Add Weber State to Utah's list of future football opponents. The Wildcats and Utes have agreed to meet at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Sept. 27, 2008.
"We just had an opportunity to schedule them," said Bruce Woodbury, director of community relations for the Utah athletic department. "It'll be a fun game to play. It's good for the local people. It's good for us, and it's good for them."
Despite their proximity, Utah and Weber State have played each other just twice before. The Utes prevailed 30-7 in 1978 and 52-16 in 1984. Both games were played in Salt Lake City.
A one-year renewal of the series was made possible because 2008 is a 12-game year for the Utes. Woodbury said Weber State brings another dimension to a challenging non-conference schedule that already includes Washington State, Texas and Utah State.
"It's a fun game to play for both teams," said Woodbury. "And it'll be fun for fans to watch."
When the opportunity to schedule a Division I-AA team arises, Woodbury explained it only makes sense for Utah to play someone close to home. Current bowl-eligibility guidelines allow teams to count a win over a I-AA team once every four years.
"It's great that they're giving us the
opportunity to stay in our state that year and give us a I-A game in our back yard," said Weber State coach Jerry Graybeal. "We're very excited."
LOOKING AHEAD: Though subject to change because of Mountain West Conference expansion to TCU and uncertainty surrounding NCAA schedules being expanded to 12 games each year, Utah has home-and-home agreements scheduled with Arizona (2004 away, 2005 home), North Carolina (2004 home, 2005 away), Oregon State (2005 home, 2007 away), UCLA (2006 away, 2007 home) and Texas (2007 away, 2008 home)—as well as annual meetings with USU.
Ohio is slated to visit Utah in 2006.
TICKET TALK: Utah officials report that season-ticket sales for football have already exceeded last year's sales of 22,378 by more than 2,500. An increase of approximately 50 more per day is anticipated. The Utes open the season on Thursday, Sept. 2, against Texas A&M. Tickets can be purchased at the new athletic department ticket office on the southwest corner of Rice-Eccles Stadium, or via the Internet at www.utahtickets.com.
MAC TURNING PURPLE? In today's editions of the Ogden Standard-Examiner, former Ute coach Ron McBride said there's not a lot to say about a Salt Lake media report that he's a candidate for the vacant Weber State athletic director's job.
"There's no story really," said McBride. "If they're interested in me I'd love to talk to them."
McBride declined to say, however, whether he has actually applied for the position. He told the newspaper he was busy getting ready for a second season as an assistant football coach at Kentucky. Search committee chairman Norm Tarbox, citing policy, also refused to confirm or deny McBride's candidacy.
E-mail: dirk@desnews.com