BYU NewsNet - Cougar football: BYU, Oklahoma make pact to play Sooner than later

BYU may not be playing in the BCS National Championship on Thursday, but it is likely to take the opportunity to scout its next opponent.

BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe announced the Cougars’ 2009 football schedule has been finalized and that the team will open its season in a neutral site game against the currently No. 1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners. Other nonconference opponents include Florida State, Tulane and Utah State.

“We are excited about our nonconference schedule for next season,” Holmoe said in a news release. “There were sev-eral teams involved in making things work out and we appreciate all those who worked hard to make it happen. The home schedule should be one of the best in school history. In addition to perennial football power Florida State, fans will enjoy home games with in-state rivals Utah and Utah State as well as TCU, Colorado State and Air Force in conference.”

The game with Oklahoma will take place on Sept. 5 and will be the first college game played at the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium. The Labor Day week-end contest will kick off in primetime and be televised on ABC or ESPN as part of the second annual ESPN Kickoff Week presented by Gillette.

“We appreciate the unique opportunity of being part of the first college game played in the new home of the Dallas Cow-boys,” BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. “Given the strong football traditions of Oklahoma, BYU and the Dallas Cowboys, it’s a fitting matchup and a perfect venue for what should be a great football game.”

The game will mark the second all-time meeting between the Cougars and Sooners — BYU defeated Oklahoma 31-6 in the 1994 Copper Bowl — and will feature two of the nation’s most successful football programs. BYU has posted a 32-7 overall record the past three seasons to become one of just seven teams in the nation to win 32 games during that timeframe, joining Boise State (35-4), Florida (34-6), Oklahoma (34-7), USC (34-5), Ohio State (33-5), and Texas (32-7).

After facing Oklahoma, the Cougars will travel to New Orleans to play at Tulane in the Louisiana Superdome on Sept. 12. The game will be broadcast to a national televi-sion audience on ESPN or ESPN2. BYU will then return for its home opener against Florida State on Sept. 19.

The final nonconference game is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2, versus in-state rival Utah State. Television plans for the other nonconference games will be announced at a later date.

BYU and Tulane split the two prior meetings, with the Green Wave winning 41-27 in the 1998 Liberty Bowl and the Cougars notching a 70-35 home victory in the Black Coaches Association Classic to open the 2001 season.

Florida State will make its first visit to Provo. The Seminoles won two previous games against the Cougars with a 44-28 win at the 1991 Pigskin Classic in Anaheim, Calif., and a 29-3 victory in the 2000 Pigskin Classic in Jacksonville, Fla. The Seminoles finished the 2008 season with a 9-4 record after defeating Wisconsin 42-13 in the Florida Citrus Bowl.

BYU and Utah State will meet for the 79th time in 2009. After their 34-14 win in 2008, the Cougars own a 42-33-3 advantage in the longtime series.

"This is a strong nonconference schedule with teams from the Big 12, ACC, Conference USA and the WAC," Menden-hall said. "We look forward to playing these games as we continue to work on improving our program and building on our past achievements.”