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Times listed in Mountain. Kickoff times and TV assignments are announced by the Big 12 and its partners as the season approaches.
BYU Football Schedule 2026: Full Cougars Slate, Dates, and Key Games
Games That Will Decide BYU’s Season
| Sept 12 vs Arizona | The earliest Big 12 opener BYU has ever played, in Week 2 at home. A fast start matters given how little rest the rest of the calendar allows. |
| Oct 17 vs Notre Dame | The Irish visit LaVell Edwards Stadium for the first time since 2004, against a top-five opponent. The biggest home game Provo has hosted in two decades. |
| Nov 7 at Utah | The Holy War in Salt Lake City against Morgan Scalley’s first Utah team. For the third straight year the rivalry sits mid-schedule rather than as the finale. |
| Nov 14 vs Baylor | Baylor’s first trip to Provo since a double-overtime BYU win in 2022, sandwiched between the Holy War and a road game at Kansas. |
No Texas Tech Rematch
BYU faced Texas Tech twice in 2025, losing 34-7 in the Big 12 Championship. The Red Raiders are not on the 2026 regular-season schedule at all.
A Genuinely Hard Slate
For the third straight season BYU faces 10 power-conference-level opponents. Its 11 FBS opponents went a combined 84-54 last season, a .609 winning percentage.
An Early Bye, Then No Rest
The open week lands Sept 26, just three games in. From Oct 3 onward BYU plays nine straight weeks without a break.
How the Schedule Sets Up
Utah Tech opens things gently, and then Arizona arrives in Week 2 for the earliest conference opener in program history. Colorado State follows on the road — BYU’s first trip to Fort Collins since 2010 — and then the bye comes early. What follows is the grind: TCU away, Iowa State on a Friday night, Notre Dame at home, UCF on the road, Arizona State on Halloween, the Holy War in Salt Lake City, Baylor at home, Kansas away, and Cincinnati to close. Nine games, no breaks, several of them against ranked opponents. Depth and health will matter as much as talent. For the postseason picture, here’s how the College Football Playoff works under the 12-team format. Conference scheduling across the NCAA FBS continues to trend toward deeper league slates.
The Bottom Line
Seven home games, Notre Dame in Provo for the first time since 2004, the Holy War in November, and nine consecutive games to close the season — BYU’s 2026 schedule is one of the more demanding in the Big 12, with the reward being a genuinely playoff-caliber resume if the Cougars survive it. Bookmark this page; times, networks, and results are updated throughout the season.