Utah Tech Trailblazers football

The Utah Tech Trailblazers football team, formerly known as the Dixie State Trailblazers,[lower-alpha 1] represent Utah Tech University in the sport of American football. The Trailblazers compete as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC) at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Originally a junior college program, the school joined the NCAA at the Division II level in 2006 and played in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference from 2008 through 2016 and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference for the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons. In July 2020, they began the transition to NCAA Division I status by moving to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in all sports except football.[4]

Utah Tech Trailblazers football
2023 Utah Tech Trailblazers football team
First season2006 (2006)
Head coachPaul Peterson
4th season, 15–23 (.395)
StadiumGreater Zion Stadium
(capacity: 10,000)
Year built1985
LocationSt. George, Utah
NCAA divisionDivision I FCS
ConferenceUnited Athletic Conference
Past conferencesGreat Northwest Athletic Conference (2008–2016)
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (2017–2019)
Independent (2020)
All-time record54–114 (.321)
RivalriesSouthern Utah (rivalry)
ColorsRed, navy blue, and white[1]
     

In July 2021, the WAC reinstated football as a sponsored sport, playing at the FCS level. This coincided with the arrival of four new members that play FCS football; with Southern Utah University set to join in 2022.[5][6][7] After the 2022 season, the WAC fully merged its football league with that of the ASUN Conference, creating what eventually became the United Athletic Conference, and Utah Tech accordingly moved its football team to the new league.[8] However, Utah Tech is ineligible for FCS Playoff competition until 2024 due to NCAA transfer rules.

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of November 28, 2022.[9]

2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
at Montana State Montana State UC Davis at BYU at Fresno State at Utah at Idaho at Utah
Montana at UNLV at Northern Arizona at Montana at Northern Arizona Northern Arizona Idaho
at Northern Arizona Northern Arizona at Idaho Northern Arizona at Montana
at Missouri State at UC Davis Northern Iowa
at Colorado State at South Dakota State Kennesaw State

Footnotes
  1. Dixie State has had various calls for a name change over the years, but it became official when the Utah State Legislature voted in Nov. 2021 to change their name to Utah Tech University, effective July 1, 2022. They will maintain their mascot of Trailblazers which they have had since 2016.[2][3]

References
  1. "Utah Tech University Branding Guide". Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  2. Imlay, Ashley (November 10, 2021). "Utah Legislature passes Dixie State name change". KSL-TV. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  3. "Dixie State University Name Process". Dixie State University. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  4. "Dixie State to become FCS Independent in football". fbschedules.com. 11 January 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  5. "WAC Announces Expansion, Plans to Reinstate Football" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  6. "WAC Announces Expedited Entrance for Four Texas Institutions" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  7. "WAC Officially Welcomes 'Texas Four' to Conference" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. July 1, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  8. "ASUN And WAC Unveil 2023 Football Schedule" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  9. "Utah Tech Trailblazers Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
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