BYU Football: Did you know? (New Opponents)

BYU QB Taysom Hill celebrates a touchdown at Michigan State in the first-ever meeting between the two schools in 2016. (Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo)

In 2018, BYU is scheduled to play two schools for the first time: McNeese State and Northern Illinois. Since becoming a college football independent in 2011, BYU has regularly played new opponents. There have been 19 such games, so far, and BYU has been very successful in those games.

Did you know that, since going independent in 2011, BYU is 16-3 in games against opponents that they are playing for the first time ever?

Both the McNeese State and Northern Illinois games will be played in Provo this year. BYU's record in home games with new opponents is a perfect 10-0. In fact, BYU has only lost to new opponents at neutral sites (1-3). BYU is 4-0 in road games. Those road wins came at Ole Miss, Connecticut, Nebraska, and Michigan State.

Here is a complete list of first-time foes and the game results.

2011
Ole Miss: W, 14-13 (A)
UCF: W, 24-17 (H)
New Mexico State: W, 42-7 (H)

2013
Middle Tennessee State: W, 37-10 (H)
Houston: W, 47-46 (N)

2014 
Connecticut: W, 35-10  (A)
Savannah State: W, 64-0 (H)
Memphis: L, 55-48 2OT (N)

2015 
Nebraska: W, 33-28 (A)
East Carolina: W, 45-38 (H)
Cincinnati: W, 38-24 (H)
Wagner: W, 70-6 (H)

2016 
West Virginia: L, 35-32 (N)
Toledo: W, 55-53 (H)
Michigan State: W, 31-14 (A)
Southern Utah: W, 37-7 (H)
UMass: W, 51-9 (H)

2017 
Portland State: W, 20-6 (H)
LSU: L, 27-0 (N)

BYU started 7-0 against first-time opponents. The best season was 2015 when BYU was 4-0 in first-time meetings, and 2016 saw the most games against new schools (5). The LSU loss is the only one that BYU didn't have a chance to win.

The Editor appreciates all feedback. He can be reached via email at bluecougarfootball@gmail.com