WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--The Pac-10 Conference office released the 2011 football schedule today and Utah's first game as a Pac-12 member will be at USC on Sept. 10. It is Utah's first visit to the Coliseum since 1948. Utah's first Pac-12 home opponent is Washington--a team that has never played the Utes in Salt Lake City--on Oct. 1.
The Utes will compete in the Pac-12 Southern division, meaning they will meet Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, UCLA and USC every year, and four teams from the Northern division on a two-year home-and-away cycle. Utah's 2011 and 2012 Northern division opponents will be California, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State.
Utah's 2011 Pac-12 schedule features home games against Washington (Oct. 1), Arizona State (Oct. 8), Oregon State (Oct. 29), UCLA (Nov. 12) and Colorado (Nov. 26). Pac-12 road games are at USC (Sept. 10), Cal (Oct. 22 in AT&T Park in San Francisco), Arizona (Nov. 5) and Washington State (Nov. 19).
The Utes will open the 2011 season against Montana State on Thursday, Sept. 1 (all other games will be played on Saturday). Utah also plays two non-conference road games at Brigham Young on Sept. 17 and at Pittsburgh on Oct. 15.
"We are pleased that the league announced the schedule this early so that our fans can begin making plans to attend as many home and away games as possible," said Utah Director of Athletics Dr. Chris Hill. "Without question, this is the most challenging schedule in Utah football history, but also the most exciting. Not only is our Pac-12 Conference schedule demanding, but we have non-conference road games at BYU and Pitt. Next season is the start of a new era of Utah athletics."
The nine-game 2011 Pac-12 schedule nearly doubles the previous number of games Utah has played against current Pac-10 teams in a season. In 1968, the Utes played Oregon State, Washington State, Oregon, Arizona State and Arizona, but the latter two were members of the Western Athletic Conference with Utah at the time.
Game times and television for the 2011 Pac-12 games will be determined later.
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