(06-11-2021 07:14 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I’m curious if this will remove the stigma of joining an inferior conference for BYU? With the institutional barriers gone, the MWC and AAC are both in equal footing for the playoff as the PAC 12.

Joining one of those conferences takes their playoff threshold from finishing in the top 11 to get in, to maybe about 16 and they could do so facing an easier schedule that doesn’t include as many P5 opponents.

They might make less in television rights but the post season opportunities get a lot better.

On the flip side, though, maybe BYU is looking at it more like ND: having 6 at-large slots makes it much easier for them to be an independent to make the playoff and it's way better than an 8-team playoff with a 5-1-2 system for them. The difference between being top 11 versus top 16 actually makes it seem less material for them to join a conference for playoff purposes - they wouldn't change their entire institutional profile over what might a matter of 5 spots in the CFP rankings ever year. BYU's schedules are strong enough where I don't think it's crazy at all that they can make the playoff as an at-large.

Plus, the schedule with more P5 opponents is a feature (not a bug) of being an independent. Houston and UCF would certainly join the Big 12 or another P5 league in a heartbeat regardless of whether it's easier to make it to the playoff in the AAC. Being able to play P5 opponents every year in the regular season is the "bird in the hand" for program interest and revenue compared to the crapshoot of making any playoff.