Deseret News | Utah Utes football: U. to play Notre Dame in 2010

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Utah Utes football: U. to play Notre Dame in 2010

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Great Game! | 12:46 a.m. July 29, 2008

What great news!

As a Hoosier transplant to Utah, I couldn't be happier. This game will help to continue the University of Utah's advance towards a big time program.

Win or lose, I for one will enjoy this one. But even though I've been an Irish fan all my life, I think I'll cheer for the Utes on that day (maybe)...

lezoave | 1:24 a.m. July 29, 2008

I'd trade Utah State for Notre Dame anyway. Hopefully the Irish will actually be good that year and make it a close game.

Buckeye | 1:44 a.m. July 29, 2008

Didn't Nortre Dame used to have a football team or something like that?

Comments continue below

Master of the Obvious | 4:43 a.m. July 29, 2008

Mr. Hill forgets that Utah plays a top program every year, not every four years. The team in Provo has been ranked in the top 25 81% of the time in meetings between the Cougs and Utes since 1977. It's great that the Utes will play ND in 2010 and Michigan this year. It can only help the program and the conference. However, it is inaccurate for Mr. Hill to claim the Utes only play a top program every 4 years. That belittles the teams they play regularly (PAC10, MWC), many of whom are top tier programs and have had more recent success than ND. I promise the BYU game will be more important for the Utes in 2010 than the ND game will, and BYU will probably be higher ranked than ND too.

Ute in Philadelphia | 4:53 a.m. July 29, 2008

Please don't replace Utah State's game with a 1-AA opponent.

Ute in Philadelphia | 4:55 a.m. July 29, 2008

Actually, what I meant to say was please don't replace the hole in our OOC schedule with a 1-AA team.

CougarJimmy | 5:18 a.m. July 29, 2008

Once every four years? But utah plays a big time BYU every year!

Go Cougs!

Interesting | 5:58 a.m. July 29, 2008

"Chris Hill says he likes to include a big game on the Utes' football schedule about every four years..." Shouldn't the Mountain West schools be trying to schedule "big games" every year so as to get some national respect?

It's no wonder no one takes the Mountain West serious when it comes to the BCS.

true blue | 6:37 a.m. July 29, 2008

Talk about scheduling down. j/k Go utes

Good for MWC | 7:06 a.m. July 29, 2008

I'm not a Utah fan, but these kind of games are always potentially good for the MWC. The game will be on NBC nationally...not like being on the mtn or Versus and calling it "national television"...this is on a real national channel...NBC. And if Utah wins it can really help the conference's national profile. Nice job in scheduling.

Dixie Dan | 7:12 a.m. July 29, 2008

This will be great for the Mountain West. Maybe other schools in the conference should try to play more teams in the east for additional national exposure.

OK | 7:27 a.m. July 29, 2008

Yaaaawn......

Why won't ND play at RES? A payout of $95,000 is probably the reason....

Re:Buckeye | 7:28 a.m. July 29, 2008

LOL, learn to spell buddy, its Notre Dame. You must have gone to Ohio State.

Go Utes | 7:28 a.m. July 29, 2008

The Utes have played well in these big games in the past; hopefully they can come away with a W.

As always, there will be lots of posts from BYU fans on this article about the Utes, trying to convince everyone that their team is really really neat. Don't waste your time posting here...go back to reading your 1984 media guide.

Ute Fan | 7:43 a.m. July 29, 2008

Master of the Obvious - that's quite a stat. First of all, do you have a life other than manipulating and inventing stats to prove the greatness of BYU? Second, I find your claim hard to believe. It wasn't that long ago that BYU was just hoping to have a winning season. Also, as I recall, LaVell's last year or two weren't exactly top 25 seasons. For you to be correct, BYU would have to have been ranked in November in 24 out of the last 30 seasons. Better ask your mom to help you crunch those numbers again.

Patsy Hunt | 8:04 a.m. July 29, 2008

Notre Dame was looking for a patsy . . . and they found one!!

Cougar Fan | 8:07 a.m. July 29, 2008

As a cougar fan I'm actually excited to see Utah upgrade it's schedule. For that matter, I hope Utah regularly schedules and wins games against top-tier opponents. That would add to the prestige of the Utah program and make it all the sweeter each year when BYU beats Utah. I'd much rather thump a 10-1 Utah team that's good than a 3-8 team that's irrelevant. Go get-em Utah. We'll be waiting for you. GO COUGS!!!

Nathaniel | 8:29 a.m. July 29, 2008

I agree with Ute in Philadelphia - Utah should not fill the hole in its schedule with a FCS (I-AA) team.

I'm glad the Utes will get the opportunity to see this game. We fans sold out Utah's allotment to the Michigan game. Let's do it again in 2010!

