2022 College Football Season Opens With Plenty of Questions for Utah, BYU, USU

It’s often been said that coaches are hired to be fired. Maintaining success is easier said than done. Although no college football coaches in the state are on the hot seat, several programs may not be as secure.

Following last season’s highs, it’s now encore time and there are high expectations.

As such, there are plenty of questions as the 2022 season approaches.

Will the Utah Utes make it to the Rose Bowl again?

What about reaching the College Football Playoff?

Can the BYU Cougars remain a top 25 team and win 10 or more games for the third consecutive season?

How will they fare in a schedule that includes Baylor, Oregon, Notre Dame, Arkansas, Boise State and Stanford?

Are the Utah State Aggies for real? They went 11-3 and won the Mountain West Conference championship in 2021. Then came a victory in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl.

All said, it was a historic season for the three major college programs in 2021. BYU, Utah and Utah State had a combined record of 32-10. That’s a winning percentage of 76.1%.

More questions. OK, just one. Can they do it again?

2022 SCHEDULES

All times Mountain

BYU COUGARS

Sept. 3 — at South Florida, 2 p.m. (ESPNU)

Sept. 10 — BAYLOR, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)

Sept. 17 — at Oregon. 1:30 p.m. (FOX)

Sept. 24 — WYOMING, TBA (ESPN Networks)

Sept. 29 — UTAH STATE, 6 p.m. (ESPN)

Oct. 8 — Notre Dame (Las Vegas), 5:30 p.m. (NBC)

Oct. 15 — ARKANSAS, TBA (ESPN Networks)

Oct. 22 — at Liberty, TBA (BYU Radio SiriusXM)

Oct. 28 — EAST CAROLINA, 6 p.m. (ESPN2)

Nov. 5 — at Boise State, TBA (FOX Sports Network)

Nov. 19 — UTAH TECH, 1:30 p.m. (BYUtv, ESPN3)

Nov. 26 — at Stanford, TBA (BYU Radio SiriusXM)

UTAH UTES

Sept. 3 — at Florida, 5 p.m. (ESPN)

Sept. 10 — SOUTHERN UTAH, 11:30 a.m. (P12N)

Sept. 17 — SAN DIEGO STATE, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)

Sept. 24 — at Arizona State, TBD (TBA)

Oct. 1 — OREGON STATE, TBD (TBA)

Oct. 8 — at UCLA, TBD (TBA)

Oct. 15 — vs. USC, TBD (TBA)

Oct. 27 — at Washington State, 8 p.m. (FS1)

Nov. 5 — vs. Arizona, TBD (TBA)

Nov. 12 — vs. Stanford, TBD (TBA)

Nov. 19 — at Oregon, TBD (TBA)

Nov. 26 — at Colorado, TBD (TBA)

UTAH STATE AGGIES

Aug. 27 — CONNECTICUT, 7 p.m. (FS1)

Sept. 3 — at Alabama, 5:30 p.m. (SECN)

Sept 10 — WEBER STATE, 5 p.m. (TBD)

Sept. 24 — UNLV, 5 p.m. (CBSSN)

Sept. 29 — at BYU, 6 p.m. (ESPN)

Oct. 8 — AIR FORCE, TBA (FOX Sports Networks)

Oct. 15 — at Colorado State, 5 p.m. (CBSSN)

Oct. 22 — at Wyoming, TBA (FOX Sports Networks)

Nov. 5 — NEW MEXICO, 1:30 p.n. (CBSSN)

Nov. 12 — at Hawaii, 9 p.m. (Spectrum)

Nov. 19 — SAN JOSE STATE, TBA (Fox Sports Networks)

Nov. 25 — at Boise State, 10 a.m. (CBS)