunBelt, American, or MWC (except USU).

I'd prefer:

- BYU every year
- USU every other, alternate with "Big 5" team
- Local bodybag school (Weber, SUU)

[sancho]

I'd prefer:

- BYU every year
- USU every other, alternate with "Big 5" team
- Local bodybag school (Weber, SUU)

Either forget BYU or USU. Time to say goodbye to one of them (USU). Or alternate them like OSU alternates Akron, Toledo, and Miami (OH). So BYU home, BYU away, USU home, USU away. I like this a lot. The break from BYU every couple years will be nice, but we keep a great rivalry going.

[Applejack]

Either forget BYU or USU. Time to say goodbye to one of them (USU). Or alternate them like OSU alternates Akron, Toledo, and Miami (OH). So BYU home, BYU away, USU home, USU away. I like this a lot. The break from BYU every couple years will be nice, but we keep a great rivalry going.

Why is the break nice? I'm already missing that W this year.

[UTEopia]

Either forget BYU or USU. Time to say goodbye to one of them (USU). Or alternate them like OSU alternates Akron, Toledo, and Miami (OH). So BYU home, BYU away, USU home, USU away. I like this a lot. The break from BYU every couple years will be nice, but we keep a great rivalry going.

I agree with rotating BYU and USU. I want to get out and see some other places. In the years we play USU, we schedule a Big 5 and in the years we schedule BYU, we schedule a next 5. Despite what many think, BYU is still a Big 5 quality opponent.

[Diehard Ute]

I agree with rotating BYU and USU. I want to get out and see some other places. In the years we play USU, we schedule a Big 5 and in the years we schedule BYU, we schedule a next 5. Despite what many think, BYU is still a Big 5 quality opponent.

I don't know that their team has that kind quality most years...but the game certainly plays out at that level due to the relationships between the schools.

[UTEopia]

I don't know that their team has that kind quality most years...but the game certainly plays out at that level due to the relationships between the schools.

I would say that they are equal to or better than the Big 12 other than Texas, Okla, Ok. St., the Big 10 other than Ohio St., Michigan, Michigan St., Wiscy, Nebraska and traditionally Penn St., the ACC except FSU and Miami, and at least Vandy, Kentucky and the Mississippi schools from the SEC.

[sancho]

Why is the break nice? I'm already missing that W this year.

Aren't you going to Ann Arbor? That's why it's nice. From what I am seeing, the BYU game is why we have no P5 games in '16-'18.

I guess I'm for any system that gives us 1 FCS game (preferably the opener), 1 P5 game (just cuz I want it), and keeps us playing BYU until they cry uncle.

The only way I would want to stop playing BYU is if we convinced USU to stop too and played USU every year on conference weekend. That would be funny enough to make it worth ending the rivalry.

But, hey, I can't complain. Utah has the #1 rated schedule in the nation this year. Who would have ever thought it possible? I don't really mind if we go FCS, FCS, Sun Belt and have the #30-40 schedule. That's been the golden formula for the SEC for years.

[sancho]

I would say that they are equal to or better than the Big 12 other than Texas, Okla, Ok. St., the Big 10 other than Ohio St., Michigan, Michigan St., Wiscy, Nebraska and traditionally Penn St., the ACC except FSU and Miami, and at least Vandy, Kentucky and the Mississippi schools from the SEC.

BYU fake power rankings in P5:

1) Pac-12. BYU would rank 11 this season, after Utah and before CU and Cal.
2) SEC. 13 after Vandy and before Kentucky.
3) Big10. 11 after Northwestern and before Indiana/Illinois/Purdue.
4) Big12. 9 after WestVa and before ISU/Kansas
5) ACC. 8 after Louisville and before GT, Pitt, Syracuse, BC, Wake, NCState, and UVa

[Applejack]

Aren't you going to Ann Arbor? That's why it's nice. From what I am seeing, the BYU game is why we have no P5 games in '16-'18.

I guess I'm for any system that gives us 1 FCS game (preferably the opener), 1 P5 game (just cuz I want it), and keeps us playing BYU until they cry uncle.

The only way I would want to stop playing BYU is if we convinced USU to stop too and played USU every year on conference weekend. That would be funny enough to make it worth ending the rivalry.