Hey Master of the Obvious | 8:32 a.m. July 29, 2008

I'm pretty sure that when they say that they want to bring in a "top program," they mean a program BETTER or BIGGER in some way than the U's program. BYU doesn't qualify in any sense. Sorry. Not only was 1984 a really long time ago but it is considered by many experts to be the most controversial title ever awarded. We want to play a GOOD team every once in a while so we can see where we stand. I know you think your team is super-nifty. It's not.

Dilusional | 8:53 a.m. July 29, 2008

"Look at me...Look at me!!! I'm important too" says the attention starving fans from down south. Too bad the Utes are grabbing all the headlines these days by scheduling REAL opponents rather than the Northern Iowa's of the world. BYU is NOT a national power or a top tier program...no matter how you slice it. They could have been ranked in the top 25 every year of the last 25 years but they still don't compare to Notre Dame or Michigan. However, keep dreaming because everyone should have a dream. Too bad yours is no more than a pipe dream!

I love what Utah is doing with the scheduling. I am very excited for the upcoming Michigan game (I haven't talked to one BYU fan who is excited for their Northern Iowa game) and I will be just as excited for the Notre Dame game. This just contrasts two different philosophies on scheduling...BYU: schedule down for a possible undefeated season and BCS game; Utah: schedule up to show the nation you deserve the BCS game.

Good luck Hawaii (uhhh, I mean BYU) this year with your Qwest. Meanwhile, GO UTES....beat Michigan!!!

"Big Game" | 9:01 a.m. July 29, 2008

When Chris Hill said he likes to shedule one of these "Big Games" every four years I think he is not meaning to belittle the other opponents on the schedule, but is refering to scheduling one of those dozen or so teams that epitomize college football for all it is worth. It doesnt really have a lot to do with rankings but more with tradition and national notoriety...teams like ND, Michigan, Ohio State, Texas, Florida, Miami, LSU, USC, Penn State, Tennessee, or Oklahoma.

Anonymous | 9:23 a.m. July 29, 2008

To the myopians in blew:

BYU a ï¿½big timeï¿½ program? Yeah, well maybe it will be when it lands A ï¿½big timeï¿½ recruits who isnï¿½t LDS (or even one who is), has a television contract with a national network (or has games broadcast regularly by such a network) and/or draws interest from television viewers outside of Utah and the LDS faith. BYU TV or whatever you call that station on public access TV does not count as a national network. Nice try.

Now go away. Iï¿½m tired of reading your comments to Utah articles. We donï¿½t care about your opinions or alleged ï¿½big timeï¿½ program.

Hawk | 9:31 a.m. July 29, 2008

Uh, lest we forget BYU actually came to an agreement with Notre Dame for 3-game series several years ago (not simply a desparate move to fill a scheduling hole), so let's not get too carried away with this "we're more relevant than you are" rhetoric....

So has Utah stepped onto the stage of big time football or have they simply become Notre Dame's Northern Iowa?

LA Ute | 9:38 a.m. July 29, 2008

Master of the Obvious, you need to get out more.

Ute Fan in San Fran | 9:39 a.m. July 29, 2008

Hill, great job in securing a great game for both the program and the fanzzz.

Hey Cougars, good luck this year against Northern Iowa...

The Dirty Utes..... | 9:43 a.m. July 29, 2008

I'm truly amazed that nobody has mentioned the fact the Utes are dropping Utah St. to play this game. Ute Fan has blasted Cougar Fan for years for dropping Utah St a couple of time. What happened to "playing for tradition" and "Keeping things in-state"?

For what it's worth, I'm fairly certain most 1AA teams last year would have been quite competitive with Notre Dame. That's really scheduling up!!

Oregonian | 9:44 a.m. July 29, 2008

Here's one BYU fan excited to see the Utes play the Irish. ND will be better in 2010 but will be beatable. Remember, the reason why BYU and Utes play 1-AA teams is because BCS schools won't come to our home fields. In college football, home field is a huge advantage and the big BCS teams know this. The excuse is the small payout (which they don't need). The real reason is losing a $13 million BCS payout getting beat by a MWC school. Remember Tennessee paid Wyoming big $$ to move their game to Nashville (and almost lost) when it would have been cheaper to play in Laramie. Here's a typical BCS schedule: 3 OOC cupcakes at home (mid major and a few 1-AAs), maybe a minor BCS team on the road, four good conference teams of which two are at home. Result: 10-2, top 10 ranking and $13 million BCS bowl. Penn St., Miami FL, Oregon, Washington, UCLA, Virginia, Texas, California, Arizona, Texas A&M, Arizona St all have lost in the Beehive State the past 15 years. With the BCS they won't come anymore and risk losing BCS $$.

