BYU Football’s Historical Record Against Each Pac-12 Program

PROVO, Utah – When BYU football kicks off the 2021 season, it will come against the Pac-12’s Arizona Wildcats.

The game will be the first of five matchups against programs from the Pac-12 Conference. Just one year after a season that saw BYU not face any Power 5 competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is a historical look at BYU’s all-time records against each one of the current Pac-12 programs.

Arizona Wildcats

BYU and Arizona have a long history that dates back to the original WAC days. When they square off to open the 2021 season, it will be the 25th meeting all-time between the two schools. It’s the third consecutive meeting to open a season. BYU has won the previous two.

Games played: 24

All-time record: 11-12-1

First meeting: September 25th, 1936 (Arizona 32, BYU 6)

Most recent meeting: September 1st, 2018 (BYU 28, Arizona 23)

Arizona State Sun Devils

It’s been a long time since BYU football and Arizona State last faced off against one another. That long drought ends this fall when ASU travels to Provo on September 18th.

BYU and Arizona State were once WAC rivals.

Games played: 27

All-time record: 7-20

First meeting: November 23rd, 1935 (BYU 13, Arizona State 0)

Most recent meeting: September 12th, 1998 (BYU 26, Arizona State 6)

California Golden Bears

Nearly all of the meetings between BYU and Cal have taken place in the 21st century. The first two meetings in 1999 and 2001 took place when current BYU AD Tom Holmoe was the head coach of the Golden Bears.

Games played: 5

All-time record: 3-2

First meeting: October 9th, 1999 (BYU 38, California 28)

Most recent meeting: September 8th, 2018 (California 21, BYU 18)

Colorado Buffaloes

All but two of BYU’s meetings with Colorado took place before World War II. The two programs have only met twice in the last 80 years, with one of those meetings coming in the 1988 Freedom Bowl.

Colorado is the only team in the Pac-12 Conference that BYU has yet to schedule since becoming an Independent in 2011.

Games played: 12

All-time record: 3-8-1

First meeting: October 20th, 1923 (Colorado 41, BYU 0)

Most recent meeting: December 29th, 1988 (Freedom Bowl – BYU 20, Colorado 17)

Oregon Ducks

The last meeting for BYU football against Oregon was a exclamation mark victory on an impressive 11-2 season in 2006. BYU will make its first trip to Autzen Stadium since 1990 when they travel to Eugene in 2022.

Games played: 6

All-time record: 3-3

First meeting: September 19th, 1964 (Oregon 20, BYU 13)

Most recent meeting: December 21st, 2006 (Las Vegas Bowl – BYU 38, Oregon 8)

Oregon State Beavers

Former BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall once played at OSU and beat the Cougars when he was a player. The last time BYU and the Beavs squared off, Bronco’s alma mater with a backup QB, took down BYU in Provo.

Games played: 11

All-time record: 5-6

First meeting: September 17th, 1955 (Oregon State 33, BYU 0)

Most recent meeting: October 13th, 2012 (No. 10 Oregon State 42, BYU 24)

Stanford Cardinal

In the early 1970s, Stanford wouldn’t schedule BYU in any athletic competition. It wasn’t until 2o03 when BYU faced the Cardinal for the first time in program history.

Stanford will be appearing on BYU’s future schedules a lot in the coming years.

Games played: 2

All-time record: 0-2

First meeting: September 20th, 2003 (Stanford 18, BYU 14)

Most recent meeting: September 11th, 2004 (Stanford 37, BYU 10)

UCLA Bruins

BYU and UCLA have squared off a dozen times, with the Bruins getting the upper hand in most of the games. The first one was arguably the most memorable for BYU, a 37-35 win in the Rose Bowl. Giving then UCLA head coach Terry Donahue his first loss as a coach in UCLA’s home venue.

Games played: 12

All-time record: 3-9

First meeting: October 1st, 1983 (BYU 37, UCLA 35)

Most recent meeting: September 17th, 2016 (UCLA 17, BYU 14)

USC Trojans

The first meeting all-time against the historic USC Trojans was in 2003. BYU’s initial series with the Trojans paired up with the beginning stages of the USC dynasty under Pete Carroll.

BYU and USC will meet in 2021 and 2023 in Los Angeles.

Games played: 3

All-time record: 1-2

First meeting: September 6th, 2003 (USC 35, BYU 18)

Most recent meeting: September 14th, 2019 (BYU 30, No. 24 USC 27 Overtime)

Utah Utes

BYU’s top rival, the Utes and Cougars, have met 94 times, with Utah holding a sizable edge. Utah has won the last nine meetings and will be looking for a series record 10th consecutive victory.

Games played: 94

All-time record: 31-59-4

First meeting: October 14th, 1922 (Utah 49, BYU 0)

Most recent meeting: August 29th, 2019 (Utah 30, BYU 12)

Washington Huskies

For only meeting 11 times, there’s a rich history between BYU and Washington. There are obviously the 1984 angles where BYU won the National Championship, but any Washington fan would tell you they deserved it that year.

In 1996, Washington dealt BYU their lone loss. Then last year, as BYU was becoming one of the hot teams in college football, Washington put a PR spin that the Cougars were ducking a potential game with the Huskies.

Games played: 11

All-time record: 4-7

First meeting: September 14th, 1985 (BYU 31, Washington 3)

Most recent meeting: September 21st, 2019 (Washington 45, BYU 19)

Washington State Cougars

The only team that BYU hasn’t faced on the road. That will end in 2021 when BYU travels to the Palouse for the first time in October.

Games played: 4

All-time record: 3-1

First meeting: December 18th, 1981 (Holiday Bowl – BYU 38, Washington State 36)

Most recent meeting: August 30th, 2012 (BYU 30, Washington State 6)

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.