BYU has postseason options on the table, should the Cougars end the season with enough wins to qualify for a postseason bowl game. BYU released its 2015 football schedule today, and announced two bowl partners for the 2015 and 2019 seasons. BYU will play in either the Hawaii Bowl or the Las Vegas Bowl in 2015. Whichever bowl game BYU does not play in this season will be the destination bowl for BYU in 2019.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in these two bowl games,” said BYU Director of Athletics Tom Holmoe in a released statement. “We look forward to returning to Las Vegas and Honolulu. We are fortunate to have a large fan base in both areas and it will be great to renew the many longtime friendships we’ve enjoyed in these two cities.”
BYU has played in the Las Vegas Bowl five times, making the trip to the game five straight years from 2005 through 2009. BYU has only played in one Hawaii Bowl, defeating Kansas in the 1992 Aloha Bowl.
As an independent, BYU is forced to try to lock down bowl agreements and secure spots in the postseason in advance. Just as conferences secure bowl agreements with a handful of bowl games, BYU does the same and stays ahead of the “at-large” mix at the end of the season. Last season BYU played in the inaugural Miami Beach Bowl, which became more known for its postgame fisticuffs instead of the action inside the 60 minutes of regulation.
BYU’s 2015 schedule is an obstacle course as close to The Eliminator event from the old American Gladiators. The Cougars open the season at Nebraska, at home against Boise State and on the road at UCLA and at Michigan before getting to October. Wins could be difficult to come by for BYU, which means the margin for error the rest of the way could be slim if a trip to Hawaii or Las Vegas is to become a reality. BYU will play on Friday night three times this fall; October 2 against UConn, October 16 against East Carolina and November 6 at San Jose State.