Going into the 2025 College Football Season, after a 11-2 start last season, BYU gets the spot light this upcoming season
Primetime in Provo: Will BYU–Portland State Kick Off the 2025 Season on ESPN+ at 6 PM MT? originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As the countdown to the 2025 college football season continues, fans eagerly await the announcement of kickoff times and television designations for early-season matchups. For BYU followers, these details typically emerge in May, when TV networks finalize their selections for the first three weeks of the season, including notable weeknight games.
With the Big 12 Conference entering the first year of its new media rights deal with ESPN and FOX, all BYU conference matchups and home games will fall under this agreement. Meanwhile, nonconference road games—such as the Cougars’ September 20 trip to East Carolina—will be governed by the American Athletic Conference’s TV rights, likely determined through shorter selection windows rather than preset broadcast times.
Following an impressive 11–2 finish in 2024 capped by a dominant Alamo Bowl victory over Colorado, expectations are high for head coach Kalani Sitake’s squad. ESPN’s post-spring Top 25 ranks BYU at No. 10, and that kind of preseason buzz typically leads to higher-profile television placements.
While we await official confirmation, here are predictions for BYU’s early-season TV broadcast schedule and kickoff times, highlighting the first two weeks and a key Friday night game.
Week 1: BYU vs. Portland State
Date: Saturday, August 30, 2025
Predicted TV/Time: ESPN+ at 6 p.m. MT
Under the Big 12 media rights agreement, member schools control kickoff times for games aired on ESPN+. This provides BYU the opportunity to select an optimal time to start their season. Last year, BYU hosted Southern Illinois at 6 p.m. MT under the lights, creating an electric atmosphere while showcasing the upgraded lighting at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Expect the Cougars to employ the same strategy against FCS opponent Portland State. BYU holds a perfect 19–0 record against FCS teams, making this matchup more about building early momentum than national intrigue. The last meeting between these two teams in 2017 was a nationally televised ESPN game but lacked excitement. This 2025 contest, however, promises a crisper, more fan-friendly experience in a primetime ESPN+ window.
Week 2: BYU vs. Stanford
Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025
Predicted TV/Time: FOX at 8 p.m. MT
This game carries significant narrative weight and features two Power Five programs, making it a strong candidate for a national television slot. BYU could be ranked entering Week 2, while Stanford embarks on a new era under head coach Frank Reich and general manager Andrew Luck—a unique leadership pairing for college football.
Adding to the intrigue is the presence of the Bachmeier brothers, who transferred from Stanford to BYU. FOX frequently reserves its late Saturday night window for games in the western U.S., and this matchup fits perfectly. It also offers FOX rare exposure to an ACC-affiliated brand via Stanford while serving Big 12 audiences.
Potential competition for this time slot includes USC vs. Georgia Southern and Oklahoma State at Oregon, but those matchups are more likely to be scheduled earlier in the day. This positions BYU–Stanford as a prime candidate for the 8 p.m. MT network spotlight.
Week 6: BYU vs. West Virginia
Date: Friday, October 3, 2025
Predicted TV/Time: ESPN at 8:15 p.m. MT
Friday night football in Provo has become a consistent late-night showcase on ESPN. Previous Friday night home games featured matchups against Cincinnati in 2023 and Oklahoma State in 2024. The trend is expected to continue in 2025 when BYU hosts Rich Rodriguez’s West Virginia Mountaineers.
Currently, only three games are scheduled for that Friday, with FOX likely focusing on Big Ten matchups. This scenario sets up ESPN to broadcast a Friday night doubleheader, with an early game such as Charlotte vs. South Florida followed by BYU vs. West Virginia as the feature event.
The potential for high-altitude drama under the lights in Provo makes this game a near certainty for the 8:15 p.m. MT ESPN slot.
Final Thoughts
BYU’s early-season schedule features manageable opponents, compelling storylines, and enough national interest to secure primetime slots. As the Cougars aim to replicate or improve on their successful 2024 campaign, expect television networks to showcase BYU under the lights, where the team consistently shines brightest.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