But, hey, I can't complain. Utah has the #1 rated schedule in the nation this year. Who would have ever thought it possible? I don't really mind if we go FCS, FCS, Sun Belt and have the #30-40 schedule. That's been the golden formula for the SEC for years.

I am going to AA. We should have played BYU instead of Fresno, not Michigan.

What we really need to do is to stop playing 9 Pac games. 8 makes more sense schedule wise (4 home, 4 away, skip half the other conference), plus we can schedule a P5 school, a "traditional rival" (BYU for us, Notre Dame for USC & Stanford, Sacramento St for Oregon St), a mid-tier game (Fresno, USU, Colo St), and a paycheck (Saskatchewan).

[sancho]

What we really need to do is to stop playing 9 Pac games. 8 makes more sense schedule wise (4 home, 4 away, skip half the other conference), plus we can schedule a P5 school, a "traditional rival" (BYU for us, Notre Dame for USC & Stanford, Sacramento St for Oregon St), a mid-tier game (Fresno, USU, Colo St), and a paycheck (Saskatchewan).

Yeah, once again, thanks for nothing, Stanford.

[DrumNFeather]

Yeah, once again, thanks for nothing, Stanford.
Larry keeps digging his heels in on the 9 game thing too, which won't help the cause to change to 8.

[sancho]

Larry keeps digging his heels in on the 9 game thing too, which won't help the cause to change to 8.

USC, Stanford, Cal, UW, and Larry Scott. They're cramping our scheduling style. I say we beat them. All of them.

[DrumNFeather]

USC, Stanford, Cal, UW, and Larry Scott. They're cramping our scheduling style. I say we beat them. All of them.
Let's do it this year! Schedule a 13th and 14th game with Cal and UW...that should get us to 6 wins.

[sancho]

Let's do it this year! Schedule a 13th and 14th game with Cal and UW...that should get us to 6 wins.

Beating Stanford and Oregon will help us meet UW in the title game. We're just gonna have to beat Cal and Larry Scott the old fashioned way - with a sack full of doorknobs.

[UTEopia]

A lot of people would like the Utes to always have 7 home games. I agree that would be nice, but I think it is unlikely in years that the Utes have only 4 home PAC games. That seems to hold true with other Pac 12 teams. Oregon and Washington are the only teams playing 4 home PAC games to have 7 home games and Washington can do so because it gets an extra game for playing at Hawaii. The numbers are total home games/home PAC games.

Cal (7/5) BYU, Sac. St, @ Northwestern
Oregon (7/4) S Dak., Mich. St., Wyo.
OSU (7/5) Port. St., @ Haw., SDSU
Stanford (6/4) UC Davis, Army, @ ND
Wash. (7/4) @ Haw, E.Wash., Ill. Ga. St. - extra game for playing at Hawaii
WSU (7/5) Rutgers, @ Nev., Port. St.
UA (7/5) UNLV, @UTSA, Nevada
ASU (6/4) Weber St., @ New Mex., ND
CU (7/5) CSU, @UMass, Hawaii
UCLA (7/5) @ UVA, Memphis, Texas
USC (6/4) Fresno, @BC, ND
Utah (6/4) ISU, Fresno, @Michigan

[SigmaUte]

A lot of people would like the Utes to always have 6 home games. I agree that would be nice, but I think it is unlikely in years that the Utes have only 4 home PAC games. That seems to hold true with other Pac 12 teams. Oregon and Washington are the only teams playing 4 home PAC games to have 7 home games and Washington can do so because it gets an extra game for playing at Hawaii. The numbers are total home games/home PAC games.

Cal (7/5) BYU, Sac. St, @ Northwestern
Oregon (7/4) S Dak., Mich. St., Wyo.
OSU (7/5) Port. St., @ Haw., SDSU
Stanford (6/4) UC Davis, Army, @ ND
Wash. (7/4) @ Haw, E.Wash., Ill. Ga. St. - extra game for playing at Hawaii
WSU (7/5) Rutgers, @ Nev., Port. St.
UA (7/5) UNLV, @UTSA, Nevada
ASU (6/4) Weber St., @ New Mex., ND
CU (7/5) CSU, @UMass, Hawaii
UCLA (7/5) @ UVA, Memphis, Texas
USC (6/4) Fresno, @BC, ND
Utah (6/4) ISU, Fresno, @Michigan

Every team on there has at least 6 home games. I'm confused, what are you trying to get at?

