Football | 12/20/2022 3:06:00 PM

Home games against FCS power Montana and three conference opponents, along with the program's first-ever visits to Tennessee and Alabama, and the latest installment of the "Battle for the Ax" rivalry with Southern Utah, dot Utah Tech's 11-game 2023 football schedule, which was officially unveiled on Tuesday. 
 
With a new season comes a new conference affiliation as football playing members of both the Western Athletic and the Atlantic Sun Conferences have united to form a new nine-team ASUN-WAC Conference.

The ASUN-WAC Football partnership began with a combined group that built the ASUN-WAC Challenge in 2021. Featuring an automatic qualifier (AQ) into the FCS playoff each of the past two years, the football group enters year three with nine participating institutions: Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, Southern Utah, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton and Utah Tech. The group will add the current WAC member UTRGV in the fall of 2025 when it begins sponsorship of football.
 
The Trailblazers will play four of their first five games on the road, beginning with a season-opening match up at defending Big Sky Conference champion and 2022 FCS semifinalist Montana State on Saturday, Sept. 2, in Bozeman.
 
Utah Tech will return home to Greater Zion Stadium one week later open its 2023 home slate against Big Sky power and 2022 FCS playoff participant Montana on Saturday, Sept. 9. 
 
Following that game, the Blazers will embark on a three-game road swing, which starts with their third-straight game against a Big Sky opponent when they head to Flagstaff to face Northern Arizona on Saturday, Sept. 16. UT will follow that up with road dates at Missouri State on Saturday, Sept. 23, and at FBS member Colorado State on Saturday, Sept. 30. 
 
Utah Tech will open its six-game ASUN-WAC conference slate at home vs. Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, Oct. 7. Following a bye week (Oct. 14), the Blazers will travel to the southeast for a conference date at North Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 21. 
 
UT will return home for a league match-up against 2022 FCS playoff participant Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 28, before closing its road slate with conference games at Abilene Christian on Saturday, Nov. 4, and at Austin Peay on Saturday, Nov. 11. 
 
The Trailblazers will then wrap up their 2023 season at home with the "Battle for the Ax" against in-state rival SUU on Saturday, Nov. 18. 
 
"We are excited to see another fantastic schedule for our Trailblazer football team and chance for a conference championship," UT Head Coach Paul Peterson said. "We continue to schedule the best FCS opponents, along with a challenging ASUN-WAC slate. The future is bright and we can't wait for September 2023."
 
Game times for all 11 games have yet to be determined. Season and single game ticket information for the 2023 season will be announced in the near future. 
 
Utah Tech won three of its final four games of the season to close with a 4-7 overall record in its third D-I FCS campaign, which included a 2-2 mark and a third place WAC finish.