BYU to go independent in football

Exactly. And how is being an independent going to HELP BYU?

They play in a great conference? X
They have a big TV contract ? X
They play a great schedule? Doubtful.

Notre Dame still gets some recruits by having that NBC contract and clinging to a tradition that ended 45 years ago. BYU has none of that to recruit with, and will no longer have a conference to play in if they leave. They better be developing their Mormon Pop Warner leagues if they are going to be a Top 25 team as an independent, because they aren’t going to get great talent in any other way that I can see.[/quote]

I dont understand why you keep bringing up the recruiting issue. If they can continuously do it in MWC they will be able to do it as an independant. It wasnt that long ago BYU was a national powerhouse and won a national championship. If BYU is in the top 10 at the end of the year as an independant they are in the RUNNING for a BCS spot. Thats a fact. Notre Dame hasnt been here because they have sucked. They shouldnt have been there when they got blown out of the Fiesta Bowl by Ohio State, but because they were ranked 10th they got the chance.

Look BYU last season they ended up 12th in the final BCS poll. 12th. As an independant they could have no scheduling limitations. That way they ould get rid of the weak teams they play such as UNLV, Whyoming, San Diego State and Colorado State.

It does make sense in a way, but obviously a stronger MWC makes sense to stay too.[/quote]

Who’s going to play BYU in Provo on a regular basis when they become an independent? BYU won their “National Championship” the same decade that Notre Dame won their last one, and things have changed drastically. Everyone else is sacrificing a left nut to get into a good conference to have strong opponents to play against EVERY season (and to have quality home games), and now BYU thinks they are going to be a contender as an independent? LMAO. The recruiting issue is very relevant because recruits want to know that a) you are going to be able to contend b) you’re going to play a strong schedule and c) that you’re going to be on national TV. BYU at least had/has one of those being in the MWC. They have their own network, but PBS probably gets higher ratings. The only way they can guarantee a strong schedule if they leave the MWC is to go on the road to play the BCS teams. Why would Utah, TCU, or any of the other MWC teams go to Provo now? Or any of the BCS teams? Utah, TCU, and the other MWC teams had to play them before, they won’t if they leave. They may get rid of the MWC bottom feeders on their schedule, but that caliber team or worse is pretty much all they are going to get to come play them in Provo, so they are just swapping bad apples at best. If Notre Dame is sucking as an independent with an NBC contract, BYU is extremely arrogant to think they can do better.

The only folks surprised when Utah got the PAC # invite was BYU. In the state of Utah, BYU is Chapel Hill and Duke combined and Utah is NC State. This is like the SEC picked NCSU over Chapel Hill. Imagine the pure panic that would ensue in Orange County. BYU is having a knee jerk reaction to being 1 upped by a school they consider inferior.

They consider Utah inferior, but the rest of the country sees it the other way around. Sounds like they need a self image adjustment. They just got the equivalent of a kick in the nuts, so maybe that will wake them up before it’s too late.

This Denver Post piece has BYU all but staying put in the Mountain West.

DenverPost.com: BYU likely will remain in MWC after TV saga is resolved

Now the question is which school will be team number 12. Would the MW give Utah State another chance or turn to Houston instead? Stayed tuned…

[quote=“Run49er, post:24, topic:23769”]This Denver Post piece has BYU all but staying put in the Mountain West.

DenverPost.com: BYU likely will remain in MWC after TV saga is resolved

Now the question is which school will be team number 12. Would the MW give Utah State another chance or turn to Houston instead? Stayed tuned…[/quote]

If BYU stays, I don’t see the MWC giving Utah State an offer. They will already have a Utah market presence, and my guess is that Utah State is treated worse by Utah and BYU than we are by UNC-CH and UNC-R. Gotta be Houston or SMU to get that presence in the #10 US TV market. No other teams are really appealing from the WAC or from CUSA. Maybe the New Mexico legislature will get involved and demand that New Mexico State get in so they don’t become an independent when the WAC folds. ;D

Well, the MW already has the #5 Dallas-Fort Worth market covered with TCU, so don’t know that they’d go after SMU. With Houston, then they would gain that market as well.

As far as Utah State goes, you’d have to think that they now realize that turning down the initial MW invite was a big mistake and would be begging for another chance. Anyway, will be interesting to see what happens and wouldn’t be surprised to see the WAC bite the dust a la the SWC in the mid-90s.

Well, the MW already has the #5 Dallas-Fort Worth market covered with TCU, so don’t know that they’d go after SMU. With Houston, then they would gain that market as well.

