BYU, Arizona announce three-game football series

PROVO, Utah (April 12, 2013) — BYU and Arizona today announced a three-game series for the 2016, 2018 and 2020 football seasons. The 2016 contest will be played in Glendale, Ariz., at University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals. The game is presented by The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority and its Board of Directors in conjunction with the Fiesta Bowl.

Following the neutral site game in 2016, the teams will play a home-and-home series with the first game at Arizona Stadium in Tucson in 2018 and the second in 2020 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo.

“This is a great regional series and a unique opportunity for our large fan base in Arizona to see us play,” said BYU director of athletics Tom Holmoe. “Arizona has a great football tradition and University of Phoenix Stadium is an incredible NFL venue. I believe the venue and location will attract a lot of our fans in support of the Cougars.”

University of Phoenix Stadium, with its retractable roof and field, is unlike any other stadium in North America. The 63,400-seat venue opened in August 2006 and is the site of the annual Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

“The Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority, and its board members, is thrilled to be hosting another major football event at the University of Phoenix Stadium,” said AZSTA President/CEO Tom Sadler. “We look forward to exposing both school’s participants and fans to our world class facility.”

BYU and Arizona have met 22 times previously with the Wildcats leading the series 12-9-1. The first game between the two teams came in 1936 and the most recent meeting was in the 2008 in the Las Vegas Bowl, where Arizona defeated BYU 31-21. From 1962 to 1977 the two programs were members of the Western Athletic Conference. During that 16-year stretch, the Cougars captured WAC football titles in 1965, 1974, 1976 and 1977, while the Wildcats won conference titles in 1964 and 1973.

“We’re excited to announce our series with BYU and especially playing the first game at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale in 2016,” said Arizona director of athletics Greg Byrne. “These three games will provide the coaches, student-athletes and fans of both Arizona and BYU with a great regional matchup. I look forward to working with BYU Athletics Director Tom Holmoe to further promote this series and providing an exciting atmosphere for our fans.”

The BYU-Arizona game in Phoenix in 2016 will air live on the Pac-12 family of networks. Dates, times and the remainder of the TV coverage information for the series will be announced at a later date.

Select the following link to view the transcript and video of the Google+ Hangout regarding today's announcement.