At first I was a little disappointed that the games would be early in the season, but since there won't ever be a conference championship on the line, I guess that'll work.
BCS conference teams almost always schedule out of conference games against patsies early in the season. And I know the BYU homers think this is just trash talk, but it's the current reality.
Look at the teams this year. Utah is on another level when compared to BYU. The gap between these programs will only get wider as Utah goes to the Pac 12 and BYU goes independent.
Who does BYU have at home next year? I heard they have San Jose State, Louisiana Tech, Idaho, and some other equally crappy teams. If that's true, Utah is now BYU's super bowl. While BYU is playing those teams, Utah will be playing Oregon, USC, Arizona, Stanford, etc.
Anyone saying BYU will close the gap with Utah anytime soon is just crazy. Leaving the MWC was a terrible mistake for BYU. If they were going to leave, they should have taken all the best programs with them and made a new conference with a decent tv contract. Going independent will prove to be a mistake of epic proportions.
If Utah beats BYU in the second or 3rd week of the season the next 2 years, what will BYU have to play for after that? Bronco can't keep these guys motivated now, with a conference championship and bowl game still possible. What happens next year when they have no conference to win, no player of the week awards, and no bowl game after the season?