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New bowl games may be coming in 2020, and BYU Football can benefit

By Shaun Gordon

SAN DIEGO, CA - DECEMBER 21: Jamaal Williams #21 of the Brigham Young Cougars carries the offensive player of the year award offstage after defeating the Wyoming Cowboys 24-21 in the Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium December 21, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - DECEMBER 21: Jamaal Williams #21 of the Brigham Young Cougars carries the offensive player of the year award offstage after defeating the Wyoming Cowboys 24-21 in the Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium December 21, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS – DECEMBER 22: Head coach Bronco Mendenhall and quarterback Max Hall #15 of the Brigham Young University Cougars celebrate their 44-20 victory over the Oregon State Beavers in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium December 22, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hall was named the most valuable player of the game. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS – DECEMBER 22: Head coach Bronco Mendenhall and quarterback Max Hall #15 of the Brigham Young University Cougars celebrate their 44-20 victory over the Oregon State Beavers in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium December 22, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hall was named the most valuable player of the game. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

BYU’s Bowl Options

If the Cougars decide to pursue a long-term bowl partnership, the options will be there in 2020.

BYU will be a free agent this year, since they’d originally contracted with the now-nonexistent Poinsettia Bowl. Next year they’re already settled into the Hawaii Bowl.

But come 2020, things are wide open for the Cougars. Fortunately for them, a lot of bowl games will come open for new contracts that year.

Let’s take a look at the known options the Cougars would have for partnerships (in alphabetical order):

Arizona Bowl

This game just started in 2015, and features the Mountain West against the Sun Belt. Both contracts are up in 2020.

Armed Forces Bowl

Both sides of this bowl come up for re-negotiation in 2020. Right now they have a strange series of contracts with four different conferences, but those all end in 2019. BYU has been to this bowl in Texas once, beating Tulsa 24-21 in 2011.

Belk Bowl

The game in Charlotte, North Carolina will pit an ACC team against an SEC team through 2019, but things are wide open from there.

Frisco Bowl

Not to be confused with a bowl in San Francisco, this one takes place in Frisco, Texas. Right now, the bowl has a contract with the AAC through 2021, but no other conference affiliation. Not only are they an option for a long-term deal, but also a possible landing spot for the Cougars in 2018.

Gator Bowl

This one is a long shot. First, the Gator Bowl contracts have always been with the top conferences, and there’s little chance of that changing. Plus, the contracts come up for re-negotiation in 2021 rather than 2020.

Heart of Dallas Bowl

Another bowl game in Texas that comes up for negotiation in 2020. Unlike the Cotton Bowl, this game actually takes place at the Cotton Bowl, with a Conference USA team facing either a Big 10 or Big 12 team.

Holiday Bowl

There probably wouldn’t be a more perfect landing-place for BYU. The Cougars have played in that game more than any other team, and the bowl’s contract with the Big 10 is up in 2020.

Myrtle Beach Bowl

This is likely one of the three new bowl games, according to McMurphy. While it will probably have a new name by 2020, it will take place in South Carolina and doesn’t have any known ties planned with any conferences.

New Mexico Bowl

Another game that the Cougars have been to. In 2010, BYU beat UTEP 52-24, although now the bowl matches teams from the MWC and Conference USA through 2019.

New Orleans Bowl

The Sun Belt and Conference USA have contracted with this bowl since it began. The contract is officially up for 2020, but will the bowl break tradition?

Pinstripe Bowl

The contract for the bowl at Yankee Stadium is also up in 2020. Right now it features ACC vs. Big 10. A contract to play at the home of the Evil Empire could be interesting.

Unknown New Bowl

The third rumored new bowl game is still a complete mystery. According to McMurphy, there are multiple places that are looking to host the new game.

Which of these bowls, if any, would be a good fit for BYU is an argument for another time. The important thing to keep in mind is that there are plenty of options for the Cougars if they decide to look for a long-term bowl partnership.

Should they though?

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