As far as Utah State goes, you’d have to think that they now realize that turning down the initial MW invite was a big mistake and would be begging for another chance. Anyway, will be interesting to see what happens and wouldn’t be surprised to see the WAC bite the dust a la the SWC in the mid-90s.[/quote]

A WAC collapse could really, really, really help us find a future home.

Conference USA becomes very important in this case… wouldn’t be surprised to see the remaining WAC schools (aside from La Tech) merge with C-USA West, leaving C-USA East to pick up the best available eastern programs. I would expect us to be on that list with football on the way.

Well, the MW already has the #5 Dallas-Fort Worth market covered with TCU, so don’t know that they’d go after SMU. With Houston, then they would gain that market as well.

As far as Utah State goes, you’d have to think that they now realize that turning down the initial MW invite was a big mistake and would be begging for another chance. Anyway, will be interesting to see what happens and wouldn’t be surprised to see the WAC bite the dust a la the SWC in the mid-90s.[/quote]

A WAC collapse could really, really, really help us find a future home. Conference USA becomes very important in this case… wouldn’t be surprised to see the remaining WAC schools (aside from La Tech) merge with C-USA West, leaving C-USA East to pick up the best available eastern programs. I would expect us to be on that list with football on the way.[/quote]

I don’t know about this senario. Most CUSA West teams are not that far removed from Their WAC experiences. Doubt they want to go back to that. Plus the travel issues are worse.

I can’t see that happening either. The WAC is looking to shed Louisiana, not add another school from the Pelican State. Of course, if it ceases to exist when all is said and done, then it’s a moot point!

I can’t see that happening either. The WAC is looking to shed Louisiana, not add another school from the Pelican State. Of course, if it ceases to exist when all is said and done, then it’s a moot point![/quote]

I think UT San Antonio will have an FBS home sooner than anyone thought.

Sounds like the begging has commenced according to this article from the Salt Lake City Tribune:

USU has had extensive discussions with the Mountain West since initially turning down the conference.
SLTrib.com: [b][url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/50172715-77/albrecht-state-wac-byu.html.csp?page=1]USU president defends actions as criticism mounts[/url][/b]

Well, the MW already has the #5 Dallas-Fort Worth market covered with TCU, so don’t know that they’d go after SMU. With Houston, then they would gain that market as well.[/quote]

Whoops. I crossed up Rice and SMU in my head. MWC would definitely like to have a Houston presence. Doubtful SMU or Utah State would be asked since TCU and BYU are already in. UTEP would likely be the next in line. El Paso is the #98 TV market, and they are definitely looking to get some easier road trips for their conference games.

X, you are aware the first school the MW approached in this latest round of expansion was Utah State? Just wanted to make sure you knew that.

X, you are aware the first school the MW approached in this latest round of expansion was Utah State? Just wanted to make sure you knew that.[/quote]

That’s when they thought BYU was leaving. They’d be morons to take Utah St over Houston unless BYU somehow forces their hand…if they can force their hand with an ace high.

I can’t see that happening either. The WAC is looking to shed Louisiana, not add another school from the Pelican State. Of course, if it ceases to exist when all is said and done, then it’s a moot point![/quote]

I meant to edit that… were something like this to happen, I think La Tech and Tulane would both become C-USA members. I can’t see the Wave going West with everybody else.

X, you are aware the first school the MW approached in this latest round of expansion was Utah State? Just wanted to make sure you knew that.[/quote]

What Nova said. When it was apparent that they were losing both Utah schools currently in the MWC, they needed Utah State to maintain that market. With BYU staying, they don’t. TCU needs an in-state conference rival, and the MWC would love to get the Houston market. As Nova also referenced, I think it would take BYU wanting Utah State in the MWC for the MWC to invite them again. I have no idea what the relationship between the two schools is.

X and Nova, the way I see it, the MWC went after Utah State, Fresno, and Nevada in order to get BYU to stay. Mission accomplished!

But now BYU has no where to go except the WCC. Checkmate MWC. No need to grab Utah St now,now they can grab whomever will help their conference the most.

You know that La Tech is praying that Houston goes to the MWC so they can get into CUSA. So what do you do if you’re one of five remaining WAC members? Get a bunch of FCS schools to jump?

More on the MW and WAC from the Salt Lake City Tribune. One piece also mentions that Hawai’i is considering going indy in football and joining the Big West for everything else. Hmmm…

SLTrib.com: Source: Aggies, MWC in another round of talks

SLTrib.com: E-mails show how BYU-WAC plans collapsed

SLTrib.com: Monson: BYU’s independence quest reads like a spy novel

SLTrib.com: Jay Drew: USU president on Aug. 17: MWC is “caught unprepared for this”

Quite a bit of back-stabbing going on in what’s turned out to be a fiasco for the WAC!