BYU football: Cougars adjust Boise State game, finalize 2017 schedule

BYU football’s 2017 schedule is finalized. With a slight change coming against Boise State, the Cougars have everything nailed down.

BYU football will take on the Boise State Broncos on Friday, Oct. 6. Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

The game was originally slated for Saturday, Oct. 7. With that one-day shift,  BYU football’s 2017 schedule is finalized.

The season is already well underway, with the first week of spring ball in the books. In late March the Cougars will hold the spring scrimmage, then fall camp will begin in late September/early August.

BYU football will play a 13-game regular season, taking advantage of the NCAA rule that allows teams playing at Hawaii to schedule an extra contest.

As it stands, here’s BYU’s 2017 schedule:

Aug. 26: Portland State

Sept. 2: LSU (NRG Stadium in Houston)

Sept. 9: Utah

Sept. 16: Wisconsin

Sept. 29: at Utah State

Oct. 6: Boise State

Oct. 14: at Mississippi State

Oct. 21: at East Carolina

Oct. 28: San Jose State

Nov. 4: at Fresno State

Nov. 11: at UNLV

Nov. 18: UMass

Nov. 25: at Hawaii

The schedule is definitely front loaded, but this campaign is nothing to shake a stick at.

Wisconsin, LSU and Utah all finished in the Top 25 last season, and six of BYU’s opponents finished 2016 with a bowl appearance (Wisconsin, LSU, Utah, Mississippi State, Boise State and Hawaii).

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The Portland State game, while certainly not a high-quality opponent, is an important game for the Cougars. Having a tune-up before clashing with LSU is big. Hopefully BYU football can get some of the kinks out in week one, because the Cougars won’t be able to make mistakes in week two.

For now, the Cougars will continue their spring practices. The spring game is March 25, with the following weekend being Alumni Weekend.