Anonymous | 9:50 a.m. July 29, 2008

Great for the U. but bad for USU. Instead of having a sellout with Utah at Romney, the Aggies will bring in I-AA Who cares University and get beat in front on 5,500 fans. Hopefully the Aggies get a piece of the U.'s $1 million it is getting from Notre Dame!

spitzer | 9:50 a.m. July 29, 2008

It seems to me Anonymous almost everytime I read an article about BYU football some crimson dude from up north has to balb about the Yutes. If you have a problem with us commenting on your articles, stop making the comments about BYU's articles!

cooooooogerzz | 9:50 a.m. July 29, 2008

i recall that the last time the irish had a home n home with the team down south, the irish smoked byu both times!!!

big 12 | 9:51 a.m. July 29, 2008

maybe utah and byu could join a conference where they play big time games every week

LaVerl | 10:03 a.m. July 29, 2008

The problem with the Utes is they do not play big time programs like Michigan, UCLA, and Notre Dame the way BYU does.

Sincerely,
LaVerl

Good scheduling | 10:07 a.m. July 29, 2008

I'm not a Utah fan, though I have a degree from there, but I'm glad Hill has scheduled this game. Having been to Notre Dame to a game, I can tell you it is an experience you will long remember if you get a chance to go. I disliked Notre Dame before going there for a game, but afterward I feel a certain allegiance to them because of the level of respect shown to all fans who were there. They have a tradition of excellence and respect that more schools should emulate.

BlueCoug | 10:12 a.m. July 29, 2008

I'm happy for the Utes to get to experience the mystic of playing in Southbend.

It's a shame Notre Dame won't return the favor by visiting RES because they've decided to play a 7-game home schedule and, except for their traditional rivals, won't be playing home-and-home series with other teams.

All this silly talk about scheduling up/down/sideways is so juvenile. BYU and Utah both schedule quality OOC opponents, home-and-away, as much as possible.

Exceptions are made to fit specific circumstances and future opponents may end up being MUCH better, or MUCH worse, than they were expected to be when the games were scheduled, but both schools play quality OOC opponents.

BYUtah fan | 10:14 a.m. July 29, 2008

How this could be come a forum for small minded fans to fight over the BYU-Utah rivalry is beyond me. Notre Dame has a long and storied football program. Playing Notre Dame is a terrific opportunity for Utah for national exposure and to show off the talent they have been recruiting recently. There is no down side for BYU. Utah has an excellent football program. If nothing else their performance against BYU team has proven that the last two years. Both of those games could have gone either way.

Yes, I bleed BYU blue. But, Utah is a fun team to watch. I root for Utah, as any intelligent fan from Utah would. Utah wins just add more prominence and excitement to the rivalry game. With one Utah team undefeated and the other with one loss maybe we can have two BCS busters.

are you kidding me? | 10:26 a.m. July 29, 2008

Wow! Its amazing to me that we have to talk a sucky team into playing us a YEAR in advance! Notre Dame? Why dont we play a real school. This isnt going to do anything for us. And its going to make us look aweful if we lose... BAD MOVE!!!

Hey Dilusional | 10:33 a.m. July 29, 2008

Are you kidding me? You must be truly "Dilusional"!The Utes aren't grabbing all of the "headlines" by playing "Real" opponents and not the "Northern Iowa's of the World". Reality check boys in red you are the 1AA caliber that Michigan has lined up to demolish this year and N.D. (even though they are terrible) will crush in 2010! Your overinflated view of self is astounding. Your football team has been terrible the last few years. Is USA today and ESPN headlining you and your incredible one "big game" every 4 years? If I'm a big time recruit that is really going to lure me to play in the pathetic MWC. Its sad when your own Mr. Hill admits to your lack of a program. Ute fans like it or not no one outside of Utah hardly even knows you play football. The Fiesta bowl is over, get over yourselves! You are the kid on the basketball court that is all mouth and no skill. BYU has national recognition, a national championship, and a ranking and program to match. Try getting in a conference where you can play "REAL" opponents and win and then someone might take you seriously!

Dilusional | 10:42 a.m. July 29, 2008

In 09 and 10 BYU has Florida State and Washington on its schedule and 10 and 11, Arizona State. Those teams will come to LES as well. So I think it is U who is delusional. I'm a die hard Cougar fan, but I think it is great that the U is going to South Bend. Air Force plays them often, so the conference does play some good programs. Most MWC teams are trying very hard to upgrade their schedules.

Ute Answer Man | 10:52 a.m. July 29, 2008

Hole in schedule? No problem. We'll just play Weber State twice that year.

Anonymous | 10:59 a.m. July 29, 2008

To LaVerl: do you mean Utah doesn't play UCLA the same way as BYU because they beat them, mercilessly?
(not just on a blocked field goal)

To BYUtah Fan: I wish more of your fellow BYU fans had the same respect you do. I respect BYU's football team. I despie 99% of their fans. If they were all like you (and if all of the U's fans were like you) this rivalry would be a whole lot better. Kudos.

really something now | 11:07 a.m. July 29, 2008

Oooo, the yooties think they're really something now! Notre Dame? Been there, done that.

