BYU and Utah State basketball will not play this upcoming season. The Aggies released their 2022-2023 non-conference schedule and BYU is not on it.
Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City was next up in the rotation, but neither side could agree to details. I spoke with multiple sources in BYU and outside BYU to find out why the series fell through.
Utah State wanted a three-year deal — Vivint-Logan-Provo. BYU wanted to play the 2022 game in Vivint Arena and then re-evaluate after that.
BYU didn’t want to sign a 3-year agreement due to the Big 12 scheduling. BYU will play 18 Big 12 games in their first Big 12 season, a road game at Utah, SDSU in Provo, a SEC team as part of the Big 12-SEC challenge, likely a Big East team as part of the Big 12-Big East Battle, and 3 games in a MTE (multi-tournament event). Teams play 31 regular season games, so that leaves 6 open spots.
Few Big 12 teams play a true road non-conference game outside of the SEC and Big East challenges. Kansas State was the only team last year that played two (Wichita State and Nebraska). In BYU’s mind, playing at Utah State in 2023 was just not feasible with the gauntlet of the schedule heading into the Big 12 — the Big 12 has been the top conference in KenPom and NET for several consecutive years. Big 12 teams just don’t play two true road games that aren’t part of the Big 12 and SEC challenges. BYU is already playing at Utah next season.
For Utah State’s side, they didn’t just want to do a one-year deal at Vivint — they wanted to ensure BYU came to Logan. A Vivint-Provo-Logan rotation would run the risk BYU buys out the Logan game after playing games in Vivint and Provo. Even if Utah State agreed to a Vivint-Provo-Logan rotation, I’m not sure BYU would have agreed to it — they don’t want to load up on their schedule too much as they enter the Big 12. Games with San Diego State, Utah, a SEC team, Big East team, and 3-game MTE are more or just as much as other Big 12 teams play.
BYU would’ve done just a one-year deal in Vivint this year, but Utah State wanted to ensure BYU would come to Logan. Neither side would budget, so instead we have no future games scheduled between the two schools. This year is also the last year that a football game is scheduled.
BYU now goes into the hiatus with a 10-game winning streak over the Aggies on the hardwood.
Below is what we know of the non-conference schedule. BYU has 3 slots left to fill.
- vs Idaho State, November 7 (Home, season opener)
- at San Diego State, November 11 (Road)
- vs Missouri State, Nov 16 (home)
- vs Nicholls State, November 19 (Home)
- Battle 4 Atlantis — November 23-25 in the Bahamas — 3 games; BYU to open versus USC, second round versus Tennessee/Butler
- vs UVU, December 7 (Home) — December 7 is according to a source
- vs Creighton, December 10 (Neutral, Las Vegas)
- vs Utah, December 17 (home)
- vs Lindenwood, December 20 (Home) — This is Lindenwood’s first D1 season
- vs Weber State, Dec 22 (home)
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