East Carolina agrees to two-year deal with BYU

Pirates to play Cougars during the 2017 and 2018 seasons

Over recent years, East Carolina's non-conference schedules have consisted of countless games against regional foes such as Virginia Tech, West Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, North Carolina State, and Navy.

While that trend will certainly continue, future schedules will feature at least one intersectional opponent as East Carolina has entered a two-year contract with tradition-rich independent BYU. The schools have never played before on the gridiron.

The Pirates will welcome the Cougars to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in the 2017 campaign before traveling to Lavell Edwards Stadium in beautiful Provo, Utah the following season.

BYU, which is probably best-known for producing quarterbacks such as Steve Young, Jim McMahon, and Ty Detmer, finished the 2011 season at 10-3 after capturing a bowl win over CUSA foe Tulsa. The Cougars concluded the season ranked in the Top 25 for the fifth time in the last six years.

The series will feature programs that possess passionate fan bases that create a couple of the better atmospheres in all of college football. BYU is ranked 26th nationally in attendance in 2011 after averaging 60,265. Meanwhile, East Carolina finished 40th in average attendance as the Pirates produced an all-time high mark of 50,012 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

East Carolina has also added The Citadel to its 2013 home slate, which already features a visit from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.