Since you'll be losing to BYU every year from now until Bronco turns 90 it won't matter who else you schedule to assuage your wounded pride.

BYU Cougar | 11:16 a.m. July 29, 2008

"i recall that the last time the irish had a home n home with the team down south, the irish smoked byu both times!!!"

WRONG!!!

BYU SPLIT the last two games with Notre Dame.

For the record:

BYU has NEVER had a home-and-home series with Notre Dame, they've had 2 two-for-one series (2 away, 1 home) with the Fighting Irish. Overall, BYU is 2-4 vs Notre Dame, including a win in Southbend in 1994.

1992 BYU 16 @Notre Dame 42
1993 BYU 20 Notre Dame 45
1994 BYU 21 @Notre Dame 14

2003 BYU 14 @Notre Dame 33
2004 BYU 20 Notre Dame 17
2005 BYU 23 @Notre Dame 49

J. | 11:37 a.m. July 29, 2008

Last year the only team in the top 25 that did not play another team in the top 25=BYU, the team with a strength of schedule=67, scheduling E. washington, N. Iowa, E. Illinois---PRICELESS. You gotta love it. Go Utes!

Table Scraps | 11:38 a.m. July 29, 2008

Rumor has it that Tom Holmoe was eating breakfast in a local restaurant this morning, and had to finally ask Chris Hill to leave. It seems Hill was laying down under Holmoe's table hoping to pounce on any scheduling scraps that might fall off the table.

Re: Anonymous | 10:59 a.m. | 11:38 a.m. July 29, 2008

"Utah doesn't play UCLA the same way as BYU because they beat them, mercilessly"

It's just too bad that Utah doesn't play UNLV the same way as BYU, instead of laying a goose egg against UNLV 0-27.

A little history, last two UCLA games for Utah and BYU.

BYU 17 UCLA 16 (bowl)
BYU 17 @UCLA 27

Utah 44 UCLA 6
Utah 10 @UCLA 31

oops, forgot that little detail about how Utah DIDN'T handle UCLA in Los Angeles

RE: Hey Dilusional | 11:50 a.m. July 29, 2008

"Try getting in a conference where you can play "REAL" opponents and win and then someone might take you seriously!"

You mean like the conference that BYU is in??? The only national recognition the BYU has had the last two years is that they are a bubble team. They are the "team with a lot of potential and promise" but yet can't seem to reach that potential because they choke a game or two away. If you want to bring up the Fiesta Bowl, that team didn't choke on any games and played teams from the type of conferences that you referred to. I don't think that I would like my program to be nationally recognized as a team that can't reach potential. The national recognition that the UTES have right now is 10-4 against BCS teams and have a bowl streak going for them as well. If you think that you are going to change that perception by playing the lower teams, then you are DIIlusional!!!!

Schedule Maker | 11:50 a.m. July 29, 2008

Everything is relative in the world of schedule making. It all depends on the perspective and national prestige of your program.

A helpful exercise is to apply the exact same scenarios to teams you look up to playing, to opponents on your own schedule and what you think of them.

Utah fans, as they have been pointing out on here, are ecstatic to be playing one road game at Notre Dame. The question is, how does Notre Dame and its fans look at the Utah matchup?

Applying the same formula to Utah -- what teams on Utah's schedule are willing to JUMP to play a one-off road game at RES?

Weber State.

Ergo, Utah is to Notre Dame what Weber State is to Utah.

Before all you Ute fans get all irate, just look at it. You would never agree to play a home and home with Weber State. It doesn't make sense for you. Just like Notre Dame would never agree to play you on the road. You don't have the juice.

Personally, I think Utah is better than Notre Dame right now. And I think the Utes sold themselves short by agreeing to the one-off ND game.

Bruins calling | 11:52 a.m. July 29, 2008

You Ute fans are really something. Bragging up and down about demolishing UCLA when BYU only beat them by a fingertip.

We all know that whether you're playing at home or on the road makes a big difference. BYU played us close in our house last year, and then beat us in the Vegas Bowl.

Please refresh my memory as to what the score was when Utah played in our house the year before. As I recall, it was a complete and utter blowout.

michael | 11:57 a.m. July 29, 2008

Bottom line is Utah playing Notre Dame is good for Utah, good for the league and I know BYU fans will hate this but good for BYU. You should be thanking the UTE's for having the guts to play these games while you try to "Hawaii" your way to the BCS.

Great Opportunity!!!!!! | 12:02 p.m. July 29, 2008

We used to do these up at Utah State. We went to Nebraska (when they were great) and to Oklahoma a few times. We got killed but we made more money than if we had played a home game.

These games helped our athletic program survive. Hope this helps your situation up at the U. Good luck and keep smilin'. ;)

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