BYU Football: Cougars Paying SUU $425K to Play in Provo with a Catch

BYU is paying Southern Utah University $425,000 to play in their upcoming football game, with an additional $50,000 to move the game to this Saturday.

This weekend's game between BYU and SUU holds great significance for Mason Fakahua, a native of Cedar City and former quarterback turned starting fullback for BYU. Fakahua is eagerly looking forward to seeing his friends and former teammates from his hometown. The game, scheduled for a 1 p.m. kickoff at LaVell Edwards Stadium, holds sentimental value for him.

However, for BYU, the game comes at a cost. As a newly designated Power Five school, BYU is paying SUU, a team that competes at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level, a sum of $425,000 for making the three-hour journey north. This information was obtained from two contracts obtained by the Deseret News.

But the agreement between the two schools is more complex than it initially seems. The original contract, signed in June 2019 by BYU's athletic director Tom Holmoe and then-SUU AD Debbie Corum, stipulated that BYU would pay SUU $425,000 for a game scheduled on November 18, 2023.

However, when BYU received an invitation to join the Big 12 in September 2021 and needed to adjust its schedule for the final 10 weeks of future seasons, an amendment was made to the original agreement. BYU agreed to pay SUU an additional $50,000 to move the game to this Saturday.

Both payments are required to be made within 60 days following the completion of the game. However, the amended contract states that the $50,000 will be applied towards a future BYU-SUU football game in Provo. On July 13, 2022, the schools announced that this game will take place on September 6, 2025.

It is likely that Fakahua, who is currently a junior, will have moved on from BYU by the time this future game is played. The same can be said for junior tight end Mata'ava Ta'ase, who also played at SUU from 2020 to 2022. However, there are other players on BYU's current roster who previously played for SUU, including sophomore defensive back Dylan Flowers, walk-on freshman linebacker Kason Krebs, and walk-on sophomore defensive tackle Wyatt Dawe.

Ta'ase expressed his excitement for the upcoming game, stating that he and his teammates have been working hard during fall camp and are eager to showcase their progress. He also noted that BYU's offense is very similar to SUU's, with an estimated 90% overlap in plays and strategies.

Fakahua, on the other hand, does not have firsthand knowledge of the similarities between the two teams' offenses. He joined BYU in 2017 after a successful high school career as a wishbone quarterback at Cedar High. After completing a church mission in New Zealand, Fakahua played in nine games in 2021 and 12 games in 2022, primarily on special teams.

Despite his limited experience with SUU's playing style, Fakahua has been encouraging his teammates to be prepared for a tough challenge from SUU. He commended SUU for their tenacity and resilience, describing them as a group of fighters who are hungry for success. Fakahua pointed to SUU's recent game against Arizona State, where they put up a strong fight against a top-ranked team, as evidence of their determination.

During the summer, Fakahua returned to Cedar City and trained with many of the Thunderbirds, including their quarterbacks. He revealed that they frequently discussed the upcoming game against BYU and expressed their excitement for the opportunity to compete. Fakahua emphasized that both teams are eagerly anticipating the game and have been eagerly awaiting this chance to play against each other.