BYU fans cheer in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016. BYU beat Arizona 18-16 on a last-second field goal. With Arizona State and Arizona joining the Big 12 next season, Cougar fans in state have something else to cheer about. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
BYU fans in the Phoenix area had been waiting eight years for Tuesday’s announcement that will bring the Cougars back to the Valley of the Sun for the first time since 2016. BYU will play at Arizona State on Nov. 23 as members of the Big 12 Conference.
It took an improbable five-step plan to make it happen.
First: Texas and Oklahoma announced their surprise departure from the Big 12 to join the SEC, which they will officially do on July 1.
Second: Needing replacements for the Longhorns and Sooners, the Big 12 quickly invited BYU to join the conference, which the Cougars happily did on July 1, 2023.
Third: USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon bolted the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, leading to the collapse of the Pac-12.
Fourth: Needing a home, Arizona State, Arizona, Utah and Colorado found refuge in the Big 12. They will officially join the conference on Aug. 2.
Fifth: The Big 12 configured its first 16-team schedule in a way that facilitates BYU playing at Arizona State the weekend before Thanksgiving on Nov. 23.
Home away from home
If there are two valleys outside of Utah that rival its BYU fandom, it is Las Vegas and Phoenix. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which sponsors BYU, has hundreds of thousands of members and a strong alumni footprint in those respective areas.
As history has shown in both locations, when the Cougars come to town, the fans show up in droves.
Related
“It’s one of those signature events,” said Duane Oakes, BYU Southwest Region Chapter director. “Everybody is excited!”
The last time BYU was in the Phoenix area was in…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/byu-receive-warm-welcome-cougars-231500456.html
Author : Deseret News
Publish date : 2024-01-31 23:15:00
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