[concerned]

Every team on there has at least 6 home games. I'm confused, what you're trying to get at?


I think it was a typo. I think he meant 7 home games.

[SigmaUte]

Oh that would make sense then. I agree then. Ideally we would like to have 7 (or 8 if you're in the SEC) home games ever year. It won't happen though, especially for those people that still want to play USU/BYU. We won't get a 2-1 out of BYU.

[UTEopia]

I think it was a typo. I think he meant 7 home games.

Typo.

[Dawminator]

A lot of people would like the Utes to always have 7 home games. I agree that would be nice, but I think it is unlikely in years that the Utes have only 4 home PAC games. That seems to hold true with other Pac 12 teams. Oregon and Washington are the only teams playing 4 home PAC games to have 7 home games and Washington can do so because it gets an extra game for playing at Hawaii. The numbers are total home games/home PAC games.

Cal (7/5) BYU, Sac. St, @ Northwestern
Oregon (7/4) S Dak., Mich. St., Wyo.
OSU (7/5) Port. St., @ Haw., SDSU
Stanford (6/4) UC Davis, Army, @ ND
Wash. (7/4) @ Haw, E.Wash., Ill. Ga. St. - extra game for playing at Hawaii
WSU (7/5) Rutgers, @ Nev., Port. St.
UA (7/5) UNLV, @UTSA, Nevada
ASU (6/4) Weber St., @ New Mex., ND
CU (7/5) CSU, @UMass, Hawaii
UCLA (7/5) @ UVA, Memphis, Texas
USC (6/4) Fresno, @BC, ND
Utah (6/4) ISU, Fresno, @Michigan

So, how do SEC teams get 8 home games? Does stadium size help? How does a Utah get 1 and dones with teams like NIU, SMU, USU or Wyoming? Cuz to have 7-8 (not 6-7) we need 1 and dones with those types of schools, with the occasional nuetral site game or 1 for 1 with P5 schools.

[sancho]

So, how do SEC teams get 8 home games? Does stadium size help? How does a Utah get 1 and dones with teams like NIU, SMU, USU or Wyoming? Cuz to have 7-8 (not 6-7) we need 1 and dones with those types of schools, with the occasional nuetral site game or 1 for 1 with P5 schools.

The sec is in the southeast, and the 1 and dones are typically with Sun Belt teams. They will also often have two FCS games on an 8 game home schedule.

[UTEopia]

So, how do SEC teams get 8 home games? Does stadium size help? How does a Utah get 1 and dones with teams like NIU, SMU, USU or Wyoming? Cuz to have 7-8 (not 6-7) we need 1 and dones with those types of schools, with the occasional nuetral site game or 1 for 1 with P5 schools.

SEC schools play one or two FCS teams per year, one or two Sun Belt schools and then 1 from a power conference. In the years they return the power conference game, they have 7 home games and in the other years 8. I think the same is true for the Big 10 except that they play 9 conference games so they play 1 FCS school and 1 MAC school and have 7 a year because they schedule so that they play the road game against a power 5 team the year they have 5 conference home games. That way they get 7 home games per year.

The SEC and the Big 10 have the advantage of having the Sun Belt and MAC in their backyards. Schools from those conferences will do a 1 and done with the SEC and Big 10 because they can bus their players to the game and thereby get a much larger payday. Utah would need to pay about $250,000 - $350,000 more to a Sun Belt or MAC school to offset the air travel. I also think it is easier for the Sun Belt and MAC schools to sell a one and done to their boosters because of proximity and the ability to compete with a local school.

If you look at this years PAC 12 schedule only Oregon with Wyoming and possibly Stanford with Army is a one and done with a non-FCS school. Maybe Ga. State is a non-FCS school, and I have no idea what league they play in.

I am guessing that the Utes might be able to get one and dones with schools like Idaho and New Mexico St., but even UA is traveling to UT San Antonio. If we look at this realistically, other than USC and maybe Oregon, what PAC 12 school would the Utes have been willing to do a one and done with 5 years ago? Nobody. Why should we expect that Wyoming, CSU, New Mexico, et al would do any different?

Now if you ask me, I would pay the extra money up to about $300k more than the Sun Belt and MAC are getting from an SEC or Big 10 team because I think you make more money in the long run by having the extra home game and by saving the money on a road game from a 1 for 1.

But would we really be more excited about playing Lousiana Lafayette than Fresno?