(03-23-2017 12:44 PM)Wedge Wrote: (03-22-2017 04:18 PM)YNot Wrote: You would have to convince SDSU, UNLV, and Hawaii of the virtues of football independence - more P5 games, avoid the G5 label, and the potential for more TV money. With BYU in the mix, you would have the basis for late season independent football scheduling and a bowl alliance.
UNLV football ≠ BYU football. ESPN wouldn't give UNLV a contract to broadcast their FB games as an indy.
SDSU football is on the brink of having no stadium in which to play. They already have their hands full with that problem and aren't going to pursue anything as time-consuming as football independence.
Hawai'i thinks they are better off with the four guaranteed home games each year they get from being in a conference. They are probably right about that. Other programs think that going to Hawai'i is a long and costly trip compared to other non-conference trips they could easily schedule.
IMO the more promising candidates for football independence, if they are ever interested, are all east of BYU.
This is just internet board musings, based on the premise that there is a new western Power basketball conference to be had with certain moves, so bear with me.
BYU would agree to play all three annually (Hawaii, SDSU, and UNLV) if they were football independents. The three would also play each other. So, there are three late-season games.
The three would also likely choose to play NMSU annually and would have UMass and Liberty as other independent options. Army already schedules Hawaii occasionally, and would likely have SDSU and UNLV on the radar. So, there are likely 5 to 6 annual late-season games to be had.
All three can likely get at least 4 early season games, including 2 home games, and an annual FCS opponent. They already do this. All three generally host a P5 opponent in September annually (mostly PAC schools).
With the Hawaii exemption, they can take advantage of the expanded week 0 schedule opportunities, and with more independent teams, CCG weekend is an option for games amongst themselves. This provides more flexibility to fill the remaining one or two games as part of an independent schedule.
Hawaii already has its own TV deal. SDSU and UNLV could likely match, and even improve upon, their paltry MWC payouts simply by selling their P5 and BYU home game rights individually. And, the media rights and NCAA tournament credits as part of a true Power basketball conference would probably net more payout than the status quo.
It could happen, dang it!